There have been countless Islamic terror attacks worldwide so you would expect that if you did a google search for “Muslim terrorists” many news articles about terror attacks would be on the first page.
I put this expectation to the test and here was my result:
I then searched for “Islamic terrorism”
Since Google clearly controls what we see when we search for a topic it made me wonder how balanced the New Zealand media’s coverage was of various topics. I decided to look at Stuff and the NZ Herald and compare how balanced their coverage of the same topic was.
I searched the NZ Herald first for news stories using the word “Islam” and all the below headlines were in the first-page result. I divided the ten articles into positive/neutral coverage and negative coverage. The balance the NZ Herald has provided on the topic of Islam is 8/2
Positive or neutral articles about Islam:
Anti-Islam workplace bias target of summit
Mar 29, 2015 … “The summit aims to dispel myths, shed light on the Islamic culture and create understanding of the diversity within our Muslim workforce,” said …
Sayeqa Islam
Muhammad isn’t simply Islam’s last prophet. He is considered the exemplar Muslim: the person all Muslims should aspire to live like. After the Koran, it is the …
Zain Ali: Evils of few shroud Islam’s beauty in fear
Jun 19, 2017 … Zain Ali is Head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland. Ed Sheeran’s new song is playing on the car radio. My kids …
Terror attack prompts NZ Muslims to organise exhibition and …
Mar 27, 2017 … Even in New Zealand, Qamar said there were “increasing misunderstandings”. ” Often people just judge Islam according to what they hear in …
Opinion: If SBW’s faith in Islam is genuine then why is he playing …
Apr 12, 2017 … At face value, SBW’s ‘collar-gate’ is commendable but how deep is his faith in Islam?
Sonny Bill Williams embraces Islam
Feb 13, 2011 … But Sonny Bill Williams has also made a spiritual conversion to Islam. While rumours of the 25-year-old sporting superstar’s religious beliefs …
Welcome to Angola, the country where Islam has no legal status …
Jun 21, 2016 … Islam has no legal status in the southern African nation of Angola. … Daily Maverick to suggest the reporters were hoping the “ban Islam” myth …
Road to Islam: Prayer, peace, prejudice
Feb 22, 2015 … “I started from a zero level in religion overall, not just Islam. But in a Muslim country I was exposed to the culture. My colleagues at work were …
Negative articles about Islam:
Anti-Islam sentiment surfaces in Remuera
Apr 10, 2016 … The words “Islam Hates Us” had been stuck over the original caption, “I don’t like losers”, which had been written in a speech bubble coming …
Nicolas Pirsoul: Warning for NZ in rise of extreme form of Islam – NZ …
Dec 5, 2016 … COMMENT: A number of lessons can be learned from Belgium. This is particularly true for NZ where the problem of Islamic extremism is much …
In contrast to the NZ Herald the result for Stuff is 5/5
Positive or neutral coverage about Islam:
Lonely Planet’s Iran: The jewel in Islam’s crown
Sep 6, 2017 … Welcome to what could be the friendliest country on earth. Iran is the jewel in Islam’s crown, combining glorious architecture with a …
Anthony Mundine says Islam has helped show the world the real …
Nov 5, 2015 … One of Sonny Bill Williams’ closest allies on how religion has helped the All Black transform his career.
Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam adds second Auckland show to Peace …
May 17, 2017 … Yusuf Islam, better known to more than one generation of music fans at Cat Stevens, has announced a second Auckland show in December as …
Muslims take to the streets to find out what NZers think about Islam …
Jul 5, 2016 … What do Kiwis think of Islam? Two Muslims took to the streets of Auckland to find out.
Dutch PM’s party easily defeats anti-Islam Party for Freedom
Mar 16, 2017 … Anti-Islam candidate Geert Wilders concedes defeat in the Dutch elections, but vows not to go away.
Negative coverage about Islam
Kiwis’ lonely journey leaving Islam
Jul 12, 2017 … There is a legitimate fear involved in leaving Islam; turning your back on the faith is referred to as apostasy. It is punishable by death in several …
Australian politician Pauline Hanson says Islam is a disease the …
Mar 24, 2017 … Pauline Hanson has compared Islam to a disease Australians need to vaccinate themselves against, a comment described by the Deputy …
Controversial author Ayaan Hirsi Ali says New Zealand shouldn’t …
Mar 5, 2017 … In interviews and throughout her books, the visitor has said Islam is “the new fascism”; that it’s dangerous and unreformable; that it’s a “nihilistic …
Men plead guilty to New Zealand’s first charges relating to radical …
May 6, 2016 … Names of Auckland men charged over radical Islamic videos of of beheading and violence can now be revealed.
Maori Muslim backs Islamic State
Nov 2, 2014 … An influential Maori Muslim leader says Kiwis should not be stopped from joining the Islamic State.
If you agree with me that’s nice, but what I really want to achieve is to make you question the status quo, look between the lines and do your own research. Do not be a passive observer in this game we call life.
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