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ANNUAL REPORT
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Application Deadline:
October 1, 2008

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faq
"Frequently Asked Questions" on the Religion Beat

1. Why should the secular media cover religion?

2. What do religion writers do? How do I get started on the beat?

3. Do editors care about religion coverage?

4. Do editors only want controversial religion stories?

5. What type of training might a religion reporter need?

6. When do you reveal your religion to sources?

7. What are the laws regarding how churches and religious institutions comply with government guidelines?

8. How do I find an expert on a particular religion or theological issue?

9. When is it appropriate to use the words "fundamentalist" and "cult?" What are other terms with which I must be careful?

10. How can I interview and write about religions I don't believe in?

11. What may houses of worship do to advance political causes or candidates?

12. What are some helpful hints on covering highly charged religious services, especially ones that seem to defy rational explanation?

13. Do religion reporters face issues of balance and fairness that are different from other beats?

14. How do religion writers cope with organizational, stylistic and cultural differences in the people they write about?

15. What special issues and concerns do religion writers keep in mind when writing about the religions of ethnic minorities?

16. It seems religion writers deal more in theory than fact. How does a good reporter write an accurate story when people's understanding of truth differs?

17. What role should religious demographics play and what are the best sources for such demographics?

18. Which resources are essential for a religion writer to own?

19. Many religion reporters also write about spiritual movements and ethical concerns. What sorts of stories like that should a religion writer do?

20. Do religion writers always write stories for religious holidays? New clergy? Anniversaries?

21. How can a religion writer get more religion news stories into the paper or on air?

22. Does RNA provide internships?

23. Does RNA provide free training to assist with religion writing?

24. What training opportunities are available for a fee?

25. Does RNA offer scholarships?

26. What other religion reporting scholarships are available?

27. Do you have a discounted membership rate for students?

28. How many RNA members are there?

29. How many people are currently employed in the field of religion reporting in the secular US media? What's the outlook for the future?

30. What are the salary ranges in the field?

31. What qualifications are necessary for employment in the field of religion reporting?

32. How do people get started as religion writers, either for print or for magazines? Do you start as a general assignment reporter? What job opportunities are there?

33. How do I develop clips to submit?

34. How feasible is it to support oneself as a freelance religious writer - either by submitting articles to magazines targeted to particular faith communities or working for a newspaper on a freelance basis?

35. Is there information on Religion Reporting and Religion Resources, such as books?

36. What do you think about the overall quality of religion coverage in mainstream print journalism?

37. Does religion news get "ghettoized" when it's published once a week in a special section? Does religion news need to be more integrated into other sections?

38. What are some tips for/advice on/characteristics of good religion reporting?

39. I have more questions that are not answered here, what do I do?

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Reporting on Religion

Download the book

Religion Newswriters presents a guide to the basics of reporting on religion, including important resources and advice about potential pitfalls. Faith and ethics intersect with every topic journalists cover these days. This guide will help veteran journalists, rookies, radio and television reporters and online media providers add insight, balance and context to their stories.

THE BASICS
  • What is religion news?
• The case for covering religion
• The case for religion specialists
• Trends in religion news
• What about religion on other beats?
• Do you need to be religious to report on religion?
• Who makes a great religion journalist?

BEST PRACTICES
  • Finding the right tools
• Get oriented
• Get out
• Preaching, teaching & proselytizing
• Getting titles right
• Redefine the religion beat
• Rely on people power
• Report news and nuance
• Remain calm amid conflict
• Embrace diversity
• Judge not, lest ye be judged
• It's a miracle!
• Sharpen your pencils
• Columns and the brave new world of blogging

RESOURCES
  • Numbers
• Experts
 • Web sites
• Books and yearbooks

A ROUNDUP OF RELIGIONS
The world’s largest belief systems
The big three
  • Christianity
  • Roman Catholics
• Evangelicals
• Mainline Protestants
• Pentecostals
• Orthodox
• African-American
• Hispanic
• Asian
• Judaism
• Islam
Beyond the big three
  • Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Sikhism
• New Religious Movements
• Visiting places of worship

RELIGION OUTSIDE THE BOX
  • Spirituality
• Ethics and values
• Interfaith efforts
• Religion in the public square

ISSUES FOR REPORTERS
AND EDITORS
  • Revealing personal beliefs
• Reporting on people you disagree with
• Conflicts of interest
• Ethics


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