A landmark report says major newspapers and broadcasters have been helped to perpetuate 'negative' perceptions of Muslims in Britain.

The damning report calls for more training so journalists and broadcasters are aware of ‘racist tropes and conspiracy theories’ about Muslims. It highlights areas where the national press have intentionally shared content that looks to demonise Muslims and in some cases led to defamation and libel cases.

‘British Media’s Coverage of Muslims & Islam (2018-2020)’ is one of the most extensive pieces of statistical research done on how Muslims and Islam are reported in the media and reveals through 100’s of examples the sheer scale of negative reporting associated with Muslims in the UK. 

The report by the Centre for Media Monitoring analysed over 48,000 online articles and 5,500 broadcast clips, has revealed almost 60% of online media articles and 47% of television clips associate Muslims and/or Islam with negative aspects or behaviour.

It includes ten case studies are presented showing Muslims misrepresented, defamed and libelled in major publications, with damages paid in 9 of the cases, alongside public apologies.

The report authors argue 'that high journalistic standards are crucial for our free media, one that treats Muslims fairly and does not seek to wilfully misrepresent Muslim communities'.

Right-wing pundits 'were on many occasions left unchallenged when making generalisations against Muslims including promoting falsehoods'.

The Director of MCB’s Centre for Media Monitoring, Rizwana Hamid said: “This latest report does not seek to place blame on any newspaper or broadcaster, nor on any individual journalist or reporter. 

“CfMM remains committed to a free media which reports without fear or favour and holds those in positions of power to account. However, it is time for the industry to admit that, on occasion and too often when it comes to Muslims and Islam, it gets things wrong. Media professionals should welcome this scrutiny, and put in place these recommendations to improve journalistic standards.”

Report author Faisal Hanif said: “While neither Muslims nor Islam should be immune from criticism or inquiry, where warranted, we do expect this to be done fairly and with due care, without resorting to well-worn tropes and generalisations. 

“This study is valuable to both the academic community, and more so to newsrooms and journalists, and will in some way go towards improving reporting and coverage of Muslims and their beliefs in the coming years.”

Responding to the findings, the editor of the Sunday Times, Emma Tucker said, “I welcome this report - in the full knowledge that it contains criticisms of the press, my own paper included.”

Alison Philips, editor in chief of The Mirror, said, “This report by the Centre for Media Monitoring shows how much we as journalists must question ourselves and the work we are producing in relation to reporting of Muslims and Islam.”

The report points to some improvements in the treatment of Muslims by highlighting positive and fair coverage of Muslims in the media, including the BBC’s reporting of the persecution of Uighur Muslims, The Sun’s featuring of Asma Shuweikh as a “hero of the week” and the prominence of Muslim women supporting the NHS on the front page of the Daily Telegraph.

What does the report say

The Muslim Council of Britain’s Centre for Media Monitoring monitored 34 media outlets via their online websites and 38 television channels (including all regional channels) between Oct 2018 – Sept 2019.

Almost 60% of articles across all publications were identified as associating negative aspects and behaviour with Muslims or Islam.

Over 1 in 5 articles had a primary focus on Terrorism/Extremism.

Right-leaning and religious publications have a higher percentage of articles either demonstrating a bias against, or generalising or misrepresenting, Muslim belief or behaviour.

The themes under which articles are categorised show there is a greater bias against Muslims and Islam under the topics of Religion and Terrorism/Extremism.

National broadcasters have a higher percentage of Bias against Muslims and/or Islam as opposed to regional broadcasters.

47% of all clips showed Muslims and/or Islam in a manner which presented negative aspects and/or behaviour.

When assessed by genre, Drama had the highest percentage of ‘Biased’ and ‘Very Biased’ clips with 1/3rd of all Drama clips assessed being either ‘Biased’ (31%) or ‘Very Biased’ (3%).

381 Fictional works often portrayed Muslims and their beliefs as intolerant and in conflict with superior liberal values. 17% of clips had an ‘Antagonistic Bias’ (17%), almost twice the amount of ‘Supportive Bias’ clips (9%).

Regional channels (BBC and ITV) had the highest proportion of clips which showed ‘Supportive Bias’ (36%)

Negative Aspects & Behaviours 47% of all clips showed Muslims and/or Islam in a manner which presented negative aspects and/or behaviour. Generalisations 9% of Broadcast clips made generalising claims about Muslims and/or Islam overall.

All national TV stations either equalled or exceeded this figure with Channel 4 having double the proportion of generalised clips (18%).

Due Prominence: 11% of all broadcast clips analysed omitted due prominence to a relevant Muslim voice or perspective.

All national channels exceeded the average of 11 per cent of clips which omitted due prominence however there was no stand out offender with four national channels all showing 12 per cent of clips having omitted due prominence.

BBC and ITV regional channels had the lowest percentage of clips which omitted due prominence as well as a greater percentage of clips which showed ‘Supportive Bias’.

What the report calls for

Generalisations

Avoid reference to Muslims or Islam unless genuinely relevant to the story.

For news wire agencies in particular, take particular care in the terms used (given they are often copied wholesale in other print media), and reliance on singular witness reports especially related to terrorism given how unreliable they have been proven to be in many cases

Assess overall coverage (in terms of negativity towards Muslims), and reflect on whether this is appropriate.

Images and headlines

Train journalists and editors to 'ensure they are aware of racist tropes and conspiracy theories about Muslims' and avoid 'framing articles in line with such tropes or conspiracy theories, and ensure sufficient context is provided so as not to mislead the reader'.

Recommendations

1 Avoid using generic images of Muslims when they risk reinforcing stereotypes of Muslims and/or Islam.

2 Ensure context is provided when illustrating dramatic incidents (e.g. this is the practice of a minority).

3 Avoid using an image of Muslim women in hijab/burqa to illustrate oppression of women, unless specificall relevant to the story.

4 Avoid images of terrorist propaganda, especially in the immediate aftermath of a terror attack.

The report concludes “Events around the world often dictate what is covered in the news and for how long. Any given year may throw up a story or set of stories which means a particular subject like Islam is more prevalent in column inches or on screen.

“Yet, the choice remains for editors and news reporters as to which stories they prioritise and how they choose to tell them.

“That certain sections of the British media are hostile in their reporting towards Muslims and/or Islam is not a surprise. Academic research, CfMM’s own analysis and countless anecdotal examples over the last 20 years, provide an overwhelming body of evidence for this uncontroversial claim.

“As Muslims and Islam have become hot currency for news both written and broadcast, examples can be found from every news or magazine website and television broadcaster where this antagonism manifests.”

It says: “So even as Muslims around the world grapple with the same challenges that face others namely economic uncertainty, climate issues and so on, they are most frequently reported on under the theme of ‘Terrorism/ Extremism’.

“This is one of the reasons why there are seven times as many articles demonstrating an antagonistic bias against Muslims and/or Islam than those that can be said to be supportive. The highest number of articles which were assessed as very biased are those that focus on the religion of Islam.

“Why this is the case has as much to do with what isn’t reported. The omission of details or voices makes it easier for news websites to form a more clear narrative and tell a more coherent story; albeit one that is more sensationalised and partial towards the publishers favoured position.”

The report says that, “News websites that are right leaning in ideological or political outlook do this both in their news reporting and opinion pieces and often buttress this narrative by cherry-picking those rare Muslim voices (e.g. a pro-Trump Muslim voice, or a Muslim voice who calls ordinary Muslims ‘Islamist’) who can be weaponised to promote generalisations against the majority.

“They further rile against orthodox Muslim beliefs or practice by couching them under the banner of Islamism or Islamist. Whilst publications on the left are overall less damning of issues important to most Muslims, an anti-religious bias can sometimes be found which may, at times, be unreasonably hostile to those Muslims wanting to live by conservative moral codes or those who reject the liberal orthodoxy on issues both public and private.”

It says: “Journalists and publications are free to choose their positions on any given issues, yet by omitting ordinary mainstream Muslim viewpoints and perspectives, their coverage cannot be said to come from a position of knowledge about Muslims or Islam.

“It can’t be said that British television is outrightly hostile towards Muslims and Islam. Previous years have seen far more incendiary content on screen like the documentary which claimed Daesh was authentically Islamic or that Muslims were a breed apart from the rest of British society.”

And adds: ”The research is evidence-based and clear in its conclusions. The question is not whether there needs to be change for the better, but how this change will take place: who will take the lead, and not only work to ensure their journalists are best equipped to deal with the often complex stories involving Muslims and/or Islam.

“Neither CfMM nor the majority of British Muslims are under any illusions about the media and the role of journalists. Muslims and/or Islam do not require any special treatment nor privileges.

“What they can hope for is consistency in how they are reported on in comparison to other groups in society. This is a reasonable expectation.”

You can view the full report here