Christians in the Media
An interesting article in USA Today yesterday looked at one of the reasons that conservative Christian have such a loathing of the media: a lack of evangelicals in the workplace.
As a journalist and a Christian, I’m always interested in this debate over how liberal-subjective the media is. Most conservative Christians I know like the media about as much as they like a root canal (except for Fox News, of course).
I understand why they feel that way. I frequently find a liberal bent in the media. Whether it’s the choice of which stories to cover, which sources to interview, which facts to lead with or which words to use in headlines, you frequently hear one side of the story more prominently than the other.
But as a trained journalist, I also understand the other side of it. More and more, these people have to put together lots of information under impossible deadlines and things slip out when they don’t have enough time. Most of the time, I believe the media’s bias is more of a subliminal thing. The rest of the time, you’re either watching MSNBC or reading the New York Times.
So though I don’t hate it as much as a lot of churchgoers, I do see the problems. And when you hear things like the Pew Research Center’s poll that said that only 8 percent of journalists at national media outlets attend church weekly, it’s easy to understand why they just don’t understand us.
Maybe the solution is more Christian journalists in the secular press. Or maybe we are just going to have to get used to the fact that, as long as we live in this world, Christians are going to be misunderstood.
What do you think?
As a journalist and a Christian, I’m always interested in this debate over how liberal-subjective the media is. Most conservative Christians I know like the media about as much as they like a root canal (except for Fox News, of course).
I understand why they feel that way. I frequently find a liberal bent in the media. Whether it’s the choice of which stories to cover, which sources to interview, which facts to lead with or which words to use in headlines, you frequently hear one side of the story more prominently than the other.
But as a trained journalist, I also understand the other side of it. More and more, these people have to put together lots of information under impossible deadlines and things slip out when they don’t have enough time. Most of the time, I believe the media’s bias is more of a subliminal thing. The rest of the time, you’re either watching MSNBC or reading the New York Times.
So though I don’t hate it as much as a lot of churchgoers, I do see the problems. And when you hear things like the Pew Research Center’s poll that said that only 8 percent of journalists at national media outlets attend church weekly, it’s easy to understand why they just don’t understand us.
Maybe the solution is more Christian journalists in the secular press. Or maybe we are just going to have to get used to the fact that, as long as we live in this world, Christians are going to be misunderstood.
What do you think?
posted by Editor at 11:05 AM
6 Comments:
Most everything you mentioned there sounds like an absence of professionalism. These are supposedly trained, professional journalists, but boo-hoo, there's so much news to report, and so many details to sift and sort.
You hit the actual point of this phenomenon in your comment about the single-digit rate in which the Fourth Estate attends church. Obviously sitting in a pew each Sunday does not prove or lead to the kind of works-producing faith that is the fruit of authentic, Christ-grounded faith---but it isn't not, either. Thus, if that figure was 48 percent instead of 8 percent, there would be a vastly higher likelihood all those poor overworked little Libby reporters and newswriters would possess the maturity and character to remain objective no matter how busy they are, to say nothing of the fact that most of the remaining 92 percent more than likely think they are doing something noble in the subjectivity with which they slant the news.
As a recent graduate specializing in TV Journalism I know how difficult it is to be a Christian in the secular media. Why is there not a national association of Christian journalists? I think this would strengthen our presence in newsrooms across America. It would also send a strong message to everyone, just like the Christian Coalition has been successful in impacting our government at all levels.
I think that if more Christian journalists would jump into the secular journalism jobs instead of trying to find "Christian" journalism jobs we could start to move the slant the other way.
Like in music, just because a musician is Christian doesn't mean he has to be labeled a "Christian musician". They are a musician who is Christian. I am so tired of the Christian label. Don't put yourselves into the "Christian box". We are called to be a light to the world, not just to other Christians.
If you are a journalist who is Christian, go looking for a job at the NYT, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc. Don't put yourself into box because of your religion. Go do the best job you can do (giving glory to God with your best) and let your light shine through your work.
I agree, I think we will always be misunderstood and we're just gonna have to live with it. Elizabeth on "The View" is a Christian and lets her views be known and look how she is treated. I dont think the liberal women on there care on bit about the "why" just that she is different so they can argue and make her look bad any way they can.
I am a Christian in the medical sales profession.
I adhere to a standard that most Christians have forgotten... holiness.
If more Christians would be "doers of the Word" and not merely hearers we would impact more people.
Use your gift in the world and act like a Christian is my motto.
Except when it comes to music. Music was created for one purpose, to worship God. Music for any other purpose is useless and unprofitable.
Remember, the main worship leader in heaven before he was kicked out was lucifer. He has been contaminating people for years with his musical ideals.
The Bible says narrow is the gate to eteranal life and broad is the path to destruction. If you look at some Christians lives you would think it's the other way around.
I am a christian but I do not turn my eyes away from the challenges of the world. Isolation does nothing for us. How do you know what to pray for when you isolate yourself and make believe that only Evangelicals are real christians ot faux news is balanced?
The rhetoric coming from the christian right have really open my eyes to the bias and dare I say it, utter ignorance, mean-spiritedness and hatred that's being spewed out by them.
I am sick and tired of the labels. As a country what we need are copmpeteny journalist who are capable of presenting information with honesty and integrity. I have no problem with people stating their opinions, but it must be fair and balanced.
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