Journalism & Faith

The people journalists are reporting on are often inspired or affected by faith. As Jim Robertson, the editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune, said, "Journalism and religion is a tough mix. Religion depends on faith, and journalism demands proof."

We must remember that context is the key to complete reporting. When it comes to religion, people can get offended very easily. We have to be careful that we are not letting our own faith come through or sounding biased towards the faith portrayed in the story.

However, should journalists be expected to report on something that they do not believe in? How about something that they do believe in but the majority does not?

To answer the first question, I would have to say no. However, journalists should know coming into the job that they may be asked to write about things that maybe they don't want to. If a journalist feels extremely uncomfortable writing about a topic, however, I don't think they should be required to report on it.

When I was on the yearbook staff on high school, someone on the staff wrote a paragraph that I did not feel comfortable including in the yearbook because it went against my personal values and beliefs. I felt like by including that paragraph, it would say that I was ok with or even supported that type of behavior. In addition, I knew many other people at the school who I knew had similar views as me and would also feel uncomfortable reading it.

I went to my advisor and told her how I felt about it. She told me it was up to me and the other editors. Unfortunately, none of the other editors agreed with me, so we kept it. When the yearbook came out, a few people told me they weren't happy about that particular thing being included.

Did I do the right thing as a journalist? Should I never have said anything about it in the first place? Should I have fought harder for mine and others' beliefs?

I feel like I handled the situation the best I could have. I realize now that inserting that paragraph into the yearbook was in no way saying that I supported that behavior. I wasn't the one who had to report on it, or put my name on that page, etc. I had to respect what everyone else wanted, because in the end I was overruled.

However, not saying anything at all would not have been the right decision either. I needed to let the staff know that people were going to be uncomfortable with that paragraph. Maybe they should have taken that fact more into consideration, but that was not in my hands. As a journalist, I accepted it and moved on.

In answer to the second question, once again I would have to say no. If you write about something that the majority of people are going to be uncomfortable with, then it is probably best not to say it at all. I realize that it depends on the situation. I realize sometimes saying things that make people uncomfortable is for their own good - it gets them thinking, it introduces them to different views, etc. But if this is not the case, such as that paragraph in my yearbook, then it is probably best kept to yourself.

Being a journalist doesn't mean you have to go against your own faith. It just means that you might have to be more understanding and tolerant of other faiths. As David Waters, the On Faith Web site producer, said, "Religion is the most important topic out there. It matters to nearly everyone, even to atheists and agnostics. It affects nearly everything - from how we raise and educate kids, to how we make and spend our money, to how we run corporations, communities, and even countries."