A report by the UK’s Centre for Media Monitoring reveals systemic discrimination, Islamophobia and burnout among Muslim women journalists—prompting many to question their futures in the industry.
Muslim Women in Media: Breaking Barriers, Bearing the Burden
Based on anonymous responses from 102 Muslim women working across print, broadcast and online media in the UK, this report by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM) explores widespread Islamophobia, stereotyping, and structural exclusion within media organisations.
- 92% of respondents say negative attitudes towards Islam and Muslims are embedded within media institutions.
- 72% report having experienced direct discrimination because of their Muslim identity.
Mental Health Toll and Career Uncertainty
The report highlights the profound emotional impact of covering the Gaza conflict:
- 85% stated that coverage of the war harmed their mental health.
- 60% have considered leaving journalism entirely.
Many described the editorial response to concerns as a “wall of silence,” with several quoting coverage as feeling like “straight out of the Israeli army playbook”.
Hypervisibility vs Exclusion
Muslim women in the newsroom face a paradox of being highly visible yet excluded:
- Visible signifiers such as wearing the hijab correlate with increased stereotyping and professional marginalisation.
- Many report being confined to stories about Muslim issues and excluded from decision-making, even at senior levels.
- 81% believe Muslim women continue to be unfairly represented in media content.
- 35% express dissatisfaction with their roles, citing tokenism and lack of advancement.
Gaza Coverage Magnifies the Crisis
The Gaza war is identified as a key trigger in exacerbating existing workplace discrimination, with many respondents reporting that editorial concerns were ignored and mental strain intensified.
Profiles of Leading Voices
The report features profiles of both established and emerging Muslim women journalists in the UK, including:
- Fatima Manji, Channel 4 News’s first hijab-wearing national newsreader
- Mishal Husain, former BBC Today presenter
- Nesrine Malik, Guardian columnist
- Zeinab Badawi, journalist and broadcaster
- Yasmin Alibhai‑Brown, columnist for i News.
Emerging figures such as Nabihah Parkar, Furvah Shah and Ash Sarkar are also highlighted for shaping media from diverse perspectives.
Conclusion
The CfMM report urges urgent structural changes in UK media—from mentorship and fair pay to editorial inclusion—to address pervasive Islamophobia and retain Muslim women journalists. Without substantive reform, tokenistic diversity efforts risk driving them out of the profession altogether.
From: shabestan