Are Sikhs Underepresented In The Media?

[sanjsingh]

Since 9/11 I Muslims have had much media atention in the UK and around the world, so much of this has been negative so it is responsible for segments of the media to counteract that with positive programming. However its has now got to the point where Sikhs receive such little attention whereas the attention received by Islam has even helped in the increase of converts to their faith.

Should there be more focus on Sikhs and SIkhism? Take the BBC programme "THE BIG QUESTIONS" which discusses moral and religious issues it almost always has Muslims on the front seat debating issues and representing the Islamic viewpoint but there is hardly ever a Sikh discussing the Sikh point. Take this show for example which you can watch online,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01h5mfp

This programme discusses Halal meat something which many Sikhs feel is extremely relevant to our religion, yet there was no Sikh there to represent our viewpoint. (Please don't make this topic about whether meat is allowed or not, that isn't the point)

Do we not deserve more attention and airtime? Wouldn't such time help teach the world and indeed Sikhs about the beauty of this religion? Isn't it important that in this secular western world that all religions are represented?

What the real question is what can Sikhs do change this, why aren't we organised like many other groups?

Please share your opinions.

[VanHelsingh]

I guess it's a matter of defining what exactly the Sikh agenda is (so that nobody feels upset or left out) and then somebody having the confidence to take to a particular platform and doing what needs to be done.

[Mrkhalsa007]

VJKK VJKF Ji!

Yes, we do need more, for people to know who we are some areas have developed, like London, B'Ham, and much more, but if you go north, up the U.K you will see so much racism!!, iv'e lived up north east of the U.K for 7 years, and its awfull! but back to the point, if Sikhs try to go on Radios etc, we will get dised, and violated, and at the end of the day, no-one listens! when we stand up to the crap hey give us they call us angry, terrorists, etc so we need a strong back up like we are having now with a Lord Singh, in Parliament, and councilors, then we can fight back , not with fists, BUT if the time is right then fight, but we fight legally and get rights!

VJKK VJKF Sangat JIo!

[Guest RavindaSingh]

Lol of course the media is biased they dont give a crap who we are and how we're being portrayed by a separate entity. Who still listens to what the MSM say anyways theyre a fraud and <banned word filter activated> stirrers !!!!!

[sanjsingh]

If one Sikh shouts in a crowd their voice will be drowned out, but if we all shout then that voice will have to be heard.

Take this programme,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01g6gf1 The story of the turban,

It was quite an informative programme however it was shown on a wednesday late at night, I made a complaint to the BBC saying it was shown at a time when few people could watch it.

Now nothing gets done if one person complains but if you all take two minutes to do the same then the BBC would need to listen, Please take the two minutes it takes to do the same using this link

https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/?reset=#anchor

[West London Singh]

Apart from the fact that muslims are far bigger in numbers than us Sikhs, the reason we are underepresented in the media is because we do not have a polished media machine. The Muslims, just like us, have most of their community speaking in localised working class dialects BUT, unlike us, they do not put those people in front of the media. They always ensure their spokespersons in popular media programmes, are well spoken, southern BBC speaking people. We, as a people, have a habit of placing people with hideous Midlands accents in front of the media. Never in the history of British television politics and current affairs, has any group ever placed a Midlands accent in front of the audience, knowing the negative impact it has.

The Muslims have a highly polished machine in place. The working class mass are the foot soldiers in the street and the Oxbridge educated well spoken brigade do the media bit. See this is the problem us UK Sikhs have. Our Canadian and American cousins don't live among an inherent class system so end up speaking a good standard of English. We, on the other hand, because we grow up in working class inner city neighbourhoods, end up speaking in a poor quality inner city working class standard of English. Not the sort that makes for good representation.

[sanjsingh]

Come on guys lets make some noise the BBC are constantly showing Muslims on their religious and moral shows on Sunday mornings, this is just promoting one religion against another.

[sanjsingh]

It seems that the board members are not interested in this particular topic but to me it is an important one. If we have representatives of the SIkh community on teleision then we there will be more awareness and Sikh and non-SIkh people will be drawn to this religion.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, why? Is it because they have something to offer that no other religion has or is it because they are an organized aith and know how to get their message across?

[Super_Singhni]

Apart from the fact that muslims are far bigger in numbers than us Sikhs, the reason we are underepresented in the media is because we do not have a polished media machine. The Muslims, just like us, have most of their community speaking in localised working class dialects BUT, unlike us, they do not put those people in front of the media. They always ensure their spokespersons in popular media programmes, are well spoken, southern BBC speaking people. We, as a people, have a habit of placing people with hideous Midlands accents in front of the media. Never in the history of British television politics and current affairs, has any group ever placed a Midlands accent in front of the audience, knowing the negative impact it has.

The Muslims have a highly polished machine in place. The working class mass are the foot soldiers in the street and the Oxbridge educated well spoken brigade do the media bit. See this is the problem us UK Sikhs have. Our Canadian and American cousins don't live among an inherent class system so end up speaking a good standard of English. We, on the other hand, because we grow up in working class inner city neighbourhoods, end up speaking in a poor quality inner city working class standard of English. Not the sort that makes for good representation.

You seem to have quite a negative view of the Midlands, in particular the accent. Interestingly, I think it was a couple of weeks maybe months ago that a Sikh Londoner was in the audience of The Big Question and made very little impact. Surely its the content and not the dialect of the material that is being spoken about that matters and if not why not? I'm not sure dialect is the main cause of poor media representation, for instance how many Sikhs go into media at University in the first instance anyway?

It seems that the board members are not interested in this particular topic but to me it is an important one. If we have representatives of the SIkh community on teleision then we there will be more awareness and Sikh and non-SIkh people will be drawn to this religion.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, why? Is it because they have something to offer that no other religion has or is it because they are an organized aith and know how to get their message across?

Should we be interested in making Sikhism into the fastest growing religion in the world?

[sanjsingh]

We should be interested in making Sikhi more accessible and spreading the word of Guruji to a greater audience and we can use the media as a tool to enable that.