My wife and I were guests. During the event, I took part in a panel discussion with the title “How does the media shape public opinion?” You can watch it below.
Video of panel discussion
Panel chair
Dr Hammad Khan, presenter of the Weekend World show on Voice of Islam.
Participants:
Munir Odeh — Head of Production at Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA) and a Board Member of Voice of Islam Radio. Originally from Palestine, he brings extensive experience in the media landscape and has overseen numerous international media projects. His long-standing service and expertise continue to provide valuable guidance to the strategic development of Voice of Islam Radio.
Dr Colin Alexander — Senior Lecturer in Political Communications within the School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University. He is the Course Leader for the Masters in Global Media and Communications, which is taught primarily at the university’s City Campus. His research interests include propaganda, public diplomacy, the role of charity and philanthropy in society and critical journalism studies
Atif Rashid — Former BBC journalist and now editor-in-chief of Analyst News, which is an independent non-profit news outlet covering geopolitics and social issues through the lens of human rights and justice. Atif has previously spoken at the United Nations about the role of the media in perpetuating harmful narratives about minorities and he hosted a podcast where he spoke to reformed extremists.
Does social media make inter-community dialogue easier or harder?
I explained how social media maximises outrage and hatred, and what we can do personally to counter that.
1:32:40
What are the ethical responsibilities of professional journalists when reporting on minority communities?
I explained, with examples, how some media outlets behave very irresponsibly, while others behave extremely well.
The rest of the video
The video above is 2¼ hours long, being a full recording of the event. In particular, there was a panel before mine: "How are current global conflicts causing shifts in the world order?"
The participants were:
Dr Francesco Rigoli - A social scientist based at City St Georges, University of London. His research focuses on the psychological and cultural foundations of ideology and public opinion, exploring how cognitive and emotional processes shape political attitudes, belief systems, and societal trends. He has published widely on topics such as extremism, polarization, religion, and decision-making, combining insights from psychology, neuroscience, and political science.
Dr Martin Farr - Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History. He teaches, supervises, and researches Britain, and its foreign relations, since the First World War. With degrees in politics and history, he is interested in contemporary history and its applications, particularly concerning politics and public life, and foreign and security policy.
Dr Afzal Ashraf – A practitioner-scholar in international relations and security, with senior RAF experience across deterrence, humanitarian relief, Iraq and Afghanistan, and global training. He has advised UK government leaders, worked with international partners on security reform, and contributed expertise in cyber security, risk, strategy and diplomacy.
Previous appearance on Voice of Islam Radio
I recall appearing on Voice of Islam Radio two or three times. However only one of those appearances is on my website. See below.
I was interviewed on Voice of Islam for six minutes on freedom of speech. My interviewers found it hard distinguishing between the boundaries of polite behaviour, and legal boundaries enforced by the state. I made it clear that people are free to insult Islam as much as they wish, and supported the right of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo to publish. The full 50 minute programme can be heard on the linked page.
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