Mediating Migration and Security Issues: What Roles Can Mass Media Play?

Abstract

This paper expands the scope of studying mass media in relation to migration and its attendant security issues by addressing new forms of media deployment in the interest of regulating migration flows around the countries of the world. Beyond constructing mass media representations of minorities and migration processes, this paper argues that mass media have new roles to play when it comes to targeting potential migrants in preventing mobility across borders. The main sources of data for the study included a review of existing secondary data on information and communication technologies use. However, as a guiding steps, this paper proffers answers to the following questions, (a). In what ways can the mass media influence migration? (b). What efforts are mass media making in addressing potential migrants as audiences in order to discourage migration? (c). What roles do media play in dealing with migration as a security matter? (d). What forms of educative information are media providing to potential migrants about perceptions of unwanted migrants by their host countries? (e). Do mass media create awareness in migrants as to possible threats to the security of their intended migration countries? The paper concludes that the mass media have significant roles to play in discouraging and restraining illegal migration and its attendant security threats it poses to their intended host countries. The paper recommends that potential migrants should be informed and educated on proper modalities for migration and discourages them on illegal migration and its attendant dangers and threats to the security of intended host countries.
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