Memorial Day 2007
Religious Leaders React To Media Matters Report

"Religious Progressives Left Behind?"

Action Alert from Media Matters

Media coverage of religion has increased significantly since the 2004 elections. Unfortunately, the coverage has presented a skewed picture of religion in America -- one in which religious conservatives are the experts on mainstream issues. I'm sure you agree this is a far cry from reality. The fact is we live in a country in which 90 percent of our people identify themselves as religious, with conservatives representing only a small portion of that large religious community.

In a new Media Matters for America report -- "Left Behind: The Skewed Representation of Religion in Major News Media " -- we document the media's coverage of religion since the 2004 elections. What we found was a dramatic oversimplification of the public debate and a consistent skewing of coverage in favor of conservatives.

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Here are some of the key findings from our new report -- they highlight the disparity in coverage between progressive and conservative religious leaders.

In a 2006 study by the Center for American Values in Public Life, 90 percent of Americans identified themselves as religious. But according to a postelection survey in 2004, only 32 percent of Americans identified themselves as conservative.

  • Combining newspapers and television, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed in news stories 2.8 times as often as were progressive religious leaders.
  • On television news -- the three major television networks, the three major cable news channels, and PBS -- conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed almost 3.8 times as often as progressive leaders.
  • In major newspapers, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed 2.7 times as often as progressive leaders.

» Read the Reports and Take Action!

It's important for us to recognize where the news media turn when talking about religion because it has dramatic implications for both the issues discussed and the outcome of the debate. When conservative religious leaders dominate the airwaves, so do their issues and their perspectives, even when they aren't a priority for the majority of Americans.

For instance, more than eight in 10 Americans agree that too many leaders use religion to talk about abortion and gay rights and don't talk enough about more important things like loving your neighbor and caring for the poor. That opinion is held consistently across virtually every religious tradition. But because of the media's preference for far-right conservative religious leaders over progressives, abortion and gay rights are presented to the public as the key religious issues of the day.

The news media need to hear from you.

As we approach the next presidential election, we can expect another spike in coverage of the intersection of politics and religion. We can't afford to allow the dominance of conservative religious views to continue while progressive religious voices are left behind.

» Read the Reports and Take Action!

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