Non-European Immigration: European Public Opinion through Media

Several studies in different scientific fields addressing the research question offer controversial results on the media role. In this paper, the sentiment that European public opinion has about non - European immi gration is analysed by data of three Eurobarometer waves from 2014 to 2016 focusing on the period of immigration crisis . Through multilevel longitudinal models, the effects of traditional (television, press and radio) and new (website and online social network) media on citizens’ perception are estimated. Specifying longitudinal multilevel models based on research hypotheses about the link between citizens’ immigration perception and media use, the estimation of the parameters reveals significant implications of the media communication skills in affecting the European citizens’ sentiment about non - European immigration. The main findings show that the use of traditional media (TV, press and radio) and new media (website and online social networks) helps to bring closer and consolidate the rela tionship between citizen and 'foreigner', even when the European migration crisis reaches high levels and the migration issue becomes heated for public opinion. Furthermore, when new media is used frequently to obtain political information, a positive sent iment towards immigrants outside the EU for high levels of immigration is common.