Broadening an overly narrow definition of Islamic journalism, Janet Steele examines day-to-day reporting practices of Muslim professionals, from conservative scripturalists to pluralist cosmopolitans, at five exemplary news organizations in Malaysia and Indonesia. At Sabili, established as an underground publication, journalists are hired for their ability at dakwah, or Islamic propagation. At Tempo, a news magazine banned during the Soeharto regime and considered progressive, many see their work as a manifestation of worship, but the publication itself is not considered Islamic. At Harakah, reporters support an Islamic political party, while at Republika they practice a “journalism of the Prophet” and see Islam as a market niche. Other news organizations, too, such as Malaysiakini, employ Muslim journalists. Steele, a longtime scholar of the region, explores how these publications observe universal principles of journalism through an Islamic idiom.

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"A richly-layered overview of the journalistic landscape in Malaysia and Indonesia."

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"Steele’s study is well situated within the literature on Islam and politics in Southeast Asia. It provides an important corrective not only to simplistic assumptions that Islam cannot allow for free expression, balance, or critique but also to superficial understandings of how religious values shape people’s public activities."

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"Steele’s book presents a landmark work, setting the stage for more nuanced engagements with contemporary Muslim practices of journalism in a world of contested religious ideals, social values, and political projects."

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"Janet Steele’s book really is an eye-opener for anybody interested in comparative perspectives on journalism ethics. She skillfully deconstructs any possible assumption that ethical reflections in modern media organization is a privilege of the West."

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"Janet Steele’s new book on Islam and journalism in Southeast Asia is a refreshing tour de force of qualitative research, grounded in years of in-depth interviews and participant observation at five influential print publications. . . . this is an extremely important book that sets new standards for qualitative research on the internal workings of newsrooms, and the world views that prevail there."