Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
The Pew Research Center examined the recent coverage of the sex abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church. They analyzed U.S. newspapers, websites, network television programs, cable television programs and other media and found that it was the most intense coverage the church had received since 2002, when coverage of the American scandal flared up.
Journalists have long been puzzled over Sarah Palin’s popularity. In November, Newsweek took a stab at the trend with its provocative cover of Palin in running clothes: “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah Palin: How Sarah Palin Hurts the GOP And the Country.”
So, the Los Angeles Times has published its giant salute to the life and times of John Wooden and, unless I have missed something, the bottom line is that he was an amazingly nice man of sterling integrity and a sense of honor and values that came from the American heartland.
If you have read GetReligion for more than a week or two, you probably have noticed that we live in the age of the simplistic label. If you noticed that fact, then you also must have noticed that your GetReligionistas are not fond of labels — especially in religion coverage.
Everywhere I turn, it seems I’m unintentionally listening to a song by Lady Gaga in the grocery store or stumbling upon a spoof of her music videos (So far, I vote for NPR). Chances are, you’ve at least heard snippets of “Telephone,” “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Paparazzi,” to name a few of her hits.
Newsweek/Washington Post‘s “On Faith” religion section has not gone without criticism in these parts. We want newspapers to cover more religion news, and cover it better. The “On Faith” site treats religion as an interesting topic for discussion at a civilized dinner party with mostly liberal guests. Somedays the guests are really interesting and add value to the discussion and other days you wish they’d stop drinking and head on home.
The story of a Catholic woman religious who was disciplined for authorizing an abortion has been percolating for a few weeks. It’s a very sad story and my heart goes out to all involved.
Guilt is a heavy burden sometimes. Every now and then, I tear a long article out of a mainstream magazine or journal that clearly deserves comment and put it in the front pocket of the shoulder bag that I carry while commuting. The longer and more complex the article — or the more horrible its contents — the more likely it is to linger in the bag, caught in layers of guilt that get harder and harder to crack.
