But anyone who understands newsrooms knows budgets are windows into the priorities of those who manage them. Budgets help shape news. The bias of knowledge. Recently, I saw a feature article on prayer based on quotes from three small-church pastors in Denver. The newspaper's region included at least four internationally known groups that specialize in prayer ministries, yet their leaders were not quoted.
Many journalists work hard to become trained political, arts or sports reporters.
But editors do not consider it a high priority to hire professional religion writers. This leads to the bias of worldview. The result is, at best, a blind spot on religious issues, and the people who care about them. Polls indicate about 40 percent of the U.S. population regularly attends worship services, while about 90 percent claim some religious affiliation. Finally, there is the bias of prejudice.