Still, surveys indicate that many of the nation's 1,500 daily newspapers do not have religion reporters, a fact deplored by Baylor University President Robert Sloan. We have far more sports writers. Some fear dealing with such a controversial subject. But religion news is getting a higher profile. Newsweek, Time and U.S. News and World Report say their cover stories on religious topics account for some of their fastest-selling issues.
Bookstores stock more and more titles relating to religion and spirituality.
TV coverage of religion is still limited. But Peter Jennings of ABC News hired Peggy Wehmeyer as a religion reporter. Also, the Tampa Tribune's religion writer, Michelle Bearden, has a weekly television program of religion news, and Newsweek religion editor Richard Ostling regularly appears on the Jim Lehrer NewsHour on public television. Dart's and Allen's 1993 study, sponsored by the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center, polled nearly 1,000 religious leaders and 1,000 editors and reporters. It was not uncommon for Christian clergy to think they were mistreated by the news media.