Media, Identities, and Immigrants: Arab Satellite Television in Italy

The field of global media has recently seen the publication of several books on the relationship between the media, belonging, and migrants. This research focuses on the complex cultural positioning of communities, who, for a variety of reasons, move to a new country and inhabit the new culture. This article first maps some theoretical and empirical investigations on the issues of immigrants, and their use of the media. Furthermore, the specific context of the Arab media revolution within and outside Arab countries is presented, and I particularly focus on Al-Jazeera satellite television and an imaginary it offers. I explore, through ethnographic research and in-depth interviews, the use and consumption of Al-Jazeera satellite television by young Arab Muslim immigrants who meet at the Islamic Cultural Institute of Milan, Italy. I argue that Al-Jazeera represents an original media project which tries to break free from direct control of Arab governments to the media despite the financial support it continues to receive from the Emir of Qatar. However, the overwhelming enthusiasm surrounding the experience of watching independent news channels should not always be seen in the light of a common desire to identify and unite within the notion of umma.