Seeing beyond the headlines: an exploration into the media's narratives and personal narratives for people who are ethnically minoritised in British society

Objective: This systematic review aimed to explore how people who are ethnically minoritised are portrayed in the British Media.

Method: A systematic search of four databases was conducted. Only papers which were relevant to the portrayal of individuals from ethnic minorities i.e., other than White, and of which were explicitly from the UK media, were included. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) assessed the quality of the included literature.

Results: Eleven studies were included, of which most were methodologically sound: ranging from an overall quality score between 100% to 40% on the MMAT. Six broad themes were identified: that those who are ethnically minoritised are portrayed as 1. Subhuman, 2. A negative racialised stereotype, 3. A threat to national security and White people, 4. An economic burden, 5. As voiceless and powerless, and 6. An asset to Western society.

Conclusions: The review revealed that the British media frequently presents people who are deemed other than White and are ethnically minoritised negatively, reinforcing racial
hierarchies. This portrayal can harm mental health, relationships, and a sense of belonging in a White-majority society. Future research should prioritise promoting the voices of those who are ethnically minoritised so that new dominant cultural narratives that form can be more reflective of how such people view themselves.