IMAP-USA – The International Media Association for Peace held a webinar on May 28, 2024, addressing the question: "Religion and the Media: Harmony or Discord?" The program provided an opportunity to explore some of the ways that faith and media intersect, and the tensions that exist between them.
The panelists included Dr. Debra Mason, professor at the Missouri School of Journalism and former director of Religion News Service; Professor Joel Campbell, associate teaching professor at Brigham Young University’s School of Communications; and Mr. John Dye, executive director of Skylight.org, an initiative of the Radiant Foundation. They provided their unique perspectives as to how faith communities can best interact with the media, as well as recommendations on improving “faith fluency” among journalists.
Dr. Mason, who has an extensive background in covering and promoting religious news, does not see an overt bias against religion in the news media. She asserts that the lack of news on religion is due to a combination of factors, including the decline in religious news specialists due to budget cuts, the complexity of covering faith issues, and the reluctance of advertisers to support it.
Professor Campbell covered some strategies for improving coverage of faith in the media. He said people of faith must recognize that journalists will always take a different perspective than believers and will pursue critical points of view. However, he said it was worthwhile to attempt to improve journalists’ religious literacy. He highlighted several groups that are undertaking this, including the Religion News Association, the International Association of Religion Journalists, and the Religion and Media Interest Group.
Mr. John Dye cited a recent global survey conducted by the Radiant Foundation’s Faith and Media Initiative, which found that a majority of those surveyed did not think religion is portrayed fairly in the media. However, the survey indicated a substantial demand for high quality coverage of issues of faith. Mr. Dye attributed the lack of reporting on religion to several factors, including a lack of “faith fluency” among journalists, a lack of easily accessible spokespeople among faith traditions, and the fact that news tends to focus on sensationalism or “click bait” rather that human interest stories involving good deeds motivated by faith.
Asked how faith communities can improve their representation in the media, Dr. Mason suggested that they become more proactive by writing op-ed articles and promoting their own content through various news channels. Professor Campbell emphasized the importance of providing classes on world religions in schools of journalism to improve religious literacy among reporters. Mr. Dye pointed out that people of faith need to “step up and stand out” by providing positive, inspirational messages that are relevant and sorely needed in the current media climate of rancor and despair.
