Combating anti-Roma stereotypes and prejudices through media

months later, too late to have an impact or to reduce the damage done. However one should be aware ofthe complexity which the complaint process might require form case to case.Media MonitoringJournalism is considered to reproduce the stereotypes associated with different ethnic minorities as well asfailing to allow for a broader reflection on issues of social exclusion, discrimination, etc. Instead of provokingdebate by raising awareness, helping fight prejudice and engendering inter-community understanding, alarge percentage of the mainstream media has helped to fuel debates based on intolerance and racism.Roma continue to be among the groups most affected by the injury, which filters through the media,ensuring that these people are often described in stereotypical and racist manner.According to the Council of Europe, “The media, sometimes unconsciously, too often consciously, spreadanti-Roma feelings. In case of reporting a crime committed by a person mentioning the ethnicity does nothave any positive impact. By the same token, patronizing attitude is also harmful. In addition, mediagenerally do not pay attention to stories in which the Roma are the victims, as it is the case for racist attacksor hate speeches pronounced by politicians towards Roma, all of these acts that media could help tocondemn.” 24 .The way the press builds up the image of the ‘others’, addresses the problems of minorities, as well as theirrights, the sense of responsibility that shows the use of its undeniable power to inform and guide publicopinion needs to be the object of more concrete and thorough analysis. There is a urgent need to monitorviolations of ethical standards as established by the journalists’ codes of conduct.Constant monitoring activities can be the tool to observe, react, report and correct deceitful cases ofinformation to combat stereotypes dissemination. Anti-discrimination bodies, associations, engagedjournalists, media activists, politicians or citizens themselves could do a lot more to respond to prejudiceswith knowledge.FocusIn Other WORDS. Articolo 3 Observatory of Mantua (Italy) monitors the role of media through a key-wordsbased daily press review which covers about 50 newspapers in the Lombardy region. A weekly newsletterwith analysis of news and insights is circulated among about 1,500 readers, including individuals,institutions, professionals and associations. The good practice of ‘Articolo 3’ is at the core of the EU cofundedproject ‘In Other Words - Web Observatory and Review for Discrimination alerts and StereotypesDeconstruction’ whose aim is to develop a model for multicultural newsrooms and for monitoring activities.Main goal of the project is to monitor the representation of the various minorities in about 100 mediathrough network of 7 EU Regional Observatory in 6 different Member States.Monitoring the media is a useful exercise not only for professionals but also for mainstream society. It canhelp develop a more critical awareness of the media, learn how to interpret what is said or shown andbecome empowered both as ‘media consumers’.24 http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/romatravellers/JP3/arc/toolstereotypesEN.pdf28