The Birmingham Mail and Leicester Mercury have been praised for their work in the community, in a Government report on integration and cohesion.

The Mail’s ‘Faith in our City’ weekly columns and the Mercury’s relationship with the Leicester Multi-Cultural Advisory Group were singled out as examples of good practice in the ‘Our Shared Future’ report.

Produced by advisory body the Commission on Integration and Cohesion, it considers how local areas can make the most of diversity while being able to respond to the tensions it may cause.

The report congratulated the Birmingham Mail for its increased content on community and human interest which has made the news “more relevant to readers and added a positive tone that has increased readership”.

The ‘Faith in our City’ columns are written by the main leaders of all religions in Birmingham, alternating each week on an agreed rota.

Authors include the Bishop of Birmingham, chairmen of the main mosques in the cities, and leaders from Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist and other religions, and the columns encourage debate on shared values, inter-faith celebrations, the abolition of slavery and the changing nature and importance of the family.

Birmingham Mail editor Steve Dyson said: “We are delighted that the work of the Birmingham Mail has been recognised by the Commission, and are especially proud that this initiative has come from our communities themselves.

“This is not the newspaper telling readers what to think, but is readers and religious leaders sharing their religious thoughts, their community compassion and their positive ideas with each other through the newspaper.”

The Leicester Mercury was also praised for “a positive example of how media can work with local voluntary and statutory partners to promote the messages of integration and cohesion to a wide audience”.

Editor Nick Carter chairs regular meetings of the Leicester Multi-Cultural Advisory Group, and the report said trust had developed because the confidentiality of discussions and meetings is respected.

It said: “The editor’s presence is not to report on what is said at the meetings, but to provide an opportunity for dialogue to achieve a greater degree of understanding between the media and community groups.

“This contributes to more effective, sensitive and informed reporting, which promotes cohesion and overcomes the challenges of sensationalism and myths.

“The paper’s approach is to challenge sensationalism and myths, and it has an effective rebuttal policy in place if far right and extremist messages are voiced in communities.”

The report can be downloaded at www.integrationandcohesion.org.uk Do you have a story about the regional press?
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