Hate Speech in the Media

Principal Investigators: Chon A. Noriega, PhD, and Francisco Javier Iribarren, MSW-PsyD
 
Description: In partnership with the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), the CSRC’s Hate Speech in the Media project sought to develop a research methodology for the quantitative evaluation of hate speech on talk radio. Preliminary data revealed a systematic and extensive use of false and distorted facts, flawed argumentation, divisive language, and dehumanizing metaphors in the broadcasts. These findings were presented first at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, in January 2009 and the following June at “Beyond Broadcast 2009: Public Service Media from Local to Global,” a conference at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication. UCLA Graduate Division sponsored a Summer Institute for the Study of Hate Speech in summer 2009, which expanded upon the preliminary investigation. Researchers then focused on analyzing how social networks that form around the hosts of commercial talk radio shows can propagate messages targeting vulnerable groups, and determined hosts’ and guests’ ideological alignment on the topics discussed most frequently through a content analysis of on-air statements and website content. In the final stage of the project, researchers established that a methodology that employs biological markers can be useful in determining the physiological and psychological effects of hate speech. The findings showed a statistically significant correlation between changes in clinical anxiety and the production of salivary cortisol in listeners who were exposed to hate speech content on commercial talk radio. The research reveals that hate speech could potentially have a deleterious impact on the health of all listeners, whether or not they are ideologically aligned with the host.
 
Funders: This project is supported in part by a grant from the Necessary Knowledge for a Democratic Sphere Program of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), with funds provided by the Ford Foundation; W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center; and the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
 
Briefs & Reports:
Hermes J. Garban, Francisco Javier Iribarren, and Chon A. Noriega with Nicholas Barr and Weidong Zhu
CSRC Working Paper 3, August 2012
 
Chon A. Noriega and Francisco Javier Iribarren with Ross Lenihan, Andrew Young, and Héctor Peña Ramírez
CSRC Working Paper 2, July 2012
 
Chon A. Noriega and Francisco Javier Iribarren
CSRC Working Paper 1, November 2011
 
Chon A. Noriega and Francisco Javier Iribarren
Latino Policy & Issues Briefs No. 22, February 2009
 
Journal Articles:
 
Chon A. Noriega and Javier Iribarren, "Studying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio," Journal of Radio & Audio Media, Volume 21, Number 2, 2014
 
Chon A. Noriega and Francisco Javier Iribarren, “Toward an Empirical Analysis of Hate Speech in Commercial Talk Radio,” Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, Volume 25, 2012-2013
 
Media Coverage:
"NHMC: Conservative Talk Radio Spreading Hate Speech"
VOXXI, August 3, 2012 (PDF)
 
"Study Finds Conservative Talk Radio Promotes Echo-Chamber of Hate Speech"
Media Matters for America (blog), August 3, 2012 (PDF)
 
"Conservative Talk Radio Contributes to More Hate of Minorities, Study Says"
Fox News Latino, August 1, 2012 (PDF)
 
"New NHMC Study Cites Role of Conservative Talk Radio in Spreading Hate Speech Targeting Minorities, Religious Groups, and the LGBT Community"
NHMC press release, August 1, 2012 (PDF)
 
"National Hispanic Media Coalition to Poll Thousands about Hate Speech in Media"
LatinHeat, February 22, 2012 (PDF)
 
"The Campaign Against Hate Speech"
Pasadena Sun, February 16, 2012 (PDF)
 
"Charlotte's First Baby of 2012 Sparks Anti-Latino Hate"
Colorlines, January 24, 2012 (PDF)
 
"The UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Develops Methology to Measure Hate Speech on Talk Radio"
La Bloga, November 21, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Methodology Measures Hate Speech on Talk Radio"
La Prensa San Diego, November 18, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Taking the Measure of Talk Radio Racists"
La Bloga, November 15, 2011 (PDF)
 
"A la búsqueda del 'discurso del odio' en la radio de Estados Unidos"
BBC Mundo, November 16, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Study: Hate Speech on 'John and Ken,' Dobbs Talk Radio?"
Orange County Register, November 14, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Q&A: On Immigrants and Immigration, When Does Talk Go Too Far?"
Multi-American (NPR Blog), November 14, 2011 (PDF)
 
"New UCLA Study Cites Anti-Latino/Anti-Undocumented Hate Speech by KFI Radio"
Liberal OC, November 10, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Report Calls Out Talk-Radio Hate Speech"
The Root, November 10, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Releases Study on Radio Hate Speech"
New America Media, November 10, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Study: John & Ken Radio Show Plagued by Anti-Latino Hate Speech"
MarioWire, November 10, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Detectan odio contra latinos en la radio"
La Opinión, November 9, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Methodology Measures Hate Speech on Talk Radio"
Latino LA!, November 9, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Study Highlights John & Ken Show's Anti-Latino and Anti-Immigrant 'Hate Speech'"
Media Matters for America, November 9, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Study Finds Hate Speech on Talk Radio"
Fox News Latino, November 9, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Study Finds KFI Hosts Guilty of 'Hate Speech'"
Fishbowl LA, November 9, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Anti-Immigrant Talk Radio Rhetoric Is Analyzed in New UCLA Report"
Multi-American (NPR blog), November 8, 2011 (PDF)
 
"Documentan discursos de odio en la radio"
Impre.com, November 8, 2011 (PDF)
 
"John & Ken Radio Show Plagued by Anti-Latino Hate Speech, UCLA Study Says"
The Informer (LA Weekly blog), November 8, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA and NHMC Release Report: 'Quantifying Hate Speech on Talk Radio"
Latinos in the Industry, November 8, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Releases Study on Radio Hate Speech"
Latin American Herald Tribune, November 8, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Study: ‘Quantifying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio"
National Hispanic Media Coalition, November 8, 2011 (video)
 
"News Flash! 'Quantifying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio”
Preview of the panel discussion on the CSRC study, held November 8 at MALDEF.
LA Eastside, November 7, 2011 (PDF)
 
"UCLA Study, 'Hate Speech on Commericial Talk Radio,' Affirms NCLR's We Can Stop the Hate Campaign"
The Huffington Post, February 11, 2009 (PDF)
 
"First Amendment Assault Begins"
WeThePeople.org, February 3, 2009 (PDF)
 
"50,000 Watts of Hate: Hipanic Media Group Seeks FCC Inquiry"
Hispanic Trending, February 2, 2009 (PDF)