Story perspectives

Study Reveals Media Bias in Reporting Foreign Crimes

10/19/2025

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Center

Media Bias Exposed

A German study by journalism professor Thomas Hestermann finds significant media bias in reporting violent crimes involving foreigners.
The study shows foreign suspects are mentioned three times more often than their police-reported representation.
The bias has worsened since the 2015 migrant influx, and media coverage often favors right-wing narratives.
Criminologist Gina Wollinger says crime is driven by socio-economic factors and calls for editorial diversity.

Left

Parties: Far-Right Influence

A German study finds mainstream political parties are increasingly allowing far-right groups to shape the political agenda, especially on migration and integration.
The trend was identified by analyzing more than 520,000 articles.
The normalization of far-right rhetoric has significant implications for democracy.
It urges mainstream parties to craft their own narratives rather than reacting to far-right discourse, noting Nordic countries where influence extends beyond cultural issues.

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Media Bias Exposed

A German study by journalism professor Thomas Hestermann finds significant media bias in reporting violent crimes involving foreigners.
The study shows foreign suspects are mentioned three times more often than their police-reported representation.
The bias has worsened since the 2015 migrant influx, and media coverage often favors right-wing narratives.
Criminologist Gina Wollinger says crime is driven by socio-economic factors and calls for editorial diversity.

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