Writers in a new CBS sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola, hope to change immigrant stereotypes in the media, and assistant professor Matthew Grizzard spoke on the impact and effects these character portrayals can have.

Grizzard said media stereotypes can affect our perceptions of immigrants in real life outside of viewers' conscious awareness.

“If a viewer has constant contact with immigrants in the real world, how immigrants are portrayed on TV is unlikely to have a strong effect on them,” Grizzard said. “On the other hand, if a viewer has almost no contact with immigrants in their real life, then how immigrants are portrayed on TV is very important. In these cases, the only source of information about immigrants is the TV portrayal.”

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