Largest-ever global study reveals high consumer demand for more news on religion and faith, along with roadblocks among journalists and editors
PR97869
NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
The largest-ever Global Faith and Media Study is launched today, looking at the
portrayal of faith and religion in the media. It reveals a strong demand across
the world for more news media coverage on faith, despite the reality that
journalists and editors admit coverage of the topics is rarely encouraged in
newsrooms.
The study captures the views of 9,000 global citizens as well as journalists
and editors in 18 countries covering the world's major religions. The research
was commissioned by the Faith and Media Initiative (FAMI) (
)and conducted by global market research company HarrisX.
The study reflects the feeling among the general population that media coverage
can perpetuate faith-related stereotypes rather than protect against them. It
also lays out some of the factors that journalists and editors think can lead
to religious and faith stereotypes in news coverage.
The study also signals universal recognition among journalists and editors that
coverage of faith and religion needs a reset. It captures detailed insights
about the complex set of factors that have created the current status quo
affecting editorial coverage.
"The data reveals that faith and religion are a core element of personal
identity globally, with 82% of respondents viewing themselves as faithful,
religious or spiritual," said Dritan Nesho, CEO of HarrisX. "Yet the
journalists with whom we spoke to believe that faith and religious coverage are
becoming increasingly marginalized due to everything from newsroom economics to
fears of 'getting it wrong'.
"Ultimately, the research points to a clear global deficit in coverage,
treatment and quality of understanding of faith and religion in modern media."
Nesho added.
Key insights from the Global Faith and Media Study include:
People globally see the need for better representation of faith and religion in
the media
-- 63% of people globally said that high -quality content on faith and
religion is needed in their respective countries.
-- 53% of people globally believe that the media coverage actively
ignores religion as an aspect of society and culture today.
-- 59% of people globally think that it is important that the news
media coverage reflect a diverse set of religious perspectives
in their content and reporting.
-- 56% of people globally agree that there should be more nuanced
coverage of complex religious issues.
Religious stereotypes are a concern globally in relation to faith and religious
coverage
-- 61% of people globally said that media coverage often perpetuates
faith-based stereotypes rather than addresses and protects against them.
-- 53% of people globally think that religious stereotypes should get
the same level of attention as other stereotype issues in the media.
More varied spokespeople are needed to represent faith and religion in media
coverage
-- More than 80% of people globally feel that faith and religious groups
need to provide the media with greater variety of spokespeople.
-- Journalists and editors admit there is an issue with religious
stereotyping in media coverage and noted that the lack of varied
media sources and spokespeople for faith organizations is a significant
issue that they believe perpetuates the problem.
Media agree that editorial coverage on faith and religion has become more
marginalized
-- The Global Faith and Media Study uncovers the complex set of factors
that have influenced the way faith and religion is covered in the
media, based on direct interviews with journalists.
-- Media respondents universally described a continued marginalization
of media coverage on faith and religion and cited many influencing
factors giving rise to increasingly unbalanced reporting:
-- Newsroom Economics: Media respondents reported on squeezed budgets
leading to a lack of specialist journalists in newsrooms. They cited
a "hollowing" out of specialisms within the news teams leaving
generalists to cover topics, including faith and religion.
-- Fear of Getting It Wrong: Media described a general "fear" in the
newsroom around covering religion. In an era defined by some as a
time when religion has become increasingly politicized, news
coverage – often at speed – brings with it the tacit acceptance
that it is impossible to cover the topic with a level of nuance and
sensitivity given the time and resources available.
-- Diversity and Newsrooms Dynamics: Media respondents in all regions
noted that the newsroom teams rarely represent the plurality of
religious views in society, which causes self-limiting in exploring
the faith agenda. Among journalists with a strong faith background,
a feeling exists that they might be negatively judged if they
covered stories relating to their faith or religion due to a concern
it would raise questions about their impartiality and risk damaging
their reputations in the newsroom.
-- Clicks for Controversy: A consensus exists among media respondents
that faith and religion are not seen as drivers for reader engagement.
Editors rarely encourage stories in this area unless they correspond
to a narrative of controversy, dissent or scandal. This runs counter
to the 63% of people globally who said that high-quality content on
faith and religion is needed in their respective countries.
-- Lack of Spokespeople Compounding Religious Stereotyping: Stereotyping
was identified by media respondents as an issue, with a lack of
variety of sources and spokespeople for faith and religious groups
noted as a significant issue that perpetuates the problem. Many media
say religion is most frequently positioned as a conservative or
extreme force in editorial coverage and suggested that this drives
the tendency to seek out outspoken spokespeople versus those who are
middle-ground more mainstream.
"This ground-breaking global study on the attitudes of people, journalists and
editors toward coverage of faith and religion in media will be used as a
springboard for positive change," said Brooke Zaugg, Vice President of The
Faith and Media Initiative. "These new findings shine a light on the urgent
need to offer faith leaders improved access to the power and reach of the news
media, and media a direct line to faith leaders for enhanced understanding of
beliefs in the context of modern society. "By joining forces, we can better
serve humanity by ensuring a more accurate, balanced representation of all
faiths in journalism and entertainment worldwide,"
You can follow the conversation for FAMI at: Twitter (
), Facebook (
), Instagram (
), #faithandmedia, #FAMI and for HarrisX: Twitter (
) and LinkedIn (
)
For media inquiries, please contact:
Perri Dorset, Rakhee Rathod and Leila Hrycyszyn on: HarrisX@transatlanticent.com
Corinne Gorda on: Corinne@rokksolutions.com
About the Global Faith and Media Study
The Global Faith and Media Study represents the views of 9,489 quantitative
interviews between August and September 2022. Surveys were carried out across
18 countries globally, with regions selected to cover the world's major
religions in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle
East. In addition, views of the news media were gathered through 30 in-depth
qualitative interviews with journalists and editors across the same geographic
footprint. To download the report please
visit:http://index.faithandmedia.com/data
The study is the first flagship insights report available from The Faith and
Media Index, a new platform launched by The Faith and Media Initiative, which
will partner with the world's most respected institutions to build a robust
platform of research and data. The Index will include original insights on the
global landscape of faith and media, early identification of trends and
opportunities for collaboration, as well as a robust data resource for
journalists, editors and content creators. The first issue of The Global Faith
and Media Study was funded, in part, by a grant from the Radiant Foundation (
)
About The Faith and Media Initiative
The Faith and Media Initiative (FAMI) is a non-profit that connects and
provides resources to a global, diverse network of media members, content
creators, faith leaders and community members working together to ensure
accurate, balanced representation of all faiths in entertainment and
journalism. The work to date has been driven by an exploratory task force,
including diverse experts from faith, media, academia and business. The task
force is committed to building strategies for change – from coalition building,
fluency training, research and recognition of individuals and businesses
leading the way. More information about the Faith and Media Initiative is
available here (
).
About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading global research consultancy that conducts major market
research, public policy polling and social science studies in more than 40
countries around the world. It is part of Stagwell Global and the sister
company of the Harris Poll, which has conducted public release polling
internationally since 1963.
Logo -
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900301/Faith_and_Media_Initiative_Logo.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900302/HarrisX_Logo.jpg
SOURCE FAMI; HarrisX
本プレスリリースは発表元が入力した原稿をそのまま掲載しております。また、プレスリリースへのお問い合わせは発表元に直接お願いいたします。
このプレスリリースには、報道機関向けの情報があります。
プレス会員登録を行うと、広報担当者の連絡先や、イベント・記者会見の情報など、報道機関だけに公開する情報が閲覧できるようになります。
