Left Behind: The Skewed Representation of Religion in Major News Media
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Mark J. Pelavin is the Associate Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. He is one of the Jewish community's leading legislative strategists, and one of its senior lobbyists. |
Media Matters has an interesting new study out today concerning media coverage of religion, and specifically, analyzing which specific religious leaders are the most quoted in the mainstream press. Among the study's key findings:
- Combining newspapers and television, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed in news stories 2.8 times as often as were progressive religious leaders.
- On television news -- the three major television networks, the three major cable new channels, and PBS -- conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed almost 3.8 times as often as progressive leaders.
- In major newspapers, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed 2.7 times as often as progressive leaders.
The full report – available in both “on-line” and “PDF” flavors – is available here.
RAC Director Rabbi David Saperstein joined National Council of Churches President Bob Edgar, Rev. Dr. Jim Forbes and others at a press conference today to formally release the report. Watch your local papers for more…