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From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: AP Bias or Error ?
Message-ID: <508@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 22:39:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.508
Posted: Thu Jun 27 22:39:01 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Jun-85 16:41:29 EDT
References: <351@npois.UUCP> <586@cybvax0.UUCP>
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Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
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In article <586@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:

>> A recent poll determined that over 80% (more like 95%) of the people
>> working in the press (newspapers, magazines, TV news, etc.) do not
>> believe in God, or go to any kind of church or temple, or believe
>> in any morality that stems from the Bible.
>> 
>> What is ironic is that these are the people that have a position
>> of great influence on our lives; and they are not religious while
>> 80% of the general public surveyed does believe in God, does
>> attend a church or temple and does believe in some kind of morality
>> stemming from the Bible.

>Send away NOW for your free subscription to that paragon of Christian hubris,
>"The Plain Truth, A Magazine of Understanding" published by Herbert Armstrong
>of Ambassador College.

>It makes me glad to hear that the American (presumably) press is largely
>irreligious, if The Plain Truth is the alternative.

>Other "religious" media I've read include the Scientologist's thing, which
>spent most of its pages grinding an axe against the feds (esp. the IRS);
>and The Christian Science Monitor, which I strongly suspect of ommitting
>much (even their comics are very few and very bland.)

The CSM is very conservative from a journalistic point of view (i.e., it
generally doesn't do adversarial journalism).  I don't see these two points
of view as the only alternatives, however, which is my primary criticism.
The sad fact is that reporting of religion in this country is usually very
poor, regardless of who does it.  The important role of anglican and
catholic churches in the South African political situation, for instance, is
almost entirely ignored.  Fundamentalism is often treated as the sole
representation of Christianity in America.  With regard to "exotic"
religions like Islam or Hinduism, the usual depiction is characature.

Media prejudices as to what is newsworthy are very important factors in the
character of the depiction of a group.  The fact that reporters are largely
irreligious  tends to make one suspect that they will not be too concerned
about the quality of their coverage.

Charley Wingate   umcp-cs!mangoe