Media racism

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Media racism refers to the use of traditional and modern media channels (such as Twitter, Facebook etc.) to portray a certain demographic of a community in a negative light by inciting fear and preconceptions based on their beliefs, culture and approach to life. Some characteristics of media racism include these real-life scenarios:

  1. During an interview that Fox News conducted with a well-known religious historian by the name of Reza Aslan who happens to be a Muslim, the news anchor, Lauren Green[1], continuously failed to recognize his academic contributions to the field and revealed that the story was about just another Muslim preaching about Jesus and Christianity.
  2. During the takeover of federal buildings at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon by a white militia, the Associated Press categorized the event as a peaceful protest[2] of people exercising their constitutional rights, rather than portraying the takeover as a form of domestic terrorism carried out by extremists as would have been the case had the group been Muslim or otherwise.

Since the attacks of 9/11, the media channels, particularly right-wing ones, have played a significant role in shifting the social thinking of the average American towards Islamic Extremism. The constant images of instability, violence and danger from various parts of Middle East have contributed negatively to the public’s perceptions about Islam and Muslims in the American society and abroad.[3].

References[edit]

  1. http://video.foxnews.com/v/2568059649001/zealot-author-reza-aslan-responds-to-critics/?#sp=show-clips
  2. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b842fb7622034b0881eb32ee5ec88106/peaceful-protest-followed-oregon-wildlife-refuge-action
  3. Sharma, Divya. (2008). “Why do they Hate U.S? Exploring the Role of Media in Cultural Communication”. The Journal of the Institute of Justice & International Studies 8, p. 246