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"This would benefit in terms of correcting the image of Islam worldwide," Ihsanoglu said. (Reuters) |
JEDDAH — The world's largest Muslim body, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), on Wednesday, September 13, encouraged Muslim tycoons to buy shares in global media outlets to help clear misconceptions about Islam and stop vilification of Muslims around the globe.
"Muslim investors must invest in the large media institutions of the world, which generally make considerable profits, so that they have the ability to affect their policies via their administrative boards," said OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Reuters reported.
"This would benefit in terms of correcting the image of Islam worldwide," he told a meeting of OIC information ministers.
Muslims own minimal stakes in global media.
Saudi billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal owns 5.46 percent of media conglomerate News Corp., which is owned by the Rupert Murdoch-run group behind the Fox News Channel.
The US channel is generally seen as right-wing and no friend of Arab or Muslim interests.
Anti-Muslim media campaigns have been on the rise around the world since the 9/11 attacks, associating Islam and Muslims with violence and terrorism.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has accused Western media of applying double standards when reporting on Muslims, saying they were often ignorant about sensitive issues for Muslims.
Stephen Schwartz, executive director of the US-based Center for Islamic Pluralism, has also criticized the western media for failing to meet the challenge of reporting on Islam after the 9/11 attacks.
Muslim Lead
The OIC chief also called on Muslim countries to set up more channels in widely-spoken foreign languages to address Western audience.
Egyptian Information Minister Anas el-Feki also urged Muslims to take the lead in confronting the rising anti-Islam campaigns.
"The fierce attack on Islam in the five years since the September 11 attacks has forced us into a defensive position on our faith and understanding of our tolerant religion," he said.
Five years after the 9/11 attacks, American Muslims still face high levels of hatred, suspicion and discrimination.
"Now more than ever we need a new Islamic media message that reaches all parts of the world," Feki said, citing Israel's recent war on Lebanon as one issue where Muslims needed to make their views and influence felt.
More than 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed and a million displaced in Israel's month-long onslaught.
The 114-member Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) launched in June a news service to counter ill-founded and misleading Western media reports.
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