Representation of Migrants in Dutch News 2000-2024

Abstract

This study examines whether reporting on migration reflects the presumed ideological orientation of six Dutch newspapers. Migration-related news articles published between 2014 and 2024 by Algemeen Dagblad (AD), Het Financieele Dagblad (FD), De Telegraaf, NRC, Trouw, and De Volkskrant (i.e., N = 72,423) were analyzed. The goal was to uncover linguistic characteristics, as news discourse and framing can shape individuals’ opinions and perceptions of migration. To analyze these patterns, Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques were applied, including topic modeling, N-gram analysis, word embedding analysis, Named Entity Recognition (NER), and Part-of-Speech (POS) tagging. These methods revealed both thematic and stylistic differences across outlets. While all newspapers covered a broad range of topics, AD, De Telegraaf, Trouw, and De Volkskrant included more personal stories emphasizing humanitarian concerns. In contrast, AD, De Telegraaf, and NRC frequently linked the framing illegaal (illegal) to the actor migrant, and AD and De Telegraaf employed strong negative framings such as asielzak (“asylum bum”) and asielhopper (“asylum hopper”) towards asielzoeker (asylum seeker). FD, NRC, and De Volkskrant used more restrained language, whereas AD, De Telegraaf, and Trouw included sharper descriptions of entities. While Trouw applied outspoken framings mainly to right-wing politicians (e.g., afslankgoeroe “slimming guru” and macho), De Telegraaf criticized politicians across the ideological spectrum. The findings indicate that FD, De Telegraaf, and Trouw align most strongly with their presumed ideological profiles. AD showed a mixed pattern, combining left- and right-wing characteristics. NRC and De Volkskrant generally reflected their ideological leanings but also demonstrated centrist tendencies. These results highlight that, although Dutch newspapers cover similar topics, the framing and tone of reporting differ considerably. Awareness of a newspaper’s ideological stance is crucial for readers to critically assess content and develop an informed and independent perspective on migration.