Mediating Islam

<p>Broadening an overly narrow definition of Islamic journalism, Janet Steele examines day-to-day reporting practices of Muslim professionals, from conservative scripturalists to pluralist cosmopolitans, at five exemplary news organizations in Malaysia and Indonesia. At <i>Sabili</i>, established as an underground publication, journalists are hired for their ability at <i>dakwah</i>, or Islamic propagation. At <i>Tempo</i>, a news magazine banned during the Soeharto regime and considered progressive, many see their work as a manifestation of worship, but the publication itself is not considered Islamic. At <i>Harakah</i>, reporters support an Islamic political party, while at <i>Republika</i> they practice a "journalism of the Prophet" and see Islam as a market niche. Other news organizations, too, such as <i>Malaysiakini</i>, employ Muslim journalists. Steele, a longtime scholar of the region, explores how these publications observe universal principles of journalism through an Islamic idiom.</p>