Negative stereotyping in television news is widespread; however, comprehensive research about the depiction of ethnic minorities in threat-inducing news frames and its impact on prejudice remains scarce. The current study adds to our understanding of the origins of intergroup threats and prejudice in several ways: First, by means of a content analysis of Belgian television news, we differentiate between ethnic minorities and investigate which (combinations of) realistic and symbolic threats are most prevalent. The two largest prime time news broadcasts are coded from 2003 till 2013, resulting in a unique dataset with all negative economic, criminal and cultural arguments on ethnic minorities. Second, as intergroup threats often occur in conjunction with negative emotions, we evaluate the presence of emotionally-charged words in news frames. Third, the content analysis provides the basis for a vignette experiment to explore the consequences of threat-inducing news on prejudice toward ethnic minorities, thereby strengthening causal claims.
