Selective Narratives: How Hungarian media fuels fear around migration

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Hungarian government-aligned media has a knack for spinning migration into a crisis, portraying it as an existential threat. By cherry-picking incidents and amplifying them without context, outlets like Ripost and Origo construct narratives designed to stoke fear and deepen societal divisions. Recent articles from both publications illustrate how this selective framing works, subtly feeding xenophobic sentiments. 

A teacher’s struggle, miscontextualised 

In an article published in Ripost in October, an Austrian teacher is reportedly struggling with second-grade students unable to write their names. At first glance, this may seem like a straightforward critique of educational challenges. But the report quickly zeroes in on migrant students, framing their cultural and linguistic differences as the root cause of the problem.  

What’s conspicuously absent? Any attempt to explore broader issues in Austria’s education system, such as underfunded schools, overcrowded classrooms, or a lack of language-learning resources. The article offers no statistics or comparative data to show whether literacy challenges are unique to schools with a high proportion of migrant students or if similar problems exist elsewhere. Instead, the article leans on this an isolated anecdote to paint migration as a destabilising force in European education.  

This approach ignores a crucial reality: many migrant communities successfully adapt and contribute to their new societies. Integration programmes across Europe have helped countless students thrive academically, debunking the stereotype that migrants are incapable of assimilation. Yet by omitting these stories, the article reinforces divisive myths, presenting migration as an insurmountable threat. 

Protests framed as threats to European values  

In another piece published in October, Origo discusses protests across Europe purportedly demanding the implementation of Islamic laws. The article frames these demonstrations as a widespread and growing phenomenon, portraying them as evidence of an “infiltration” of European values by foreign ideologies. 

But here’s the catch: there’s little context to support this dramatic conclusion. Are these protests representative of the majority of Muslim communities across Europe? What percentage of participants in these demonstrations actually advocate for Islamic laws, as opposed to expressing frustration over specific grievances like discrimination? The article avoids these questions, opting instead for sweeping generalisations that portray all Muslim migrants as a monolithic group threatening European values.  

This framing disregards the fact that many Muslims in Europe actively support and contribute to pluralistic societies. Moreover, the protests are not contextualised within broader European protest culture, where demonstrations on various issues—ranging from economic policy to climate change—are common and rarely taken as wholesale threats to societal values.  

The danger of a secret agenda 

What unites these two articles is their selective storytelling. Both articles reflect a larger trend in Hungarian media: the use of selective narratives to promote fear. By fixating on specific cases and stripping away their complexity, these outlets craft a one-dimensional portrayal of migrants as disruptive and incompatible with European life. 

The lack of broader context is not accidental—it serves a political agenda. By generalising from isolated incidents, these stories feed into a xenophobic narrative that aligns with Hungary's strict anti-migration policies. This tactic discourages empathy, making it easier to justify exclusionary measures and harder for citizens to recognise the multifaceted realities of migration, turning complex issues into simplistic “us versus them” battles. 

The need for balanced reporting 

Migration is a multifaceted issue that deserves nuanced and fair coverage. Yes, challenges exist, but so do countless examples of successful integration and mutual enrichment. Stories that focus only on the difficulties—while ignoring the systemic factors behind them—do a disservice to readers. 

By framing migration as an existential threat, outlets like Ripost and Origo not only misinform their audiences but also undermine efforts to build inclusive and cohesive societies. It’s time for media to move beyond fear-driven narratives and start telling the full story. 

 
Sources: 

https://ripost.hu/kulfold/2024/10/osztrak-tanarno-sok-masodikos-meg-a-nevet-sem-tudja-leirni 
 
https://www.origo.hu/nagyvilag/2024/10/mindennapossa-valtak-a-tuntetesek-europaban-ahol-az-iszlam-torvenyeket-kovetelik