Prayer, politics, pretzels: Covering faith in Pennsylvania
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
 Religion Newswriters Association and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association offer a two-part workshop for reporters, editors and producers who want to improve their coverage of the faith factor in today’s stories. Topics and skills to be covered include: religion and politics, with an emphasis on the November election; religion and popular culture; developing the local, local, local story that includes the big picture; nuancing coverage of faith.
SPEAKERS
• Ann Rodgers covers religion for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Prior to joining the Post-Gazette in 1993, she covered religion for The Pittsburgh Press, the News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla., and the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire. Ann holds a bachelor of science in journalism from Northwestern University and a master of theological studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She has received numerous awards for religion coverage, including the 1997 Religion Newswriters Association’s Templeton Reporter of the Year Award and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association’s Keystone Award for best news beat reporting in Pennsylvania. She is a board member of Religion Newswriters, which trains journalists to cover religion for the secular media.
• Marcia Z. Nelson is a Chicago-area freelance journalist and author specializing in religion. Her work has appeared in various newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post, Beliefnet, the Christian Century and Publishers Weekly. She contributes to Religion News Service and is a correspondent for ReligionLink, the online resource for journalists covering religion. She is the author of three books, most recently The Gospel According to Oprah. She has taught at three colleges and is the training coordinator for Religion Newswriters, the association for those who cover religion in the media. She wrote for newspapers for 13 years before going freelance. Her undergraduate degree in humanities is from Shimer College; she has a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
EVENT DETAILS
For whom: editors, producers, reporters
What you’ll get: This all-day seminar will teach you how to find the faith angle, know the issues, and produce a better, more nuanced story.
How will it work: This all-day seminar will include two independent parts. Participants can take one session or both. Some stories will be sent to you in advance to get you thinking and start you focusing on the topic.
Schedule:
8:30–9 a.m.: Registration
9 a.m.–Noon: Religion & Politics
12–1:30 p.m.: Lunch
1:30–4:30 p.m.: Religion & Pop Culture
Where: Pennsylvania Newspaper Association,
3899 North Front St., Harrisburg, Pa. 17110
When: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE! Seminar includes free box lunch.
Presented by: Religion Newswriters, the association of journalists who cover religion in the mainstream media
How to register: Call Bev Hendry at 717-703-3003, or e-mail her at beverlyh@pa-news.org. Please register in advance.
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