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Charlie Beckett

October 19th, 2006

Unveiling ethnic media

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Charlie Beckett

October 19th, 2006

Unveiling ethnic media

0 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Muslims make up about 3% of the British population and yet they currently must feel that they are responsible for about 93% of media headlines. As Culture Minister David Lammy pointed out at his speech to POLIS at the London College of Communication last night, this is a ‘tough’ debate. Mr Lammy tried to focus on the role of journalism. He called for more ethnic journalists. He called for extremists to be allowed to speak in the media, to show them up. He condemned the publication of the Danish cartoons because he says, “Having the right to be offensive does not make it right to be offensive.” And he called on all journalists to seize the opportunities of the New Media to make sure that people don’t live in ethnic media ghettos.
It was all very interesting and you can see the full transcript on the POLIS website.
But, of course, what some in the audience were more interested in was the media obsession of the moment: the veil controversy. And to the person who asked the first question, no, Jack Straw didn’t call for the ‘banning’ of the veil. Lammy’s riposte was that he never asks anyone to take any item of clothing off when they come to see him – which raised a laugh on what was a very passionate evening.
Let me know what you thought of Mr Lammy and his thoughts on ethnicity and the media.

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Charlie Beckett

Posted In: Journalism | Media | Politics | Research