“Turn on—turn off”: how the TV image hurts the Romani community

For many years, the Romani community in Ukraine has faced numerous problems, including discrimination and marginalisation. One of the factors impacting the social atmosphere is the mass media, as it is they who create, support, and/or dismantle stereotypes. Despite the fact that Romani are one of the largest ethnic minorities in Ukraine (some estimates say 200 to 400 thousand people), they remain underrepresented on TV and are often depicted in a stereotypical manner. TV shows and entertainment broadcasts occasionally mention Roma and Romani representatives are sometimes even lead characters on some shows. 

Djanes journalists have been monitoring broadcasts on national TV over the past couple of years and have noticed certain patterns in how the Romani community has been represented.

What is hate speech and what is its place on the TV?

Hate speech is when aggressive and derogatory utterances are used with regard to a certain group of people. Hate speech is often aimed at women, LGBT+ representatives, and ethnic minorities in Ukraine, including Romani. 

“Hate speech stands for words or depreciating utterances that may be offensive against people who fall into certain social categories. For instance, women, representatives of the Romani ethnic minority. Hate speech has been widespread on the Ukrainian TV, especially on talk shows where people come and express their ideas and positions”, — so explains Olha Bilousenko, an analyst of the Detektor Media NGO’s research centre.

One important stage in overcoming hate speech is an information campaign explaining what hate speech is and why certain utterances are considered offensive and why so. As Ms Bilousenko ways, the situation has improved over the past years. This we owe to the civil society which reacts to such things whereas the offenders feel the indignation of viewers. The struggle against hate speech in the public space is a long-lasting process but an efficient one. 

“First and foremost, we need to make case examples visible and drum up the support of the civil establishment. We need to spread the word, condemn and explain, using competent comments, in a substantiated manner, why is this not ok, whom does this potentially denigrate, how does this impact society and what the negative consequences can be. This may very well bring about negative consequences, for instance, popularise stereotypical images of Romanis. I live in Transcarpathia and I had lived there before the war, too. I saw how internal refugee Romanis came to Transcarpathia and were refused help due to their ethnicity. They were accommodated in segregated shelters. So we see how this works and how does it exacerbate the situation”, - says Olha Bilousenko, the analyst of the Detektor Media NGO’s research centre. 

What is wrong with the show?

TV shows where Romani cuisine is showcased are a rarity on TV. The Master Chef culinary reality show has paid special attention to ethnic cuisine. Episode 12 of Master Chef: The Battle of Seasons” included a task “Prepare meals for a gypsy wedding”. Culinary specialists were very much excited about the competition. As the participants were interviewed, there were images broadcast in the background which were openly stereotypical with regard to Romani and their appearance. Next came this, quote: “Gypsies want it to be expensive and opulent. Barons wear shirts with huge collars, golden necklaces, lots of rings on their fingers, beards, and hair combed back”. 

The usage of the gypsy ethnonym is considered offensive due to negative connotations—so decreed representatives of the Romani community at their London Congress. Photos broadcast in the background amplified stereotypes about Romani appearance. Modern-day Romanis are mostly assimilated and you will hardly encounter the notion of a baron. There was, incidentally, also an assignment for Scandinavian cuisine during the same show, but no images of Nordic people were broadcast.