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You believe. We explain. IN
THIS ISSUE:
Lindsay, a sociologist at Rice University, just wrote a book, Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite (Oxford Univ. Press, 2007). Here are some of the myths he deconstructed for eager listeners: MYTH: Evangelicals derive their power mainly in the political field. MYTH: Evangelicals derive their power from theology. MYTH: Evangelicals are mainly in white suburban communities in between the U.S. coasts. MYTH: Domestic issues like gay marriage and abortion are most important to evangelicals. MYTH: Megachurches are the evangelical home base. MYTH: Evangelicals are mainly politically conservative. MYTH: Parachurch leaders like James Dobson of Focus on the Family are close friends with major political leaders. MYTH: Evangelicals are poor, uneducated and easily led. Hear the audio from Lindsay’s talk: http://media.rna.org/sanantonio_media/audio/michael_lindsay/michael_lindsay.mp3
SAN ANTONIO — The Religion Newswriters Association today announced the winners of its 2007 contests for excellence in religion reporting in the mainstream media. The organization, which has more than 570 members and subscribers, awarded nearly $15,000 in prizes at its annual banquet, held this year at the Historic Menger Hotel. Winners were selected from among 327 entries in 11 categories. Judges included current or former reporters, journalists and scholars who praised the entries as “simply dazzling” with insights “honed and sharp.” Religion Reporter of the Year Religion Writer of the Year Religion Story or Series of the Year Religion Reporter of the Year—Small Newspapers Religion Reporter of the Year—Mid-sized Newspapers Best Religion Section or Pages In the smaller paper category, The Mobile Press Register, won first place. Judges mentioned “centerpieces that consistently got beyond headlines to reflect the intensity that people feel about faith.” In the larger Schachern category, The Salt Lake Tribune took top honors. Michael Anastasi and Lisa Carricaburu are editors. Judges complimented the section for “clear writing, distinctive design, a lively column, provocative centerpieces and an affinity for confronting the biggest, toughest topics from suicide to ‘The Da Vinci Code.’” Best Student Religion Reporter Taking top prize this year is Tina Shah of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, whose entries included topics from Filipino Catholics to varieties of Hindu cremation. “This writer has already been to India and will continue going places,” the judges said. Shah won $600. Best Television Short and Long Religion Reporting In the short form, Maria Arita of CBS II in Dallas/Fort Worth won for her piece “Orbs of Light. The long form was awarded to PBS’ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer for a reflection on Sept. 11, 2001. “We were moved to tears” the judges wrote, adding that seldom have they seen a story “so powerfully told.” Best Radio Religion Reporting
By Kevin Eckstrom When Russell Chandler was trying to track Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in the early 1980s for the Los Angeles Times, he headed up to eastern Oregon and started chatting up the local court clerks, wondering what they knew. One mentioned a mysterious land purchase of some 120,000 acres and Chandler's ears perked up. Said the owners were all wearing orange robes. "That's all I needed,'' Chandler said, before heading out to a lake near the compound, fishing pole in hand, orange shirt on his back. It wasn't long before he was discovered. "They had the choice of treating me nice or kicking me out,'' Chandler said, "They decided to try to butter me up to see if they could get a good story, or convince me not to do the story. But they couldn't do that.'' That brand of on-the-streets reporting for the Los Angeles Times, Christianity Today and the Modesto Bee, coupled with years of personal service to the religion beat and the RNA, has earned Russell Chandler the 2007 William A. Reed/Religion News Service Lifetime Achievement Award. Chandler, who will turn 75 a few weeks before the RNA annual conference in San Antonio, was a pioneer on the modern religion beat, helping to set the standards for professionalism, respect and seriousness that are now taken for granted among RNA members. "Between his own work at the Los Angeles Times and his selfless leadership in the RNA, he's one of a small number of reporters who early on made covering religion one of the most sought-after beats in journalism,'' said his longtime LA Times colleague, Larry Stammer. Chandler has also personally invested in the beat — he and his wife, ML, started the Chandler Student Religion Reporter of the Year award in 2003. The couple has given $27,700 to date and has pledged another $15,400 over the next two years to recognize outstanding religion coverage among college students. "There are many people who are equally or better qualified,'' Chandler said with his trademark gentleness. "I'm just glad it doesn't have to be posthumous.'' Chandler retired from the Los Angeles Times in 1992 after nearly 18 years at the paper. While there, he earned three Templeton Awards — including the first ever, in 1984 — and three Supple Awards from the RNA. He served as RNA president from 1982-1984. "Russ had a fairness of spirit and a pleasant manner that drew out reluctant sources, and all that aided his notable investigative edge,'' said Dick Ostling, the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, who recruited Chandler to succeed him at Christianity Today in 1969. "He was a dedicated evangelical and an ordained Presbyterian ... but always strived to be non-partisan in religion coverage, and thus represented the very best of what our guild stands for.'' Prior to his career at the Los Angeles Times, Chandler worked at the Union Democrat in Sonora, Calif., from 1972-1974; was news editor at Christianity Today from 1969-1971; was religion editor at the now-defunct Washington Star from 1968-1969; and held his first job at the Modesto Bee. Prior to entering the Fourth Estate, Chandler worked for a higher one, as an ordained Presbyterian minister. "I never heard Russ preach from the pulpit ... but in the newsroom, he was the consummate journalist — calm under pressure, fair to a fault, competitive and courageous in his coverage of difficult stories,'' Stammer said. Chandler was serving churches in California's Central Valley when he got a new calling to write, as he said, "for a different audience.'' "I always kept thinking that somehow I'd like to be doing more writing, and I couldn't project myself forward to being a pastor until I was 65, so I thought maybe I could marry the two greatest interests and experiences of my life — church and theology, and writing — so I started doing a few freelance pieces.'' He later married the greatest love of his life, ML, in 1978. That's "342 months and counting,'' he says, in case anyone was keeping track. Chandler had actually dabbled in journalism much earlier, at the tender age of 10 when he created and distributed a mimeographed newsletter to friends and family serving in World War II. The venture, however, didn't last very long. "The circulation didn't grow, and the advertising base wasn't there,'' he said. Chandler has covered the big names — Billy Graham is one that sticks out — but says he found the greatest joy in documenting the lives of "unsung heroes and heroines, people who weren't in the limelight and who were unselfishly doing things for their love of doing them, to make the world a better place, to serve their God.'' But it's the Chandlers' personal investment in the future of RNA — and indeed, the religion beat itself — that has won Russ and ML the thanks of the RNA board and its members. "You get a lot more kick out of something if you can do something for people and be able to see the benefits yourself,'' Chandler said. "It isn't a memorial scholarship; it's fun to have a living person who can present the award.''
Religion Newswriters will conduct a series of four Web-based seminars on Religion and Global Conflict. It is the organization’s first series of training sessions journalists can attend without leaving their offices. The first one will be offered early in 2008. Here are the topics for each:
These two-hour Webinars are being presented with the generous support of the McCormick Foundation. Invitations will be issued to journalists in all beat specialties, but much of the information will be particularly useful for reporters who cover religion or the military, and for those who travel to cover news internationally. “We are excited about this series,” said Debra Mason, Religion Newswriters Executive Director. “Many journalists find it difficult to fund travel to seminars beyond their own cities. This will give them the chance to learn vital information with minimal cost.” This subject matter is vital. Islam is a mysterious religion to many Americans, including those who work for the news media. And religion in general plays an integral role in relations between countries. Often the role is subtle and may not make it into news reports. Similarly, religion is an important aspect of the personal lives of many military personnel, and sometimes belief systems collide.
Religion Newswriters wants to improve the public's understanding of religion. Our resources and materials reach editors, writers, news directors, news producers, CEOs, clergy, homemakers and policy analysts. Your support enables us to continue as the country's premier educator about religion and public issues in the mainstream media. Please join the many others who help support Religion Newswriters with your tax-deductible gift. It's easy to do online.
Religion Newswriters can answer your questions about religious terminology. Our newest publication, available in print and online versions is “Reporting on Religion 2: A Stylebook for Journalism’s Best Beat.” It is the first guide of its kind created by journalists for journalists and anyone who needs to get it right. The guide is produced with support from the John Templeton Foundation. Learn more here: http://www.religionstylebook.org/ To reach Religion Newswriters' Development Director, e-mail Ruth Sternberg at Ruth@RNA.org. |
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