Invitation to attend Reporting Islam workshop on ‘Reporting a Terror Arrest’ at Curtin University on Monday, March 21.

Funded by the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s office, via the Queensland Police Service, for independent Griffith University journalism academics to develop resources and training materials to assist journalists with their coverage of stories involving Islam and Muslim communities in the mainstream media.

Reporting Islam – covering a terror arrest

This workshop covers both the legal and ethical dimensions of covering a story related to Islam and Muslim people.

It starts by introducing some basic understandings of Islam as a religion and the demographics, beliefs and customs of Muslim people in Australia. Basic terms are explained by a Muslim trainer who also fields questions about the religion and its practices. The scenario then draws upon that knowledge, along with some basic understanding of defamation, contempt, court reporting restrictions and national security laws to follow the arrest and charging of suspects accused of planning to commit an act of terrorism in Australia. Participants workshop the scenario and produce a basic news story, with group discussion centred upon key legal and ethical pitfalls and decisions inherent to the situation. Participants should gain from the session a better grasp of key ethical and legal issues related to the coverage of stories potentially involving Islam and Muslim people, with a working knowledge of the main legal challenges facing a journalist covering a raid on terror suspects and its aftermath.

RSVP: Please indicate your availability by March 17 to Mr Abdi Hersi, Reporting Islam Project Manager, email: a.hersi@griffith.edu.au