The Journalist and Faith
After reviewing this subject, I saw how my own faith could still be a force for good in my reporting and also be far enough away from my subjects, that I would not intrude my religion on others. Religion, weather one likes it or not, plays an important role in the everyday lives of Americans. It surrounds us, it can be seen (if looking carefully for it) on the news almost everyday. Catherine Rolfsen of Journalism Ethics and the Global citizen said,
“You can’t cover the presidential election in the United States these days without knowing a lot about religion... From Mike Huckabee’s Southern Baptist roots to Mitt Romney’s Mormonism to the conservative media-stoked confusion over Barack Obama’s religious past, it’s crucial reporters know what they’re talking about when they throw around terms like “evangelical” and “madrassa”. (see: http://www.journalismethics.ca/feature_articles/reporting_on_religion.html).
Because religion is so important to so many people, religion will often be covered when big name celebrities or politicians are making the news.
Knowing about religions from around the world should be important. It is by knowing of other countries main religious beliefs that Americans can understand and comprehend cultures from around the world. Religious beliefs will help cultivate an upheaval of knowledge more than learning about other cultures will.
Some newsrooms don't cover journalism because they feel that doing so will shew away viewers (which translates into money). In order to be fair and balanced, new organizations always want cold hard facts. Facts are important, but in religion, almost everything revolves around faith (a belief in the so called 'unknown'). One online blogger wrote, "A common theme emerging in my sources on religion and journalism is that newsrooms feel out-of-touch with their ‘believing’ readership and many studies find that readers feel their news sources ignore religion or even harbor suspicions and skepticism toward their faiths." (see: http://newscrucible.wordpress.com/category/religion-and-journalism/). Sometimes newsrooms just don't know how to react with the unknown. That is why it is important that newsrooms and journalists alike try to study all different types of religion, so they will be well educated and versed in different cultural backgrounds. By doing this, they will be more capable to report on 'cold hard facts' fairly.
Stephen Tanner
“You can’t cover the presidential election in the United States these days without knowing a lot about religion... From Mike Huckabee’s Southern Baptist roots to Mitt Romney’s Mormonism to the conservative media-stoked confusion over Barack Obama’s religious past, it’s crucial reporters know what they’re talking about when they throw around terms like “evangelical” and “madrassa”. (see: http://www.journalismethics.ca/feature_articles/reporting_on_religion.html).
Because religion is so important to so many people, religion will often be covered when big name celebrities or politicians are making the news.
Knowing about religions from around the world should be important. It is by knowing of other countries main religious beliefs that Americans can understand and comprehend cultures from around the world. Religious beliefs will help cultivate an upheaval of knowledge more than learning about other cultures will.
Some newsrooms don't cover journalism because they feel that doing so will shew away viewers (which translates into money). In order to be fair and balanced, new organizations always want cold hard facts. Facts are important, but in religion, almost everything revolves around faith (a belief in the so called 'unknown'). One online blogger wrote, "A common theme emerging in my sources on religion and journalism is that newsrooms feel out-of-touch with their ‘believing’ readership and many studies find that readers feel their news sources ignore religion or even harbor suspicions and skepticism toward their faiths." (see: http://newscrucible.wordpress.com/category/religion-and-journalism/). Sometimes newsrooms just don't know how to react with the unknown. That is why it is important that newsrooms and journalists alike try to study all different types of religion, so they will be well educated and versed in different cultural backgrounds. By doing this, they will be more capable to report on 'cold hard facts' fairly.
Stephen Tanner
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