A litany of social ills has been unfairly heaped on the 1962 Supreme Court decision banning state-sponsored prayer from public schools. Some people blame this decision for everything from dismal SAT scores to gun violence. They say the public square, including the news media, has a bias against anything religious. After all, it's common knowledge that the liberal media have no use for religion. Right?

As a reporter and a born-again Christian, I find those sentiments disturbing. I will defend my profession against those who say the media are biased against religion. We've not been hostile, but unfortunately we've been neglectful.

For years, the religion beat might not have been the ugly stepsister of many newsrooms, but it certainly was the unwanted one.

But, like Cinderella, the religion beat is beginning to come into its own, and the nation's newspapers, magazines and broadcast stations are pouring more resources into religion coverage. While the transition hasn't been as swift as a magic wand, journalists who cover the beat, as well as some of their sources, note an improvement in recent years.

Describing the shift as a gradual trend, Gustav Niebuhr of the New York Times says that religious people are asking larger questions of meaning, and that the news media reflect that.

Another part of the story, Niebuhr says, is the influx of evangelical Christians into politics - first with the Moral Majority, then with the Christian Coalition. These organizations introduced "overt element of religious language" into the political process, he notes. He also points to Jimmy Carter's statement in the 1970s - that he was a born-again Christian - for bringing matters of personal faith into the public discourse.

Religion is a vital part of American culture, with polls indicating that more than 90 percent of Americans say they believe in God. Religion's movement to the front pages of major newspapers reflects the place it has in the lives of many citizens, Niebuhr says.

John Rivera, religion reporter for The Sun, holds a master's degree in theology. He says improved religion coverage is driven by the same engine driving other sections of the newspaper - the reader.

Editors across the country are finding that their readers are churchgoers who have a great interest in religion, Rivera says, noting that every newspaper wants to provide the kind of news its readers want.

Rivera says he tries to serve his readers by taking a theological approach to reporting. For example, coverage of the religious right's opposition to homosexuality is often treated as only a political story, with reporters analyzing what it means to the GOP. There's not much reporting on the religious dimension of the positions on homosexuality, Rivera says. So he enhances his coverage with a theological explanation of why people believe what they do.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Catholic bishops, says newspapers frequently assign people to cover religion who don't have a background in it, adding, "I don't think they would do that with a science story."

Additionally, the news media commit two other reporting sins. In the Washington area, "Everything is seen through political glasses," she says. An ordinary action of the church can be given an unintended political meaning. Also, in an attempt to be fair, reporters often seek out the "most bizarre" quotes from the extreme left and the extreme right of an issue.

Walsh says there's a remarkable difference between print and broadcast coverage, with print media doing the superior job. On TV news, one-minute segments don't leave room to cover nuance, and television is more sensational, she says.

Across the board, reporters agreed broadcast coverage of religion is lagging. But there are some encouraging signs. ABC has a full-time religion reporter. Also, reports from a June conference in Rome indicate that CNN has discussed hiring a religion specialist. National Public Radio has a religion reporter, and PBS has a half-hour religion show, "Religion&Ethics; NewsWeekly," that airs on about 190 TV stations nationwide.

Bob Abernethy, executive editor and host of the show, says the commercial networks are missing good stories, because they are not putting in the effort to find them. But this lack does not indicate hostility, Abernethy says. He points to a study published in 1993 by the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The study, "Bridging the Gap: Religion and the News Media," indicated that the average newsroom contained more ignorance about religion than bias.

Jeffrey L. Sheler, a U.S. News & World Report senior writer who covers religion, agrees animosity isn't the problem. Sheler says people who cover religion need to have some understanding of RTC the subject. Like baseball writers, religion reporters have to become familiar with the jargon and know how the game is played.

For many years, according to Rivera, religion was a thankless beat, because of the belief that any reporter could master it. But a need for specialized training is being recognized. Any reporter can master a medical beat, too, especially if the news outlet supports training, Rivera says. He adds that The Sun encourages his participation in professional conferences and organizations.

Gayle White, religion writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, says many religion stories revolve around the separation of church and state. In general, those stories are not getting the attention that articles on other, less important issues are, she adds. At her newspaper, sports receives more resources and attention than religion, she says.

Cecile Holmes, religion editor of the Houston Chronicle and president of the Religion Newswriters Association, says the growing interest in religion in American culture is a major reason for the change. It's also more acceptable to talk about faith, she says. The popularity of TV shows such as "Touched by an Angel" reflect this, say several reporters.

Holmes says religion might have been a neglected beat for the same reason people don't like to discuss the subject at the dinner table. It's a difficult subject to cover, she says, adding that it requires tenacity, knowledge, a willingness to study hard, solid reporting skills and a high level of sensitivity. The latter is important because reporters are dealing with people's core values regarding issues such as life and death, creation, sin judgment and redemption.

Jimmy R. Allen co-authored the 1993 Freedom Forum report with John Dart, who has covered religion for the Los Angeles Times since 1967. Allen says the mainstreaming of religion coverage is a major improvement.

More media outlets seem to be doing a better job of finding the religious elements of stories, regardless of what section might carry them.

Dart says that religion reporting must also try to keep watch on religion, to keep it honest. Reporters need to improve coverage, but that doesn't mean they need to go soft, he says, adding, "We are still journalists."

Pam Parry is a free-lance writer in Alexandria, Va., who teaches as an adjunct at the American University and the George Washington University Center for Career Education. Previously, she as a congressional correspondent for Baptist News Service in Washington.

Pub Date: 9/20/98