Beyond the Headlines: How New Zealand Media Construct Pasifika Peoples in Crime Narratives

Media institutions play a significant role in shaping audiences’ understanding of certain events, issues and social groups (Bull, 2017; Gilhurst, 2010). This study aims to critically examine the portrayal of Pacific peoples in crime narratives in Aotearoa New Zealand media. The research incorporates a comparative component by looking at mainstream media platforms such as New Zealand Herald and Radio New Zealand, against Pacific-led forums such as E-Tangata and Pacific Media Network. In doing so, this study will analyse the use of language and identify any demographic and linguistic characteristics across the two media discourses.

Three distinct time periods were selected, focusing on early, to mid, and most recent media coverage of Pacific peoples in crime reporting. This study seeks to explore and answer the following question; How do mainstream and Pacific-led media differ in their representation of Pacific peoples in crime reporting in Aotearoa New Zealand?

The research also draws on critical theory, labelling theory, and cultivation theory, to critically examine the relationship between media, power and public perception. Nationally, there are several studies which have studied the phenomenon of Māori and Pasifika peoples in mainstream media in areas such as healthcare, politics, and crime (Allen & Bruce, 2017; Loto et al., 2006; Maydell, 2018; Moewaka Barnes & McCreanor, 2019; Nairn et a., 2011). However, there is minimal investigation in comparing mainstream with alternative-led forums. Therefore, this study seeks to fill the scarce gap in existing literature.

Based off 173 analysed articles over three distinct time periods. Content analysis data was coded across and categorised as such; headlines, offence type, age, ethnic labels, victim vs. offender narratives, spatial areas, and descriptors. Critical discourse was then used to examine the language within these categories.

The findings within this study indicated that both media forums narrated and portrayed Pacific peoples through distinct discursive frameworks. Mainstream stories were constructed through a deficit-based narrative tending to place blame on the community, and heightening the severity of offences and victim-based narratives. However, Pacific-led tended to focus on community issues regarding criminality adding critique to areas of systemic failures. This research therefore argues the importance in reflecting on representation of Pacific peoples in distinct media environments, and critically understanding why forums such as alternative-led media, may inherit disparate ideological, cultural and institutional positions which cater for Pacific peoples as opposed to mainstream.