Australian media has trouble covering issues of faith, often framing religion in a political context rather than as a personal issue of belief
So says ABC chief Mark Scott.
Mr Scott, who describes himself as a Christian, (love learning stuff like this!) told a prayer breakfast in Adelaide recently that part of the blame for how faith was reported could be attributed to how journalists were trained. “We train our journalists to be sceptical, to seek out answers, look for the documentation and to not accept things on face value and to get to the bottom of it,” said the ABC’s managing director. “Part of the challenge of faith is that some of the things we hold to be true and understand, are not visible and cannot be proven.” He challenged the media to engage in a broader debate, saying Australians were being short-changed on religious coverage. “People often think of Christianity as judgmental, simplistic, passionless or perhaps narrow-minded. But the challenge for us as Christians is to be associated with the values that Christ brings about: compassion, grace and forgiveness, a sense of the worth of the individual, a heart for the poor, reaching out to the lost.” Mr Scott said he found it challenging to speak at a prayer breakfast as he never wanted it to be said that he was holding himself up as a role model. (hopefully this changes, since Christians are role models for Christian living…whether we are doing a good job is a different matter…) “I spent most of my life as a journalist and working in newsrooms and I suppose it’s fair to say that I’m comfortable with the world view that comes through the Christian experience,” he said. “Which is basically the world view that says this world is not right and things aren’t as they should be and that through Jesus Christ we have an example and a way of setting the world right again.” Mr Scott told the audience that if they wanted to be effective as Christians in their workplaces, “the starting point should be to be the very best person that you can be in your work: to be energetic, to be creative, to be full of ideas and encouragement, to be someone who can be trusted and who rewards trust”.
David Turrell, chief executive of Christian Media Australia, which represents Christian broadcasters, said there appeared to be an acceptance in the media that it was OK to attack Christians and paint them in a “less than intellectual frame of mind”. “For example, if I think God exists and I think there’s an intelligent design, then that’s a faith position in the same way that someone who believes in evolution is stating a faith position. I’m not trying to be a scientist,” he said. “If a Christian holds a view on something, I think what tends to happen is the person tends to be personally attacked on their faith position more than the opinion that they’re expressing. I think it should be acceptable to have faith positions without being attacked for that.” Amen! (and as always, the added emphasis is mine)
Source: Compiled by APN from media reports
October 22, 2009
It is interesting that people of religious faith believe that the media does a poor job of reporting their views. So do Atheist, scientist, and every other group I can think of. All news sources have a bias, some more than others. I think we chose to believe the news that reinforces our own bias.
I am an Atheist who reads the Christian Science Monitor. Most of the bloggers I exchange views with are Christians. I think we learn more about ourselves from people who don't share our own world view, than from people who do.