Reply from the Editor of the Oldham Chronicle

Thursday, 11 June 2009 12:06

The editor of the Oldham Chronicle, Jim Williams, has replied to our letter of complaint over the paper’s use of the word ‘giant’ in its headline on a building project in Oldham being approved by the local council.

Mr Williams wrote:

‘Thanks for your letter. I would just point out that the Oldham Chronicle story abut the mosque was written by Usma Raja who, along with her family, lives in the area and will use the mosque and its other facilities. Clearly Usma did not use the word "giant" to "incite fear and loathing" but as an indication of its scale.

‘The Chronicle itself supported the planning committee's decision to approve the plans for the mosque, in a leading article, pointing out that much of the opposition to it was from people who did not live in the area and was certainly on racist grounds.

‘I would hold the Oldham Chronicle's record as a supporter of community cohesion and an opponent of the extreme right against any in the land.'

Regards,

Jim Williams
Editor

While the OEC may well indeed have published articles positively appraising the project, we would demur that the word ‘giant’ is in no way an adequate indication of the ‘scale’ of the building proposed.

A four storey building is by no stretch of the imagination a ‘giant’ building. Nor was the headline, ‘Giant mosque is given go ahead’, even accurate. The entire complex, of which the mosque will form a part, also incorporates space for a youth meeting facility and interfaith programmes. As the OEC itself reported, the complex will house a multi-use leisure hall, classrooms and multi-use activity rooms.

Prayer spaces for a 1000 worshippers was initially reduced to 650, and subsequently, to 400, as the application was finally approved at the third attempt. With a reduction to the scale of the building in such proportions, would the description of it in its final guise as ‘giant’, be defensible, let alone fitting?

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The Fundo

|2009-06-12 08:16:01

It would be good if you could get a response off Usma on why she used that kind of inciting language.

Furthermore, the editor seems to be covering behind the Muslim Journalist, surely he should have seen the incitement and edited it prior to publication?!?!

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