Know media biases, columnist tells New York Chapter

To be most effective in their work, religion communicators need to understand media biases about faith topics. That was a syndicated columnist's message to 30 members of RCC's New York Chapter Feb. 16.

Terry Mattingly, author of the weekly Scripps-Howard News Service "On Religion" column, said dealing with labels journalists use to describe faith groups "is the challenge of our work."

Fundamentalist Jews are often called "ultra Orthodox," he noted. Islam has no word for fundamentalist. "Moderates" in most faith contexts are considered "nice." "Fundamentalists" are considered "not nice."

Mattingly, who also runs GetReligion.org, said he had learned at least five lessons about media bias relating to religion:

• Words matter. He urged RCC members to "defend and improve the entries in the Associated Press Stylebook."
• History, polity and doctrine matter. "There is a basic ignorance of basic facts on religion," he said. "We must remind reporters that there is more to life than politics. We need to post history, define basic terms, get help from religious leaders, and post basic material about our church. Put reporter-friendly resources up on our Web sites." Furthermore, religion communicators should "identify blogs that write well about our religion, know who the good guys and bad guys are, know our critics."
• Do not hide. Religion communicators should establish interview conditions, such as "I will tape it, too." Then they should post full interview transcripts on the Internet as a resource. "Use the Internet for constructive sharing of materials," he said.
• Open an ongoing conversation about the journalistic craft with reporters. Be constructive on any inaccuracies in their stories.
• Tell clergy members to stop asking reporters what their religion is. Instead, religion communicators should advise pastors and other church leaders to ask "How long have you covered the religion beat?" and "How did you prepare for this beat?"

Mattingly identified at least four factors that lead to media biases concerning religion:

• Space, time and resource limitations. The current economic crisis in the news business is prompting some organizations to replace costly information resources with opinion.
• Lack of knowledge. You can't cover a story if you don't know if it exists.
• Non-religious worldview. It is hard to cover a story if you don't care if it exists or understand why religion matters.
• Prejudice. It's hard to be unbiased about people you just don't like or respect.

Mattingly, author of Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture, directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

He has worked as a reporter and religion columnist at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver and the Charlotte Observer and Charlotte News. In 1991 Mattingly began teaching at Denver Seminary and later was a founding member of the Association for Communications and Theological Education.

Mattingly earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and history from Baylor University, an M.A. in church-state studies from Baylor and an M.S. in communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Mattingly is a member of Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Linthicum, Md.