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Lamenting the loss of Wehmeyer
Now that Weblog has noted two ABCNews religion stories, we remind readers that the network has dropped Peggy Wehmeyer, its only full-time religion correspondent—who was also network television's full-time religion correspondent. "The loss of one religion reporter would be a small story if other influential news-media outlets were doing a good job of covering religion," says the Freedom Forum's Charles Haynes, whose columns are regularly appearing in media outlets nationwide. "But with few exceptions, that isn't the case." Haynes notes a Center for Media and Public Affairs study that found "national media coverage of religion doubled during the 1990s, but most religious news deals with political issues rather than matters of faith or spirituality." More isn't necessarily better. And while for a time it looked like things were getting better, Haynes writes, "cutting funding for the only full-time network religion reporter sends the message that religion coverage is unimportant and expendable. This is the wrong message. If Americans are to have some grasp of the impact of religion on society, and if we are to be adequately informed about a variety of ways—religious and nonreligious—of understanding public policy, then the news media must take religion seriously.

Meanwhile, ABC isn't the only media outlet taking heat for losing its religion. The Daily Telegraphof London reports that the BBC still hasn't found a new head of religious broadcasts. "The failure, disclosed in an internal memorandum obtained by The Telegraph, will embarrass the corporation, which has gone to great lengths to emphasize the significance it attaches to the appointment," Jonathan Petre and Hazel Southam report. "BBC executives have been anxious to find a heavyweight who will command the respect of the Churches and counter criticism that the corporation has sidelined religion. An announcement has been expected for weeks."

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June (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45