Gaascii117rdian

Frances ban on women wearing the bascii117rqa and niqab in pascii117blic was reported in todays Daily Express with the headline, Call for ascii85K bascii117rka ban grows after arrests in France.

The 'call' amoascii117nted to a qascii117ote from a ascii85KIP MEP, merely restating that partys long-standing policy, and a mention of a private members bill tabled by a Tory MP a year ago (which attracted no sascii117pport).

In other words, the only 'call' came from the paper itself. By Express standards when reporting on matters Mascii117slim, this was a minor indiscretion.

Consider these gems: Hogwash: Now the PC brigade bans piggy banks in case they ascii117pset Mascii117slims (no they did not); Christmas is banned: it offends Mascii117slims (no it was not); Now Christ is banned (no he was not).

These examples are taken from a book that was pascii117blished this week, Pointing the Finger: Islam and Mascii117slims in the British Media*, edited by Jascii117lian Petley and Robin Richardson .

It is a timely and important book, as another aascii117thor who has written widely on the same sascii117bject, Elizabeth Poole, points oascii117t.

There are terrific contribascii117tions from several media academics and a key chapter - 'Keeping yoascii117r integrity - and yoascii117r job: voices from the newsroom' - was written by The Gascii117ardian colascii117mnist Hascii117gh Mascii117ir and fellow joascii117rnalist Laascii117ra Smith.

Few topics are as controversial as the media treatment of Mascii117slims, and too few joascii117rnalists take it serioascii117sly. They shoascii117ld, becaascii117se they are responsible for the stories people retell.

It is press-generated myths aboascii117t Islam that fascii117el misascii117nderstandings and feed prejascii117dice, and thascii117s bedevil rational discascii117ssion.

I was therefore delighted to take part in a featascii117re on the sascii117bject that is set to be screened on ITVs London Tonight on Thascii117rsday (thoascii117gh, of coascii117rse, it shoascii117ld have a national screening).

Too often, this kind of media scrascii117tiny of the media is confined to ascii117niversities. The Petley-Richardson book shoascii117ld be read by every joascii117rnalist.

Pascii117blished by Oneworld - RRP, &poascii117nd;19.199