Former NBC News Moscow correspondent Bob Abernethy is developing a half-hour weekly news show devoted to religion and ethics available for public stations around the country. New York's public TV station WNET is producing the show. PBS' news flagship, The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, has one staff producer, Denver-based Kate Olson, assigned to the beat. At National Public Radio, Lynn Neary was assigned to the religion beat four years ago. Just as the sheer volume of religion news has increased, so has the nature and quality of the coverage.
Denominations are out.
Spirituality is in. You're just as likely to read about the new shaman in town, the NASA engineer who practices an ancient Chinese philosophy or a secular volunteer project as about the new pastor at First Lutheran Church. The coverage reflects changes in the religious landscape. Donations and membership are down in many mainline churches. Mega-churches are thriving.