Change the Narrative, Change the World

Our second study with Define American analyzed 129 immigrant characters across 97 episodes of 59 scripted, narrative TV shows on broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, airing between August 2018 and July 2019. It also surveyed viewers of three TV shows that featured prominent immigration storylines in their 2018-2019 seasons--Madam Secretary (CBS), Orange Is the New Black (Netflix), and Superstore (NBC)—to measure their impact. The study found that TV shows with nuanced immigrant characters and storylines can shift attitudes and inspire real-life action--leading to inclusive attitudes towards immigrants and opposition to criminalizing undocumented people

Read the report.
Read a summary of the findings.

Immigration Nation

In collaboration with Define American, we analyzed a strategically selected sample of 143 episodes of 47 of the most popular 2017-2018 TV shows that included immigration topics and immigrant characters. Researchers observed how immigrants and immigration issues were depicted on entertainment television, and compared these depictions with the reality of the immigrant experience.

Read the report.
Read a summary of the findings.
The Norman Lear Center's Media Impact Project researches how entertainment and news influence our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and actions. We work with researchers, the film and TV industry, nonprofits, and news organizations, and share our research with the public. We are part of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.