How the Media Cover Religious Pluralism

Discussions ranged widely, from the secularism and lack of religion literacy of today’s press to the need for religious groups to speak up on issues, keep the door open, and be aware of the media’s challenges. Some conference highlights:



Believers, not belongers: the Canadian religious landscape Andrew Grenville, Senior VP of Ipsos-Reid, (above left) explored polls results with us. “God is not an abstraction to Canadians: 82% agree with the statement: ‘God is understanding and forgiving.’ However, most Canadians (81%) don’t think you need to go to church to be a good Christian.” Peter Emberly, Carleton University professor, advised, “There is a need to turn the corner on skepticism but don’t kill hope. Images of the beautiful are needed.”



The religion beat: what journalists need to cover religion. Debra Mason, head of Religion Newswriters Association, on the fact that religion writers need to work harder to come up with great articles in the face of declining newspaper readership and competition for space in today’s media, "There is a market, a deep hunger for these stories about the way faith informs peoples' lives."



Keynote Address Arthur Kent, journalist, author and documentary filmmaker, challenged the assembly with, “Too much of our reporting on faith and spirituality is refracted through prisms of controversy and conflict. We need to look beyond the glib pronouncements of extremists, at home and abroad, as they manipulate religion for political purposes. The true quest of any genuine faith is peace, so any thoughtful coverage and analysis of those who speak in the name of religion should begin with the question: “What have you done lately for peace?”



A little respect: What do people of faith want from the mainstream media?

Bill Roberts, President and CEO of VISION TV said, “If the media has a failing, it is to focus on institutions rather than ordinary people living by beliefs. The church is more than institutions, it is a community of believers…”



At the closing banquet, Bob Abernethy, television news correspondent of PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, said, “There are a lot of seekers out there and a lot of finders, I hope. Free-form searching is popular, and deserves coverage.”