Religion and Media 2000 Abstracts
Religion and Media Interest Group
God and Mammon: The Effects of Secular Takeovers of Religious Media Outlets • William M. Alnor, Temple • Not often examined in reports of media buy-outs and takeovers is the fact that many profit-making secular (nonreligious) companies are acquiring religious publishing companies and religious television stations and entire networks. This has resulted often in the watering down of traditional religious messages, according to this study that was based on content analysis and a survey of evangelical publishing executives. But it has strengthened the financial bottom line.
Rev. Dr. J.C. White, South Carolina’s Black (Baptist) Bishop and Religion Editor of The Palmetto Leader, 1925-1926 • Kenneth Campbell, South Carolina • Black newspapers and black religious life have always had a close connection. Thus, any research documenting the life of preacher/editors has potential value of offering a fuller understanding of black press history as well as black community life. This is an account of the religious, political, and journalistic life and times of the Rev. Dr. J.C. White, called South Carolina’s Black Bishop, during the two-year period he was religion of the Columbia, South Carolina, Palmetto Leader, a black weekly.
Religion, Spirituality, and Uses and Gratifications Theory • Paul A. Creasman, Regent • Spirituality as a dimension of religiousness has been virtually ignored in media research despite an exponential increase in the presence of spiritually-themed media content. This paper proposes new variables/typologies for inclusion into future uses and gratifications studies that explore the intersection of religion and media. Through a critical examination, it is proposed that transcendence, irrationality, and community are vital to true spirituality. Using these three proposed variables/typologies, uses and gratifications theory might be well suited to examine questions of the spiritual dimensions of media content.
Testing Theoretical Constructs of Framing • Kyle Huckins, Regent • Entman’s fourfold definition of frames has made a strong impact on discussion of the topic. This paper used statistical measures to test both the definition and ways of measuring frames. A content analysis of news articles on two religio-political leaders for each of 10 years provided a long-term assessment of the strength of framing mechanisms. Results gave support for the definition and measures with statistically significant links to the affective domain applicable to other subjects.
The Rise of the Early Christian Church: A Triumph of Public Relations? • David Martinson, Florida International University • In discussing the historic evolution of public relations, public relations textbooks frequently suggest that the triumph of the early Church in bringing its message to the world can be equated with a successful contemporary public relations campaign. The author argues that such analogies must be challenged and rejected • unless all the appropriate nuances are included. He contends that it would be more efficacious to consider if and how a person like St. Paul might make use of a contemporary public relations practitioner.
Environmental Reporting, Religion Reporting, and the Question of Advocacy • Rick C. Moore, Boise State • Though both religion reporting and environmental reporting have been the subject of serious academic research, the connections between the two have received little attention. This study proposes to examine the similarities and differences between the two beats. Historically, environmental journalists appear to be more willing to practice advocacy reporting than are religion journalists. Yet, current challenges to the dominant modes of practice in journalism could alter the foundations on which these distinctions rest.
Spiritual Movement or Fanatic Cult: Chinese and U.S. Coverage of Falun Gong • Ren Li, Ohio • This study focuses on the diversity of Chinese and US coverage of Falun Gong, a quasi-religious group banned by the Chinese government in July 1999. A total of 120 news items from China Daily and the New York Times between April 1st, 1999 and December 31, 1999 were content analyzed. The findings indicated the dominance of government/Party affiliated sources and the restriction of dissident voices in China Daily. The New York Times carried a relatively more balanced and diversified coverage of the group and the ban.
The Effect of Age and Background of Religious Broadcasting Executives on Digital Television Implementation • Brad Schultz, South Illinois • This study sought to investigate whether the personal backgrounds of religious broadcasting executives would affect the timetable for digital implementation at Christian television stations. Results of the study showed a significant difference between religious and secular broadcasters in terms of background and digital implementation. A significant gulf between older and younger religious broadcasters was also discovered, which played an important role in this process.
Media Ministries and the Spirit of Capitalism • Jeffery A. Smith, Iowa • One of the paradoxes of American cultural studies is how the United States can be both one of the most religious and most market-driven of nations. Perhaps the “magic of the market,” long touted by free enterprise advocates, applies to the success of creeds. For centuries Americans have been largely free to choose the faith that suits them and to reward the media ministries that both try to persuade them and cater to their needs.
Mormons in Las Vegas: A Study of Entertainment Media and Secularization Defense Strategies • Daniel A. Stout and Mary Beth McMurray, Brigham Young • The Mormon Church is the third largest denomination in Las Vegas with 70,000 members. With official doctrines opposing gambling and strong admonitions to avoid unsavory media content such as R-rated movies, a number of tensions have emerged. Focus groups and non-participant observations reveal how Mormons experience entertainment media. Five ways of defining conflicts or “secularization defense strategies” are identified. These findings raise new issues for future research about the ways religiosity is applied in media use.
Advocacy, Objectivity, editorial freedom and Journalistic Quality: A Study of Issues in the Protestant Press • Ken Waters, Pepperdine • The reporting of religion by daily newspapers and the nation’s news magazines is an area of increasing interest among communication scholars. Much less research has focused on periodicals written by and for religious believers. Estimates of the number of religious publications in America runs as high as 3,000. The two Protestant press associations claim their member publications reach approximately 47 million readers each year. Millions more people read Catholic, Jewish and other religious magazines.
Religion News and “Values”: A Study of the Dallas Morning News’ Religion Section • Susan Willey, Florida Atlantic • This study explores how well religion news is able to meet the Hutchins Commission’s fourth requirement for a free and responsible press – to present and clarify the goals and values of society. An analysis of The Dallas Morning News’ religion section reveals that religion news presents a mosaic of values, but is severely challenged by a lack of diverse sources and depth, failing to fully examine the competing values that are operating in the stories.
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