Fourth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

In this study, we consider the following questions. First, do Australian Muslims think about the significant role that the media plays in the public sphere? Second, what efforts should Australian Muslims make to participate in the public sphere, and especially in the media sphere? Finally, what are the origins of bias in the Australian news media, and why do white men control the media sphere? This paper illustrates the roots of the Australian media’s bias against Muslim communities, beginning with the era of the printing press and the European reformation, and through the colonial era. Tracing these historical roots demonstrates how the colonial past influenced the very early news media in Australia. Finally, this article examines how Muslim communities have tried to play a significant role in changing the biased images of Islam and Muslims in Australia and around the world.