Taiwanese Media: How Migrant Worker Coverage Reflects the Media Landscape and Shapes Public Perceptions

Cat Thomas

This session will be held using Microsoft Teams .
*Please be aware that this session follows British Summer Time (BST).

Abstract

As Taiwanese society is slowly waking up to the importance of migrant workers’ presence, as reflected in changing immigration laws, is Taiwanese media coverage adapting sufficiently?

Taiwan is home to around 700,000 migrant workers in the blue collar and homecare/nursing sectors and Taiwan’s continued success is utterly reliant on their labour. Without the approximately 230,000 caregivers, for example, many families would be unable to afford care for elders and be limited in their own ability to work. Manufacturing in the 3D sector and in key industries is similarly dependent on migrant worker labour. Yet, despite their contributions, this section of society receives little in the way of recognition.

Inequality is a matter of everyday life for Taiwan’s migrant workers— employment laws and immigration policy have long treated them as second class, and media representation inevitably shapes public perception and discourse.

As part of the AAJA-Asia Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programme, I received a reporting fellowship to write about local media representation of migrant workers in Taiwan.

This talk will cover my background research through surveys and interviews (and paths explored but ultimately put aside). It will examine the types of stories covered, their framing, the voices being heard, how the terminology used is crucial, and how such stories are received.

It will offer a primer on the mechanics of Taiwan’s local media scene (which can vary between chaotic and excellent) and explore the impact of the media coverage on the migrant workers. How much does this coverage reflect the reality of the lives of Taiwan’s migrant workforce and how do the migrant workers, regular Taiwanese, and reporters feel about the it?

Speaker's Bio

Cat Thomas is a freelance journalist based in Taipei. Her focus is on migrant workers, human rights, Taiwanese politics, and investigative reporting. A selection of her work can be found at muckrack.com- Cat Thomas .

Organiser: Centre of Taiwan Studies

Contact email: hl55@soas.ac.uk