often misrepresents the Middle Eastern and Muslim
commitment of existing news anchors, I’ve seen the
community simply because it gains ratings or sells
hard work and effort they put into to their careers
papers. It’s for entertainment value as opposed to
and admire them. However, I cannot ignore the
real news and accurate information. There needs to
elephant in the room. We need people in mainstream
be stronger media advocacy from within the
media who represent and reflect the communities
community. This is what I undertook my honours
that are being reported on. This isn’t a new
thesis on – the challenges and achievements facing
phenomena, but sadly the change is slow.
Muslim women media advocates post-9/11.
My research found that challenges included:
misrepresentation in the mainstream media;
communication breakdown between the community
and media professionals; lack of government
awareness about the genuine needs of the
community; and of course internal factors like
community backlash and community abuse. Dealing
with the media representation of the Middle Eastern
community requires internal and external evaluation
and analysis of what’s worked thus far, what’s
failed, and how we can streamline all the good media
work that’s been done, as well as form professional
relationships with media professionals. Until then we
will remain on the back-foot position of constantly
being reactive and defending.
It is also one of your ambitions to become
Australia’s first veiled female news anchor. Why
is this an important goal for you? Do you think it
would ever be accepted in the mainstream
commercial media of this country?
As for whether or not a veiled newsreader will
ever be accepted in Australian mainstream media,
I don’t think Australian mainstream media or
time will tell. But I’m certainly going to try because
television reflects the cultural mosaic in which we
in ten years’ time when a young veiled girl aspires to
live. We are not all blond with blue eyes and fair
become a news anchor, she won’t have to jump
skin, and it’s about time the mainstream news gets a
through all these hoops that I’ve had to. People will
little colour. I don’t doubt the hard work and
look at her and judge her based on her ability to