MEDIA COMMUNIQUÉ
THE CANADIAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS
December 6, 2001
ISLAMIC CONGRESS'S ANTI-ISLAM MEDIA RESEARCH
AGAIN FINDS NATIONAL POST WORST OFFENDER
Highlights:
* Latest CIC study finds National Post endangering well-being of
Canadian Muslims
* National Post is still the only major Canadian daily newspaper not
accountable to any Press Council
* * * * *
The Canadian Islamic Congress today released its fourth annual
media-watch study of nine major Canadian newspapers, and for the second
year in a row, The National Post was ranked as worst by far in its
persistent use of anti-Islam terminology.
The study also shows a large increase in anti-Islam terminology
following the tragic events of September 11. Compared to the
pre-September 11 study period, the National Post showed an increased
occurrence of 22.1 times, while the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star
showed an increase of 18.7 and 10.1 times, respectively.
"By excessively and persistently using anti-Islam language, the National
Post is stirring up hatred against an identifiable group of Canadians,"
said CIC national president, Prof. Mohamed Elmasry. "And by refusing to
join a Press Council, it sends the message that it chooses not to be
publicly accountable for its policies."
Elmasry added that even though Islam is the faith of more than 650,000
Canadians, "The Post continues to deny the existence of any problem with
its reporting style, editorial language, or procedures -- despite a
two-year effort to communicate the concerns of this major Canadian
community to its senior management."
CIC national vice-president, Mrs. Wahida Valiante, noted that other
Canadian media experts, both academic journalists and working
professionals in the field, agree with the CIC's recurring finding that
anti-Islam in the media is a quality issue that urgently needs to be
addressed. Most leading media organizations now do so, or are in the
process of reviewing their policies. "It is high time now for The Post
to act," she said.
The CIC's annual study offers a methodical and documented assessment of
the use of anti-Islam terminology by the Canadian media, particularly
print journalism, drawing public attention to the use and misuse of
terms such as "Islamic-inspired terrorist attacks," "murderous Islamic
militant," "Islamic terrorist," "Muslim militant," etc.
Prof. Karim Karim of the Carleton University School of Journalism, said
that the CIC's study "is very important in providing useful feedback"
for newspapers. Prof. Karim's recent book, "Islamic Peril" -- about
major media reporting on Muslims and Islam -- won the Canadian
Communication Association's 2001 Robinson Prize for the best new work in
the field of media studies.
Professors Frances Henry and Carol Tater of York University in Toronto
have recommended to Canadian minority groups to do "more of the kind of
monitoring process and evaluation techniques used by the Canadian
Islamic Congress to monitor media coverage of the Muslim community in
Canada and internationally."
The CIC's study covers news and views published by nine of Canada's
top-circulation newspapers: the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, National
Post, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Halifax Herald, La
Presse, and Le Journal de Montreal.
"The National Post has become a benchmark of what a newspaper should not
be," said Elmasry. "It is the only newspaper in this country (aside
from two minor community papers) that does not belong to a recognized
Press Council. In persisting with their isolationist attitude, Post
management have abdicated their professional and societal
responsibilities. We feel that newspaper readers have the right to file
complaints that will be judged by an impartial panel consisting of media
professionals and members of the public-at-large. But The Post does not
uphold such a principle, and this is simply wrong."
The National Post scored 100 -- the maximum possible in the survey's
ranking regarding the use of anti-Islam language and terminology -- and
was the only paper in Canada to do so. The Montreal Gazette came in a
very distant second with 69 points, while the Toronto Star scored the
lowest at 41.
Following September 11, the National Post maintained its overwhelming
lead over mainstream media in its use of anti-Islam terminology;
incidents of negative and pejorative terminology went up by more than 22
times over the pre-September 11 study period.
* * * * *
Some examples of how National Post reporting is endangering the
well-being of Canadian Muslims:
1. "Misplaced anxieties" -- Editorial, September 15, 2001.
"But it is hard to get worked up about the occasional slur directed
against North American Muslims... Indeed there is something offensive
about the tear-drenched press releases issued by North American Muslim
organizations..."
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2. "Muslim mushrooms, terrorist toadstools - Fifth columnist ushers bin
Laden within our perimeter" -- October 15, 2001, George Jonas.
"...We have to fear our neighbours down the street... a degree of ethnic
or religious profiling is unavoidable... Though few of our neighbours
are terrorists, some are sympathizers. They provide the culture in which
fifth columns grow..."
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3. "Willing to assist" -- Editorial, October 15, 2001.
"As George Jonas argues convincingly on the facing page, a small but
substantial number of Canadian Muslims and Arabs are willing to assist
terrorist operations."
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4. "A healthy dose of 'bigotry'" -- Editorial, October 18, 2001, By
Jonathan Kay.
"... We should not pretend that an effective fight against terrorism [in
Canada] can be waged in a truly color-blind fashion. The fact is, those
who plot the annihilation of our civilization are of one religion and,
almost without exception, one race. Yet admitting this is a problem for
Mr. Chretien... Multiculturalism is a relativistic creed that assumes
all immigrant cultures are equally tolerant, civilized and enlightened
once you scratch the surface..."
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5. "U.S. wants to fight its war in peace" -- October 24, 2001, By George
Jonas.
"... From the beginning, Western attempts to draw a distinction between
Islamist terrorists and Islam resulted in a lopsided effort... We
rarely heard Muslims in the West pledging loyalty to the countries in
which they lived..."
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6. "Not terrorism, but not lawful either" -- October 29, 2001, By Andrew
Coyne.
"... the massive backlash against innocent Muslims that failed to
materialize..."
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7. "Acts of faith" -- Editorial, October 31, 2001.
"... Muslims decided that religion overrode ties of citizenship... so
many Muslims use religion to define friend and foe."
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8. "Mark Steyn lambastes the mindless rush to praise Islam" Top
Headlines, p. A1, November 26, 2001.
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9. "Few security rules: First, define 'terrorism'" -- November 27,
2001, George Jonas.
"... the threat of militant Islam, where fifth columns of theofascist
storm troopers have infiltrated Western democracies..."
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10. "Let Islam Speak for Islam" -- November 28, 2001, Raymond de Souza
"It is a tragic fact that... the only systematic persecution of
Christians today is from fellow believers in the God of Abraham, namely
Muslims."
A more detailed review of the Anti-Islam in the Media research report
will be available at the press conference and later on the CIC's web
page
www.cicnow.com
CONTACT
Prof. Mohamed Elmasry
(519) 888-4567 Ext 3753 (O)
(519) 746-7928 (H)
(519) 577-2267 (Cell)
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
(905) 881-8024
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