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Why Immigrant Storylines on TV Are So Important for Real-Life Immigration Issues

The 2020 “Change the Narrative, Change the World” study has found that depicting immigrant characters on TV can have a positive impact on viewers. A partnership between the nonprofit media advocacy group Define American and the Norman Lear Center at USC Annenberg, the second-annual report found that viewers who consumed televised immigrant storylines — namely the fictitious ones — had more inclusive attitudes toward immigrants and were more likely to take action on immigrant-related issues than those who did not see those storylines. For example, viewers of “Orange Is the New Black” and “Superstore” have disproportionately vocalized support for immigrants on social media, and “Madam Secretary” viewers were more likely to attend rallies and community events in support of immigrants. Also Read: Natasha Lyonne, Alia Shawkat to Develop Iraqi Immigrant Comedy 'Desert People' for Amazon The findings were derived from an analysis of 129 unique immigrant characters across 97 episodes of 59 scripted, narrative TV shows on broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms that aired between August 2018 and July 2019. The report also found a positive correlation between viewers who felt that the U.S. should open its arms to more immigrants and viewers who watched shows featuring immigrant characters. Viewers...

Read original story Why Immigrant Storylines on TV Are So Important for Real-Life Immigration Issues At TheWrap