Framing Power
Diane Winston cites scholar Richard Flory on the roots of the media’s problem with the “r” word: “In the early 20th century, journalism’s secular elites, believing their profession to be the new religion, marginalized the competition. Media scholar Jay Rosen, in his blog Pressthink, suggests not much has changed. In this light, the media’s dismissal of religion may be a […]
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Diane Winston cites scholar Richard Flory on the roots of the media’s problem with the “r” word: “In the early 20th century, journalism’s secular elites, believing their profession to be the new religion, marginalized the competition. Media scholar Jay Rosen, in his blog Pressthink, suggests not much has changed. In this light, the media’s dismissal of religion may be a case of professional hostility; both claim the power to frame stories and shape ideas.”
Diane is writing in response to Christian Smith‘s fiery polemic against bad religion reporting, published in Books & Culture and right here on The Revealer.
The piece got some reporters and press critics pretty steamed up — read, for instance, John Dart‘s response on ReligionWriters.com.
And then try “Framing Power,” a new Revealer original, in which Diane takes issue with both sides — and the very notion of “sides,” the “us-vs.-them” frames that shape the foolish questions religion reporters sometimes ask, and the dumb answers scholars sometimes give.