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A long overdue debate has been ignited thanks to a recent article by Washington Times reporter Julia Duin posted on Poynter Online. In it Duin asserted that too many newspapers, TV news stations and networks are failing to cover religion, and those that do have been failing to hire journalists who truly understand religion.

I could not agree more and I suspect that many Americans share that sentiment. Too often news reporting is "dumbed down" to make way for "entertainment" and "lifestyle" reporting. But what do you think is the most important influence in the lifestyles led by the 42% of respondents to the 2004 CNN exit poll who either attend church weekly or more than weekly!

In her article "Help Wanted On The Religion Beat" Duin states, "With concern about values registering high in exit polls last election, the question was raised as to why journalists didn't shed more light on such concerns and the people who hold them." Her answer is that most newspapers and TV stations have refused to invest in coverage of what is most central in the lives of many Americans: religion. Nearly 170 more journalists belong to the Society of Environmental Journalists than the Religion Newswriters Association. One result in 2004 was uninformed writing on the role of religion in American public life.

It's not surprising considering that topflight publications such as U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and ABC-TV failed to replace religion writers who have departed or have been let go. The shortage of religious reporting in local media makes it difficult for the networks and larger newspapers to hire experienced religious reporters. That is, if they want them. Duin makes the point that no major network, including Fox, has a reporter who regularly covers religion as a beat. It will not surprise many conservatives to learn that in 1994 The Washington Post actually advertised for a religion reporter in November 1994 by saying "the ideal candidate" would be someone who "is not necessarily religious nor an expert in religion."

Many reporters will argue that they do not need to hold a master's degree in business to cover business. I share that sympathy to some degree as a former TV and newspaper reporter who did not finish college. On the local level it may not be that important. However, covering religion in an accurate and unbiased manner for a major media outlet truly is a very complicated matter requiring in-depth knowledge of the tenets and histories of different faiths and an awareness of the experts, their backgrounds and beliefs. It is not a matter for a fledgling local reporter (previously specializing in crime and general reporting) who just joined a national news source. It should be a beat in itself and have knowledgeable reporters.

It's worth noting that even experienced religion reporters would admit that they are bound to make mistakes. Their beat forces them to learn over 4,000 years worth of complicated history. That truth only makes the case more pressing to start breaking in religion reporters at the local level and providing them with the on-the-job training to learn their subject.

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