Religion and the media

1. Religion and the media

2. Religion in the U.S. • The United States is the most religious of all industrialized countries, according to polls • Religious representations in media are controversial • Have tended to shy away from religion on television, in movies, etc.

3. Religion in the media • Religious content • Electronic church • Christian rock • Religion as news • Religion as a plot point • Religious characters • Demon possession, etc. • Religious symbolism in other content • Crosses, mystical themes, parables

4. Religious representations are found in: • Music • Music videos • Movies • News (especially print) • Magazines • Internet • Less common: • Television

6. The role of religion in TV series • “Generally speaking, religion plays no apparent part in the lives of entertainment series characters.” • (Harris, 1999)

7. In 1990, only 5% of prime-time characters had an identifiable religious affiliation, compared with 89% of U.S. public • Over half of the characters that had an affiliation were Roman Catholic • Non-Christians rare, stereotyped • (name, occupation, irritating New York dialect; terrorists or oil sheiks with harems) • (Source: Skill, Robinson, Lyons and Larson, 1994)

8. Concentration • 46% of Christians in the study appeared in 3 episodes—24 Catholics in two episodes of Father Dowling Mysteries, and 9 Protestants in one Amen episode.

11. Proportion of characters identified as linked to religious group, organization of belief system, prime time 1990

12. Religious affiliation of speaking characters, network prime time 1990

13. Religious behaviors and references, prime time 1990

14. Valence of religious behaviors and references

15. Often or mostly negative: Slang references, God belief & power, devil & evil references • Often or mostly positive: Religious group reference, Prayer, Other religious themes

16. Salience of religious behaviors and references

17. Centrality • Religious group reference often central

18. Context of religious behaviors and references

19. Conclusions: • “The results of this study suggest that the religious side of prime time characters’ lives are not typically presented on television. Very few characters have an identifiable religious affiliation and even fewer engage in prayer, attend church, or participate in group religious activities.” • (p. 264)

20. 1) religion is most often presented as an emotional expletive during times of crisis, • 2) religion is framed as a predominantly personal and private activity, and • 3) religion is rarely central to the storyline or theme of a program

21. 2002 Prime Time • 39 episodes, 548 speaking characters • (Clarke, 2003) • 55.5 hours, 549 characters • (Clarke, 2005)

22. % of characters that could be coded as religious

23. Level of devotion U.S. population: 2 or more times a month = devout, Once a month or less = nominally religious Never = Not religious Source: Clarke, 2005

24. TV characters’ vs. U.S. religious denomination Source: Clarke, 2005

25. Network influence Source: Clarke, 2005

26. 6 of 55 shows contribute 72% of religious characters

27. Salience of religious characters Source: Clark, 2005

28. Religious professionals • Outside of religious programming, they are underrepresented • Mostly shallow portrayals • Exception Father Mulcahy • Touched by an Angel

29. Religion in the news • Personality centered • Pope • Flamboyant TV preacher • Especially extremists • Religious events covered • Roman Catholicism • Ceremony, pageantry • Protestant Fundamentalism • Dogmatic ideology; political activism

30. Treatment of religion • Prime time broadcast, 2003-2004 • 2,344 treatments of religion, about one per hour

32. Topics Source: Eichenberg, 2005