We Represent a Potential, not a Problem: Young People’s Media Use in Diaspora

Media plays a crucial role in democratic and political participation. Media is also important in construction of identity and for the feeling of belonging. In this article we concentrate on the media habits of young minority people in Norway. These groups have a crosscultural competence, a double identity, and an interest in news both from their heritage nation and from Norway. They are frequent users of online newspapers, and they are highly skilled in ICT. Further, their interests in news are combined with a critical awareness of how different minority groups are presented. Altogether, these circumstances represent a new situation for media producers and for journalism in general. In a multicultural community, journalists ought to be aware of the diversity of their audience and be willing to include minorities in news productions. Most importantly, a balanced presentation of minorities in media is a prerequisite for inclusion.