The media has a huge impact on public attitudes. The stories chosen (and not chosen) and the tone and angle used in news reports, movies and documentaries have a direct impact on the state of freedom of religion or belief. Organisations that monitor hate crimes have documented a clear link between the use of an inflammatory tone in news reports and spikes in hate crime statistics. Whatever our profession, we have a responsibility to respect human rights. This responsibility weighs particularly heavily on the media. 

Here we are collecting guidance for media professionals to help you report on religion related issues in a way that supports freedom of religion or belief for all, freedom of expression and equality.

Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred 
This plan of action, on the prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred. is the result of broad international process of consultation organised by the UN. The plan includes sections of particular relevance to the media including the following two paragraphs: 

§ 58. Self-regulation, where effective, remains the most appropriate way to address professional issues relating to the media. In line with principle 9 of the Camden Principles, all media should, as a moral and social responsibility and through self-regulation, play a role in combating discrimination and promoting intercultural understanding, including by considering the following:
(a) Taking care to report in context and in a factual and sensitive manner, while ensuring that acts of discrimination are brought to the attention of the public.
(b) Being alert to the danger of furthering discrimination or negative stereotypes of individuals and groups in the media.
(c) Avoiding unnecessary references to race, religion, gender and other group characteristics that may promote intolerance.
(d) Raising awareness of the harm caused by discrimination and negative stereotyping.
(e) Reporting on different groups or communities and giving their members the opportunity to speak and to be heard in a way that promotes a better understanding of them, while at the same time reflecting the perspectives of those groups or communities.

59. Furthermore, voluntary professional codes of conduct for the media and journalists should reflect the principle of equality, and effective steps should be taken to promulgate and implement such codes.

Camden Principles on freedom of expression and equality 
The principles look at the role of the state and the media in ensuring both equality and freedom of expression and are available in Arabic,  English,  
Spanish,  French,  Indonesian,  Portuguese,  Russian, and Swahili.  
​The Principles were prepared by ARTICLE 19 on the basis of discussions involving a group of high-level UN and other officials, and civil society and academic experts in international human rights law on freedom of expression and equality. 

Journalists Code of Conduct
This code of conduct has been developed by the Adyan Foundation in Lebanon and is focused on journalists in the Middle East region, but has relevance for other geographic regions too. ​