If we come to view media as a “facilitator of public discourse”, and recognise the imperative role that journalists, editors and diverse sections of the media play in shaping societal change, we see that media holds a crucial responsibility in facilitating social cohesion and contributing to the common good. 

Effective public dialogue cannot take place within a polemical framework that sets groups or actors against one another. The media, thus, have a key responsibility in ensuring that they delve beyond the surface level when reporting news so as to avoid offering simplistic or reductionist interpretations that contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes in the public.   

​

Together with various organisations and sections of the media, the OPA is exploring the nature and role of the media within society and the ways in which it can contribute more effectively to social cohesion. 

An interview with Lina Mar in Westminster