Media representation plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions in a

diversified setting like Hong Kong. The representation consists of cultural value, elucidation

and understanding of one’s self and its surroundings (Fürsich, 2010). Hence, the media's

misrepresentation may disrupt societal integration in Hong Kong due to the hostility it

creates. Despite comprising the population of Hong Kong, several southeast Asian natives,

including Pakistanis, Indians, Nepalese and Filipinos experience issues emerging from their

misrepresentation by the media in Hong Kong. Issues involving discriminatory behavior

within the society, deprivation of equal opportunities, and rising depressive symptoms

among the minority group are to be argued in this essay.

The representation of ethnic minorities (EMs) by the media exerts profound

influence over the attitudes and perception of citizens towards them. When the media

perpetuates negative narratives for EMs, it produces stigmatization and discrimination in the

citizen’s perspective. A research conducted by City University of Hong Kong (Wang, 2022)

found that on average 2.34 out of 5 score was given by the participants upon encountering

news articles that negatively describe their ethnicities. Wang also demonstrated how

negative contextualism is practiced in newspaper articles by associating EMs as the

transmitter of the Covid-19, and criminality such as robbery at major jewelry stores. The

discriminatory behavior originates from the comments underneath such articles itself, and

this can be supported by Harlow (2015), whereas his research found that the comments of

online newspaper articles consisting of race or ethnicity were likely to be sterotypical and are

not addressed in a “civilized” way. Thus, the Chinese judge EMs based on stereotyical

representation and act prejudicial towards them. Resulting in low acceptance rate of the

minority shown in the Hong Kong Unison (2012), with the general acceptance of EMs being

relatively lower than other races. It’s expressed in evident ways namely, refusing to sit with

them in public transport, passing discriminatory comments online and in reality, or simply

refusing to associate with the minority in any circumstances. This summarizes some

discriminatory acts which EMs face on a daily basis.

 Correspondingly, the stereotypical representation of EMs deprives them of their

rightful opportunities in the community, arising from lack of acceptance. One can take the

example of practicing of islamic duties, as it is a common religion in southeast asian

countries. Women in islam are required to wear a hijab, as a mandatory duty. Yet, there’ve

been continuous incidents where employers have criticized employees performing such

duties. Firstly, an Indonesian domestic helper filed a discrimination lawsuit against the

family she was working for, as she was fired for wearing a hijab and praying (Wong, 2023).

Secondly, a Pakistani woman aged 42, who was hired as a dishwasher was also fired for

wearing a hijab (Le, 2021). Lastly, besides women, EM men working for a food delivery app

“deliveroo” also received an order which requested for no Pakistani or Indian delivery person

(Chen, 2021). Upon addressing these situations, it is evident how the EMs are deprived of

their lawful right to work due to lack of acceptance towards them in the society. EMs are no

different than Chinese ethnicity and are subject to a rightful earning for themselves. Hence,

it is essential for the media to foster accurate and fair representation to provide equal

opportunities for EMs.

Nonetheless, some critics may argue that the media’s representation isn’t detrimental

but rather serves the purpose of social betterment. It may contend that the media’s

representation merely reflects the prevailing social norms and bias. They favor the content

that’s understood and wanted by their Chinese viewers, which are the stereotypical norms

regarding EMs. Hence, it’s likely that newspaper articles would highlight cultural differences

to promote assimilation. Moreover, it is understood that the media has the responsibility and

tendency to cater the majority’s interests and preferences in order to maintain viewership or

profitability. Therefore, to sum up from their perspective, a representation that aligns with

mainstream perspectives aims to minimize social tensions or discrimination and eventually,

facilitate societal integration between Chinese and EMs.

 On the contrary, the potential consequence of favoring majority groups results in

worsened mental well-being of EMs. Upon constantly encountering misrepresentation of

culture and ethnicity, reinforcing negative narratives and stereotypes, EMs are prone to

losing the sense of belonging in Hong Kong, and low self-esteem. Wang (2022) also

expressed how the racial discrimination can lead to depressive symptoms, and it’s likely to be

found across all age groups and social settings. The potential negative outcomes would be

workplace and educational opportunities of EMs being compromised, which correlates with

the previous situations of discrimination illustrated. Ultimately, this leads to lower

employment rates, income levels, and limited resources and opportunities for a balanced

lifestyle within Hong Kong’s society such as affording costly housing and leisure. Many EMs

and their families rely on social welfare and government subsidies to support their expenses.

This is evidently showcased in the statistics of Legislative Council Commission (2016), where

EMs had high poverty rates consisting of 50.2% for Pakistani households, 23% for

Indonesian households. Moving onto the second outcome, it can lead to overall decreased

well-being of EMs by exacerbating existing health disparities. EMs have already been facing

difficulties while assessing quality physical or mental health services due to the language

barriers and cultural stigmatization. This may lead to the underdiagnosis and

undertreatment of a large population. Ultimately, this causes the incapability to thrive as a

productive EMs society, and be further criticized by other people.

On a final note, the media's misrepresentation of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong has

far-reaching implications for societal integration. The negative narratives by the media

fosters stigmatization, discrimination, and a lack of acceptance within the majority

population. Consequently, ethnic minorities are deprived of equal opportunities, facing

challenges in areas such as employment and cultural practices. Furthermore, the biased

portrayal of ethnic minorities by the media adversely affects their mental well-being, leading

to depressive symptoms and a diminished sense of belonging. These factors collectively

contribute to lower employment rates, heightened poverty levels, and limited access to
resources for ethnic minorities. It’s imperative that the media embraces accurate and

equitable representation to foster social harmony and ensure equal opportunities for all

individuals in Hong Kong's diverse society.

References
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over racist comment. Coconuts Hong Kong.

https://coconuts.co/hongkong/news/no-indian-pakistan-riders-deliveroo-closes-custo

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Harlow, S. (2015). Story-Chatterers stirring up hate: Racist discourse in reader comments on

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