Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
New York City does not seem to be a very welcoming city. Certain people belong there, while the presence of others that fail to fit a certain stereotype are considered by a major media institution in the city as “jarringly out of place.”
News of a second video showing a Planned Parenthood of Indiana counselor providing advice that could violate state criminal statutes was enough to prompt The Indianapolis Star to provide front-page coverage Wednesday. The second video, released Tuesday, shows an individual posing as a 13-year-old telling Planned Parenthood staffers that she was pregnant by her 31-year-old boyfriend.
So much for any significant coverage of the country’s first Muslim member of Congress and one of the more significant acts he’ll perform relating to his religion. Granted, Congressman Keith Ellison’s trip to Mecca for this year’s Hajj is not a public act in the sense that he traveled on his own dime and it relates to his personal spiritual life. But the act is public in the sense that it is a, well, public act of traveling.
From a basketball and sports perspective, this lengthy profile in The Los Angeles Times headlined “Jewish coach, black players forged lasting bond” is a model for excellence in sports journalism. Unfortunately, the obvious religious element of the story — which the editors decided for one reason or another deserved top billing — gets little more than a few mentions in the article which runs close to 2,400 words.
I cannot say this with absolute certainty, but the religious aspects of President George W. Bush’s ABC interviews are making bigger waves overseas than in the United States. Part of that might be due to the news of a certain stink emanating from Chicago (even this Indianapolis resident can smell it!). Another aspect may be that U.S. news outlets are less willing to report on a competitor’s exclusive interview.
Planned Parenthood of Indiana has been in the national news lately. The abortion provider’s offering of holiday gift certificates in $25 increments has received the most attention. However, the more important story has the organization appearing to have given council to someone on how to break the state’s law on reporting child sex-abuse.
The astounding historical and religious significance of last week’s attack is just now being revealed. Some of Tmatt’s questions from yesterday on why these terrorists targeted Jews have been answered, but much remains to be determined and many tough questions must be answered by journalists.
Vikki Ortiz of the Chicago Tribune picked up a pleasant romantic story about a couple who committed to each other that they would not kiss until the wedding day. More precisely, the couple could and would kiss on the cheek (as demonstrated in the article’s photo), but that was where it ended. The purpose of the kiss limitation was to keep the couple from breaking an abstinence pledge.
Three days into the crisis, the horrific terrorist attacks in India’s financial capital continue to be unresolved. The focus of the reporting has been on the all-important details of where, what, and who has been hurt or killed.
