Dr. Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqi, Professor of Journalism and Public Relations at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, has said Muslims in the US need to make a place for themselves in journalism. He noted that there are thousands of professors of journalism all over the US but only 12 of them are Muslims, which is a very disappointing figure. He stressed that American Muslim youth need to join journalism as a profession in bigger numbers.

Dr. Siddiqi was addressing a seminar on journalism held at the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury last week. The Islamic Circle of North America organized the seminar, which was attended by a large number of members of the Islamic Center of Long Island. He said there were no known Muslim journalists in the mainstream American media. Lack of interest in journalism as a career amongst American Muslim youth is becoming a hurdle in their development.

He told the audience that American Muslims were unable to defend themselves against propaganda and stereotyping in the media because of their lack of visible representation in it.

According to Dr. Siddiqi, even Islamic centers across the nation had failed to appoint effective spokespersons who could explain their point of view in a more effective manner. "Lack of interest in journalism amongst Muslim youth is really regrettable," said Siddiqi, adding that Muslim parents, the majority of whom want their children to become doctors and engineers, are neglecting the key profession of journalism. He advised Muslim youth to join local community newspapers, which can become a staging ground for a successful career in journalism.