Three generations, one nation: how mediated national assimilation shapes transgenerational views about “others” in foreign news

Purpose This study aims to challenge the theoretical assumption of differences in the perception of European asylum seekers as “others” between Generations X, Y and Z in a cross-cultural encounter mediating foreign news. The research examines how media representation influences perceptions of geographically and culturally distant “others” among Israeli heavy news consumers. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative methodology through 36 semi-structured interviews with participants across three generations. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in perceptions toward different groups of asylum seekers. Findings This research reveals that despite differences in generational values and media consumption habits, participants across all three generations share similar views of European asylum seekers. This unified perception is shaped by domestic national factors, including internal challenges, political ideologies, cultural proximity and a shared national ethos, which override generational differences. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate the interplay between media framing, national identity and generational characteristics in forming attitudes toward asylum seekers, contributing to media studies and migration research. Originality/value This study renews and updates the generational cohort theory and the theory of otherness by demonstrating the need to examine media mediation contexts and shared national narratives, which outweigh generational differences. It introduces the concept of “mediated national assimilation” to explain how media framing transcends generational differences in creating unified perceptions of asylum seekers. This theoretical framework distinguishes between similar/close and different/distant “others”, showing how media representation interacts with domestic cultural factors.