EDITORIAL POLICY GUIDELINES FOR MEDIA AGENCIES:
REPORTING ABOUT ISLAM OR MUSLIMS

Apply one standard in reporting about religions. Focus on the particular person or group being discussed, rather than indicting all Muslims by the use of such terms as "Islamic terrorists" or "Islamic extremists". The media has never focused on the religious affiliations as such non-Muslim terrorists as Timothy McVeigh, the Columbine killers, or the Unabomber. Also, extremist anti-abortionists are not referred to as Christian terrorists, IRA members as Catholic terrorists, or Baruch Goldstein & other extremist Jewish settlers as Jewish terrorists.

Report facts, not unsubstantiated theories. For example, when reporting about any Muslim suspect in the world, there is a growing tendency to automatically link them to Osama bin Laden, or any other group, known or unknown that "may" have terrorist connections. Insinuations and conjectures have no place in responsible reporting.

Be balanced in reporting about situations of war or conflict. For example, when reporting about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, provide the same quality and depth of coverage you give to suicide bombings in Israel, to Israeli house demolitions, arbitrary arrests, beatings and killings of Palestinians. Include human-interest stories and photographs of Palestinians living under occupation.

Seek the opinions of Muslim experts. Muslims should define themselves in the discourse relating to Islam just as experts from other religions and ethnic groups are consulted on issues relating to that group. As the fastest growing religion in America, and the largest minority group in the United States, Muslims should also be included in religious perspectives on contemporary issues.

Cover non-crisis events in the Muslim world, e.g. international Islamic conferences, Muslim achievements and contributions, and other human-interest stories.

Regularly cover human-interest stories or events relating to American Muslims, such as holidays, community events, Muslim achievements, and local and national conferences

Irresponsible media coverage that plays on fear and hate is immoral and unjust and can itself result in prejudice and violence against innocent people, especially women and children. Hysterical fear and hatred have caused injustice and harm to numerous groups in our history - Native Americans, African-Americans, Germans, Japanese, and those accused of communist tendencies during the McCarthy era. Today, American Muslims find themselves victims of discrimination in schools, college campuses and in the workplace, and regularly experience anti-Muslim hate incidences, including threats, harassment, stereotyping, property damage and physical assaults