I worked as a journalist and media manager for more than a decade. From 1996 I have worked as an academic and am now a Professor of Journalism and Media Studies. I authored, co-authored and edited seven books and have published many journal articles and conference papers. My research interests include disasters and communication, talkback radio in Australia; representation of terrorism in Australian media; and news media reporting of cultural diversity. My book Haneef: A Question of Character about the Dr Mohamed Haneef case was published by Halstead Press in October 2009 and long-listed for the Button prize. I am on the editorial board of Anthem's Global Media and Communication Studies series. I am was an editorial board member of Media International Australia until late 2016 and am now an editorial advisor to the journal.
Jacqueline Ewart and Jillian Beard investigate the significant body of research into the ways var... more Jacqueline Ewart and Jillian Beard investigate the significant body of research into the ways various Australian mainstream news media have covered ethnic minorities and the issues that have arisen as a result of those representations. The chapter situates Australian research within the broader context of international literature, highlighting similar problematic news media representations of ethnic minorities in Western countries. Although ethnic minorities’ responses to Australian mainstream news media representations have attracted relatively little attention from researchers, this chapter examines how these groups actively manage representations in their own media spaces.
Political Leadership in Disaster and Crisis Communication and Management, 2020
Our interviewees agreed that gaining the interest of elected officials in disasters in the mitiga... more Our interviewees agreed that gaining the interest of elected officials in disasters in the mitigation and preparation phases can be difficult due to the high level of competition to gain a slot in politicians’ diaries. This chapter therefore sets out to provide a greater understanding of basic disaster concepts, ranging from early research to the cascading effects of disasters, the role of social capital and the bureaucracies that govern response and recovery. We focus here on the words ‘society’ and ‘citizens’, because they are linked as constituents to the political actor. We also examine disaster governance—that is, how the whole of society deals with disasters. In addition, the chapter covers a selection of disaster terms and phases, which will help to ensure that those involved in managing responses to and providing leadership during disasters are ‘singing off the same song sheet’. Although we scan definitions, it is not our intention to enter into a debate over semantics. This book takes a pragmatic approach to the issue of political communication in disasters and crises, and we argue that the contribution of our interviewees across ten countries provides valuable insights into the relationships between elected officials, emergency managers and those affected by disasters. As our book is more practically than theoretically oriented, we leave the debate around the definition of terminology to other scholars for more considered discussion and in-depth exploration.
International Journal of Mass Emergencies & Disasters
Australia has experienced a number of significant natural disasters during the past few years wit... more Australia has experienced a number of significant natural disasters during the past few years with politicians increasingly involved in the provision of information to publics before, during and after disasters. Drawing on data from interviews with senior executives of Australian emergency management agencies we explore how these organisations manage the involvement of political actors in the public communication of disasters. We also investigate how emergency agencies manage their relationships with their political leaders in the recovery phase. We identify that improvements can be made to the ways politicians communicate with publics about disasters and we outline a preliminary best practice model for the involvement of politicians in delivering disaster warnings and information in the lead up to and during a disaster, and in the recovery process.
This article reveals the characteristics and demographics of non-Muslim Australians who express l... more This article reveals the characteristics and demographics of non-Muslim Australians who express levels of anger towards Muslims and Islam. Using data from a 2018 national social survey of a random, stratified sample of Australians, we identify key demographic characteristics amongst those expressing above-average degrees of anger towards Muslims and the religion of Islam, separately. We identify the proportion of different typologies of people who hold anger towards Islam and Muslims. We aim to establish which combinations of demographic and personal characteristics are most strongly associated with the expression of anger so that policy and interventions targeted at reducing this emotion might be effectively directed. We draw on the literature about Muslimophobia and Islamophobia, along with key studies that have examined attitudes towards Islam and Muslims in Australia and elsewhere. Our findings are relevant to organisations and government bodies in Australia, with implications f...
This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal ... more This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal in Bunbury, Western Australia on 19 July, 1976. We wanted to see how The West Australian newspaper framed the story, its precursor events, and the events that followed. We were particularly interested in whether the bombing was reported as an act of terrorism because the then Premier of Western Australia, Sir Charles Court, immediately decried it as “a gross act of terrorism.” We find the newspaper resisted the lure to apply this label, and couched the story in terms of serious criminality. However, it did so before the 1978 Hilton Hotel bombing; an event the news media heralded as the “arrival” of terrorism in Australia. Also, this occurred before what could be argued the sensationalist and politicised reporting of terror-related events became normalised.
Jacqueline Ewart and Jillian Beard investigate the significant body of research into the ways var... more Jacqueline Ewart and Jillian Beard investigate the significant body of research into the ways various Australian mainstream news media have covered ethnic minorities and the issues that have arisen as a result of those representations. The chapter situates Australian research within the broader context of international literature, highlighting similar problematic news media representations of ethnic minorities in Western countries. Although ethnic minorities’ responses to Australian mainstream news media representations have attracted relatively little attention from researchers, this chapter examines how these groups actively manage representations in their own media spaces.
Political Leadership in Disaster and Crisis Communication and Management, 2020
Our interviewees agreed that gaining the interest of elected officials in disasters in the mitiga... more Our interviewees agreed that gaining the interest of elected officials in disasters in the mitigation and preparation phases can be difficult due to the high level of competition to gain a slot in politicians’ diaries. This chapter therefore sets out to provide a greater understanding of basic disaster concepts, ranging from early research to the cascading effects of disasters, the role of social capital and the bureaucracies that govern response and recovery. We focus here on the words ‘society’ and ‘citizens’, because they are linked as constituents to the political actor. We also examine disaster governance—that is, how the whole of society deals with disasters. In addition, the chapter covers a selection of disaster terms and phases, which will help to ensure that those involved in managing responses to and providing leadership during disasters are ‘singing off the same song sheet’. Although we scan definitions, it is not our intention to enter into a debate over semantics. This book takes a pragmatic approach to the issue of political communication in disasters and crises, and we argue that the contribution of our interviewees across ten countries provides valuable insights into the relationships between elected officials, emergency managers and those affected by disasters. As our book is more practically than theoretically oriented, we leave the debate around the definition of terminology to other scholars for more considered discussion and in-depth exploration.
International Journal of Mass Emergencies & Disasters
Australia has experienced a number of significant natural disasters during the past few years wit... more Australia has experienced a number of significant natural disasters during the past few years with politicians increasingly involved in the provision of information to publics before, during and after disasters. Drawing on data from interviews with senior executives of Australian emergency management agencies we explore how these organisations manage the involvement of political actors in the public communication of disasters. We also investigate how emergency agencies manage their relationships with their political leaders in the recovery phase. We identify that improvements can be made to the ways politicians communicate with publics about disasters and we outline a preliminary best practice model for the involvement of politicians in delivering disaster warnings and information in the lead up to and during a disaster, and in the recovery process.
This article reveals the characteristics and demographics of non-Muslim Australians who express l... more This article reveals the characteristics and demographics of non-Muslim Australians who express levels of anger towards Muslims and Islam. Using data from a 2018 national social survey of a random, stratified sample of Australians, we identify key demographic characteristics amongst those expressing above-average degrees of anger towards Muslims and the religion of Islam, separately. We identify the proportion of different typologies of people who hold anger towards Islam and Muslims. We aim to establish which combinations of demographic and personal characteristics are most strongly associated with the expression of anger so that policy and interventions targeted at reducing this emotion might be effectively directed. We draw on the literature about Muslimophobia and Islamophobia, along with key studies that have examined attitudes towards Islam and Muslims in Australia and elsewhere. Our findings are relevant to organisations and government bodies in Australia, with implications f...
This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal ... more This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal in Bunbury, Western Australia on 19 July, 1976. We wanted to see how The West Australian newspaper framed the story, its precursor events, and the events that followed. We were particularly interested in whether the bombing was reported as an act of terrorism because the then Premier of Western Australia, Sir Charles Court, immediately decried it as “a gross act of terrorism.” We find the newspaper resisted the lure to apply this label, and couched the story in terms of serious criminality. However, it did so before the 1978 Hilton Hotel bombing; an event the news media heralded as the “arrival” of terrorism in Australia. Also, this occurred before what could be argued the sensationalist and politicised reporting of terror-related events became normalised.
The problematic nature of news media framing of Islam and Muslims by Western news media has been ... more The problematic nature of news media framing of Islam and Muslims by Western news media has been well established by researchers. While research has focused on the ways such representations occur and to a lesser extent their effects on individuals and communities, we know little about why journalists frame Islam and Muslims in the Western news media in the ways they do. While studies point to a lack of knowledge about Islam and Muslims in non-Muslim populations, we know very little about how this translates to news media practitioners. This study draws from a far broader research project focused on encouraging more informed reporting of Islam and Muslims by the Australian news media. In this study, we establish the baseline knowledge of a purposive sample of Australian news media practitioners and journalism students about Islam and reporting stories about Islam and Muslims before and after targeted training. We find a relatively small investment in time significantly shifts this knowledge in both areas. Targeted training that includes a focus on basic facts about Islam as well as raising awareness of the resources that are now available to journalists may go some way towards improving reportage of Islam and Muslims.
This study examined the level of knowledge Australian crisis communications officials had about I... more This study examined the level of knowledge Australian crisis communications officials had about Islam and Muslims. It did so at a time when the Commonwealth Government has warned in the current national security environment that a terrorist attack could be experienced at any time, and where the most serious threat emanated from those holding what the government described as a “deviant” view of Islam. The study identified that Media Liaison Officers (n=72) have low levels of knowledge about this religious faith, and that they were aware of their lack of understanding. These findings raise policy concerns about the extent to which Media Liaison Officers can differentiate between Islam and deviant interpretations of the faith. With the pivotal role that Media Liaison Officers play in crisis communication—including briefing and educating journalists when a terrorist event occurs—these findings present crisis managers with several challenges; including recruitment, training, and on-going professional development.
It is more than a decade since social geographer Kevin Dunn first described non-Muslim Australian... more It is more than a decade since social geographer Kevin Dunn first described non-Muslim Australians’ ignorance about Islam and its adherents and outlined a series of recommendations about how Australian governments could address this as a pressing social policy issue. Recently researchers have re-assessed non-Muslim Australians’ perceptions of their knowledge of Islam and Muslims identifying while it has improved since 2003, 70% acknowledge they know little to nothing about either. Using data from Australia’s 2016 National Social Survey, this study examines the correlation between non-Muslim Australians’ perceptions of their knowledge of Islam and Muslims and their actual knowledge. We find that perception of knowledge is a reasonable indicator of actual knowledge. Further, we find that tertiary education is the single significant demographic factor impacting actual knowledge. By examining geographical patterns of knowledge, we also find that ignorance of Islam and Muslims is consistent across Australia.
This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal ... more This paper examines an Australian newspaper’s coverage of the bombing of an export port terminal in Bunbury, Western Australia on 19 July, 1976. We wanted to see how The West Australian newspaper framed the story, its precursor events, and the events that followed. We were particularly interested in whether the bombing was reported as an act of terrorism because the then Premier of Western Australia, Sir Charles Court, immediately decried it as “a gross act of terrorism.” We find the newspaper resisted the lure to apply this label, and couched the story in terms of serious criminality. However, it did so before the 1978 Hilton Hotel bombing; an event the news media heralded as the “arrival” of terrorism in Australia. Also, this occurred before what could be argued the sensationalist and politicised reporting of terror-related events became normalised.
Reporting Islam argues for innovative approaches to media coverage of Muslims and their faith. Th... more Reporting Islam argues for innovative approaches to media coverage of Muslims and their faith. The book examines the ethical dilemmas faced by Western journalists when reporting on this topic and offers a range of alternative journalistic techniques that will help news media practitioners move away from dominant news values and conventions when reporting on Islam. The book is based on an extensive review of international literature and interviews with news media editors, copy editors, senior reporters, social media editors, in-house journalism trainers and journalism educators, conducted for the Reporting Islam Project. In addition, the use of an original model - the Transformative Journalism Model - provides further insight into the nature of news reports about Muslims and Islam. The findings collated here help to identify the best and worst reporting practices adopted by different news outlets, as well as the factors which have influenced them. Building on this, the authors outline a new strategy for more accurate, fair and informed reporting of stories relating to Muslims and Islam. By combining an overview of different journalistic approaches, with real-world accounts from professionals and advice on best practice, journalists, journalism educators and students will find this book a useful guide to contemporary news coverage of Islam.
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The book is based on an extensive review of international literature and interviews with news media editors, copy editors, senior reporters, social media editors, in-house journalism trainers and journalism educators, conducted for the Reporting Islam Project. In addition, the use of an original model - the Transformative Journalism Model - provides further insight into the nature of news reports about Muslims and Islam. The findings collated here help to identify the best and worst reporting practices adopted by different news outlets, as well as the factors which have influenced them. Building on this, the authors outline a new strategy for more accurate, fair and informed reporting of stories relating to Muslims and Islam.
By combining an overview of different journalistic approaches, with real-world accounts from professionals and advice on best practice, journalists, journalism educators and students will find this book a useful guide to contemporary news coverage of Islam.