[ad_1]
Do you know that the late, nice CBS Information anchor Walter Cronkite, probably the most necessary information icons of all form, as soon as labored as a “church editor” for a mainstream newspaper in Houston (apparently the previous Houston Press)?
That was a element from his life that I missed. I had learn, way back, that he was a “cub reporter” after his school years, but earlier than he broke into broadcasting. However time as a “church editor”? That’s a journalism title from the previous, previous days, one that’s much more condescending than the extra widespread and inaccurate label “religious editor (versus “faith” editor.
Anyway, a religion-beat pal just lately ship me a photocopy of a 1994 interview with Cronkite that ran in The Christian Century, the influential mainline Protestant journal. I can’t discover it on-line, though it was quoted by Faith Information Service in an a brief obit — “And that’s the best way he was” — in 2009.
Encountering that “church editor” label jogged my memory of the previous “Lou Grant” present episode that I used because the opening for my graduate challenge on the College of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, which ran — in a a lot condensed kind — on the quilt of The Quill in 1983. The headline on that journal essay was: “The faith beat: Out of the ghetto, into the mainsheets.”
The “ghetto”? That was the “church web page.” The overture of that Quill piece is lengthy, however it should present some context for the Cronkite remarks that I’ll share right here:
As was typically the case, Lou Grant was engaged on two issues without delay. At first the issues appeared unrelated.
The Los Angeles Tribune had misplaced its faith editor. Metropolis editor Grant had searched far and extensive and, after all, nobody was within the place. In any case, what self-respecting journalist would need to be caught with the faith beat?
Drawback quantity two was do away with lazy, often-drunk, no-good reporter Mal Cavanaugh. All by this episode of Lou Grant the administration of the Trib had been looking for a option to get Cavanaugh to resign.
Then, a spark of inspiration. The script is easy:
LOU: Congratulations, Mal. You are the Trib’s new faith editor.
Lou sits again beaming. The knowledge seeps in a bit slowly on Cavanaugh, who blinks at Lou.
CAVANAUGH: Faith editor?
LOU: That is proper, Mal. And I can not consider a greater man to interview the clergy … take ministers to lunch.
CAVANAUGH: Are you kidding?
LOU: Element the theological frontiers on this nation and overseas.
CAVANAUGH: That stinks! Earlier than you stick me with a awful job like that, I might stop.
LOU: Stop? You have not even given it an opportunity. You may’t stop.
CAVANAUGH: The hell I can not. Simply watch me.
Grant’s newsroom associates beam as Cavanaugh storms out.
The tv viewers is left with the impression that Grant’s issues are over. The faith editor spot continues to be empty, however who cares?
That led to this thesis abstract:
The function faith performs in America and the world has been a well-kept secret in a lot of the nation’s newsrooms. Whereas reporters chase the newest tales in politics, sports activities, enterprise, training and different topics, the billions of {dollars} and hours Individuals spend money on non secular actions obtain minimal consideration. Faith information is often pushed right into a tiny Saturday ghetto labeled “church information.”
When information occasions escape the church web page they’re typically lined by reporters with little curiosity in faith and little training within the model and language of spiritual leaders and organizations. Faith has nearly been ignored by radio and tv.
That was the previous, type of. For a couple of many years, earlier than promoting for mainstream journalism tanked, it appeared that work on the faith beat was surging. That was a protracted, sophisticated story, one by which the rise of the Spiritual Proper within the wake of Roe v. Wade satisfied many editors to dive into faith protection, so long as it was linked to one thing actual — assume politics.
Why learn the Cronkite materials? I nonetheless assume it’s attention-grabbing to see among the basic questions that individuals requested about religion-beat work way back and proceed to ask to today.
Many individuals nonetheless assume that elite journalists “hate faith,” and that’s why they don’t “get” faith. That’s very simplistic. Some types of faith are very talked-about in newsrooms, whereas others are seen as a part of the darkish, harmful facet of life in “pink” zip codes. You realize — these believers who need to sack Park Slope and different sacred corners of New York Metropolis.
Cronkite was a local of Texas, but rose to the height of media energy in New York Metropolis. Hold that in thoughts as your learn the next. First, let’s observe his personal description of his upbringing and his begin in journalism.
Learn this fastidiously:
I come from a Lutheran household that turned Presbyterian in my boyhood. That was primarily due to the comfort of the Presbyterian church in our neighborhood in Kansas Metropolis. After I was 10 we moved to Houston and my father swung all the best way from the Lutheranism by which he’d grown as much as Unitarianism. He helped discovered the Unitarian church in Houston in 1927 or 1928.
I attended that for a pair years till I received right into a Boy Scout troop that met in an Episcopal church. The church had a beautiful minister who was additionally the scoutmaster. And I suppose you possibly can say he proselytized me. At any price, I used to be a lot concerned with the church, and have become Episcopalian — and an acolyte.
Later, once I labored for a paper in Houston, I used to be church editor for some time. The Episcopal Home of Bishops met in Houston one 12 months, and I turned intrigued by the leaders of the church — fascinated by their discussions and their erudition. For a short time I although about coming into the ministry. However that was a short time. Journalism prevailed.
So mainstream Lutheran to Unitarian to Episcopal convert and potential Episcopal priest. Famous.
Let’s preserve studying, together with the specifics of the subsequent Christian Century query:
Stephen Carter gained numerous consideration together with his ebook “The Tradition of Disbelief” by which he argues that although Individuals are very non secular, the media and public life usually are likely to trivialize faith. They do not take them critically. Do you assume that is true?
I would not say media trivialize faith; I’d say as an alternative that they do not take note of faith in any respect.
Faith has frightened away reporters and editors from time immemorial. They’re afraid they will get entangled in a dialogue of what number of angels can dance on the top of a pin. They usually do not assume faith is a broad-based curiosity amongst readers and viewers.
After I was a church editor I got here to admire the work of a church editor on the Detroit Information, which was one of many few newspapers to cowl church information on the entrance web page. And the church buildings weren’t in any respect completely happy in regards to the protection. They felt faith was being trivialized then too — when what was reported was the work of lay committees on this or that, or fights over property values or over the diploma of tithing. The church buildings would have most popular to not have these points lined. So media protection is a two-edged sword.
Hold going. Doesn’t this dialogue sound quite acquainted? Some issues by no means change.
Are the individuals who work in media themselves inclined towards a secular perspective?
That is most likely true. Amongst my pals within the enterprise I do not discover a deep religiosity. I might guess that the share of spiritual individuals in New York journalism circles is lower than it’s in the remainder of the nation. However it’s not solely secular. And I’ve discovered that among the individuals who appear least more likely to be churchgoers within the metropolis room can change into religious churchgoers.
That was my expertise, through the Eighties and ‘90s. Now, would anybody need to predict what pews these journalists frequented or previously frequented?
Let’s simply say that it makes numerous sense that Cronkite was a giant success and a pure chief at CBS Information. His non secular background was, effectively, good — a “plus” even.
MAIN IMAGE: Screenshot from the stay broadcast by which Walter Cronkite, because the CBS Information anchor, introduced the loss of life of President John F. Kennedy.
[ad_2]
Source link
