In today’s technology driven world, it is no surprise media platforms act as key channels for the dissemination of information. Within the realm of media narratives, homelessness is a particularly interesting issue that reflects not only the stark realities faced by a marginalized population but also the transformative role that media holds in catalyzing solutions to urgent societal problems.
This blog explores common themes in media narratives that discuss homelessness, analyzing the negative effects of harmful narratives while emphasizing how local journalists and other media makers can play a pivotal role in championing long-term solutions.
The Importance of the Media
The media drives public awareness, influencing demands for societal responses and financial and political commitments to solutions. Unfortunately, the media tends to describe homelessness in limited terms, focusing on individual stories rather than on systemic issues that cause homelessness.
Scholars have identified recurring themes in these media portrayals, revealing some common issues despite differences in geographical location and context. These shared challenges contain an opportunity for cross-learning and collaborative initiatives to address homelessness.
There is an urgent need for media advocacy to reshape the narrative surrounding homelessness.
Issues in the Media
Three concerning trends have surfaced: first, the reinforcement of stereotypes; second, attributing homelessness to individual causes instead of systemic issues; and thirdly, a focus on silver bullet solutions over enduring ones. All of these undermine the comprehensive understanding required to effectively address the complexities of homelessness.
Reinforcement of Stereotypes
Major media outlets frequently include stereotypes in their portrayals, casting individuals in a narrow light and obstructing a deeper understanding of their challenges. Research by Barbara Schneider, Kerry Chamberlain and Darrin Hodgetts shows that this oversimplification often overlooks the diversity within the homeless population, perpetuating misconceptions that hinder efforts to address distinct needs. For example, homelessness among single women, families, and youths are minimally discussed in print media in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto. Yet, for example, households led by single women constitute most rapidly expanding groups of shelter users.
Similarly, the belief that homelessness affects a specific type of individual is evident in the choice of photographs, as these often depict stereotypical scenarios such as sleeping on park benches. When individuals with lived experiences reviewed such photos, one noted,
"I have never slept on a bench in the park, and I don’t know anyone in my environment who has."
Addressing these misrepresentations is crucial for fostering genuine understanding and developing effective solutions to the complex challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness.
Individual Causes of Homelessness vs. Structural Complexities
Secondly, the media consistently attributes homelessness to individual causes, associating it with drug use, mental illness, crime, violence and poor work ethic. Such depictions reduce homelessness to an individual issue, overlooking broader social factors like the lack of affordable housing and inadequate social assistance payments. Consequently, media sources may prioritize individual solutions while neglecting the essential need for comprehensive social change.
For instance, here’s a statement that exemplifies this:
“Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol, most have some kind of mental or emotional problems, and a lot of them smoke, making it hard to find affordable housing.... they’re undesirable tenants.”
Cautioning Against Silver Bullet Solutions
While it is important to recognize community initiatives that work to alleviate homelessness, it is equally important to acknowledge that these are not permanent solutions. When discussing solutions to homelessness, most articles reference silver bullets that primarily target the basic level.
For example, articles often cite local initiatives, such as local churches that provide food and services available through shelters. Other examples of silver bullets include tiny homes, new shelters and eviction bans.
While attention to the need for shelters is important, a shift in focus from shelter to permanent housing remains critical. Media contributors should exercise caution when presenting silver bullet solutions to homelessness as the public may perceive that the community is effectively addressing this issue. In turn, this could deter critical reflection on the adequacy of responses meant to improve the situation. It is crucial for the media to emphasize the necessity of establishing long-term solutions and addressing the root causes of these issues for effective systemic change advocacy. Homelessness is complex, and the solutions will be too.
Unintended Consequences: The Downside of Policy Impact
Depictions of homelessness that rely on stereotypes, individual causes and silver bullet solutions and can help justify punitive laws that lead to the exclusion and criminalization of people experiencing homelessness, such as encampment clearings or police-led responses to so-called public nuisances. These kinds of responses reinforce NIMBYism and marginalize individuals rather than provide solutions.
In response to a protest to repeal the Atlanta’s anti-panhandling law in, Senator Vincent Fort stated,
“A lot of homeless panhandlers are mental patients off their medication, and they want to be arrested so they can get a meal and get off the street.”
That fact that the media reproduced this comment could mislead the public into believing that individual factors like mental illness are the primary causes for homelessness, reducing the complex issue to criminal behaviour. Thus, the public may then believe that prohibiting panhandling will resolve this issue when it only makes things worse. Unfortunately, advocacy for punitive laws that prohibit loitering, staying overnight in public places and panhandling persist despite lacking any concrete solutions to tackle the problems at hand.
Such attitudes hinder empathy and compassion, perpetuating stigma. They are also problematic as a basis for policy, as evidenced by property owners in San Francisco opposing a shelter for people experiencing homelessness, citing an "environmental threat" to their community. Addressing these media-driven misunderstandings is crucial for informed and compassionate public opinions.
Utilizing the Media as a Catalyst for Solutions
The role of the media as a catalyst for change is evident. By amplifying diverse voices, emphasizing structural factors and advocating for sustainable solutions, the media can be a powerful instrument for fostering understanding, empathy, and sustainable solutions to homelessness.
Responsibility goes beyond reporting; it involves shaping narratives for collective action. Journalists and media contributors should work with advocacy groups to co-create narratives and develop stories that go beyond superficial portrayals to educate the public and contribute to informed discourse. These collaborations have the potential to increase article frequency and yield tangible results, catalyzing community action for nonprofits and support for long-term solutions.
Through the power of the media, journalism can illuminate the diverse experiences of homelessness, fueling public demands for meaningful societal responses and garnering financial and political commitments. In paving the way for lasting solutions to this pressing issue, journalism becomes a catalyst for positive change, fostering a more equitable society for all.