‘Arabic is important to me’: Making Sense of Media

Abstract

The survey and television diaries described television channels and genres watched by Arabic speakers in six European capitals. This chapter and the next build on these quantitative results and draw on qualitative data derived from extended focus group work with over 250 Arabic speakers. Six focus groups of six participants were held in each of our six capitals with a further six groups in Nicosia in Cyprus. Focus groups discussed how important media was in their lives, and their use of the media in understanding national and international events.

I watch Arabic programmes with the children and talk to them in Arabic at the same time because Arabic is important to me. (Male, age over 45, Paris)