Keywords: Europe, media ethics, roma, media content
On the train to the airport, just before I left Romania, the person sitting next to me told me “Gypsies do nothing but steal and rob us – the Romanians.” It wasn’t a member of the Iron Guard or a skinhead sitting next to me, but an elderly lady travelling with her five-year-old grandson.
I asked her if she had ever had a personal incident with a Roma, and she replied: “no, but didn’t you see on TV how savage they are?” The 5 year old boy nodded his agreement, and looked scared when I told them that I was Roma.
Article by Valeriu Nicolae – 2003.
A Problem Brewing – Media Coverage of Roma in Romania.doc