| MAKING MEDIA | | Print | |
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In 1981, the late Edward Said noted that Western coverage of the Muslim world was ideologically driven and deceptive. Providing inaccurate and distorted depictions of a region largely unknown to those in the West, Said argued that the Muslim world was rendered visible and knowable through reckless generalizations, untamed ethnocentrism, and an awkward projection of fear and desire. Today, despite almost daily coverage of Muslims and the Middle East, English-language media remains firmly committed to a naïve yet dangerous representation of Muslims and their beliefs. Thus, violence, terrorism and an overarching backwardness caused by anti-modern fundamentalism endure as the defining motifs of the Muslim world. Overwhelming data suggests that the media's distorted picture of Muslims and Islam has left the public with radical and potentially threatening views. For some in the West, the media has exposed Islam's violent nature plagued by primitive impulses. Many Muslims, on the other hand, feel that the media has obscured the truth to justify a war against Islam. Extreme and misguided, both views point to a dangerous polarization exacerbated by the English-language media's failure to provide detailed analysis and objective reporting. Beyond the extreme is the majority: those who share a common frustration with the poor standards of mainstream media when engaging the Muslim world. This marginalized community of viewers has been let down not by the media's failure to report on important issues, but because its coverage lacks the quality expected of credible sources of information. As Haroon Moghul noted in our last issue, what makes mainstream media so disappointing are the "unremarkable journalists who refuse to step out of their comfort zones even when the situation demands it." It is within this vacuum of realistic reporting that we feature Al Jazeera as one of many growing news outlets in the expanding arena of global media. Leading the transnational Arab media market, Al Jazeera ranks today among the most influential in the world with up to 100 broadcasting channels and services in Persian, Kurdish, French and, more recently, English. As an alternative to the mainstream, it also represents an attempt to establish a viable and formidable presence in the international context. With its entry into the English-speaking world of global media, Al Jazeera faces the difficult challenge of competing with networks including CNN International and BBC World. Nevertheless, for Muslims and Westerners alike, Al Jazeera is at the forefront of a sea change in media coverage. As an essential feature of the international media landscape, it represents an opportunity to both challenge the limited and distorted perception of the Arab and Muslim world and repair the battered relationship between East and West. Understanding the link between information and public attitudes is critical for our times. In this issue, we include the timely reflections of HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhamad on the misguided interaction between East and West. With a compelling forecast of a future wrought by distrust and violence, his words highlight the fundamental role media must play in promoting mutual understanding and establishing trust and reconciliation between our crippled communities. In its scope, Prince Ghazi's call is deeply connected to broader efforts towards evaluating our present state in light of a grim future. As the Amman Message emphasized, tolerance and the promise of an integrated world require that we all play our part in uniting across geographic, ethnic and religious borders. In this endeavor, sharing accurate and balanced information is key. Our interview with Karen Armstrong, a scholar and leading voice for interfaith dialogue, represents precisely this effort as she examines the religious and political roots of the West's apprehensive approach to the Muslim world. And in an excerpt from Eboo Patel's acclaimed novel, Acts of Faith, a deeper, more nuanced view of the complex experience of Western Muslims is shared and examined. Islamica Magazine stands firmly by the goal of providing sound analysis and quality media. The editorial team in Amman is therefore proud to announce that, come next issue, Islamica will share its voice as a monthly publication throughout the world. |