Under seige: Islam, war and the media.
Media Workers Against The War hosted a fascinating conference yesterday to critically discuss the ways in which the ‘war against terror’ have been reported by the UK media. It also explored the issues of endemic Islamophobia and racism currently directed towards Muslims both from the media and Government. There were some enthralling speaches. Louise Christian, a campaigning lawyer spoke passionately about how much difference Obama’s election could have regarding the closure of Guantanamo and laws pertaining to the illegal internment of political prisoners. Inayat Bunglawala from ENGAGE spoke persuasively about the lies printed about Islam in UK papers, whilst also acknowledging that the calls for respect and freedon must swing both ways, with women’s and gay rights being top of the agenda for full and frank discussion.
The rallying cry however was for all media workers to adopt a code of ethics when writing about the so called ‘war on terror’ and Islam with a truth, fairness and awareness was thought provoking and timely. As journalism changes with ever increasing pressures on time, money, reporting methods, new technologies and the worrying emergence of ‘churnalism’, it’s essential that the highest critical standards are employed and ultimately demanded, by editors, journalists and consumers alike.
For more information, click on the links:
www.mwaw.net
Flat Earth News.
Simply put, any group that describes themselves as Media Workers Against The War are no longer qualified to be called journalists. The inherent bias in that name alone shows that they have no journalistic integrity and should be discounted, if not fired from their employment.
Of course their counterparts – if there are any that can be named by an objective body – who report in favor of the war should also be discounted, if not fired from their employment.
The Media’s job is to report the facts, not push an agenda.