EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK: Real Journalism, Right Now

Is journalism dead? It’s certainly sick, but we found signs of life

It is not hard to find evidence for the conclusion that journalism is dead. A 2021 Gallup Poll said that just 21 percent of Americans had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in newspapers. For TV journalism, the number was even worse: 16 percent. Of the 16 institutions Gallup asked about, only the U.S. Congress had lower scores.

But is real journalism dead, or has it just been drowned out? Fake news, cable news punditry, and well-financed disinformation campaigns masquerade as journalism so convincingly that we have almost lost the ability to tell the difference between these practices and true journalism.

But they are not journalism. That’s not to say that they are not real, and they have become pervasive in our media ecosystem. Like kudzu that invades a forest, they threaten to choke out healthy discourse.

So, what is true journalism? First, it includes boots-on-the-ground reporting. Too many publications have discovered that opinion and punditry will attract eyeballs and notoriety that they no longer invest in the time, travel, and talent necessary for good reporting. They throw red meat to their base. Or they engage in what I call “drive by journalism”: a few bits of original reporting to create the illusion of real journalism. But these approaches rarely moves the needle in important conversations. These approaches merely amplify the noise in the echo chamber.

Secondly, real journalism should engage the best arguments of both sides of a controversy. It should not be about the business of toppling straw men. It should not engage in “nut-picking,” the practice of quoting the “nut” who represents the point of view you want to discredit. Real journalism, instead, finds the most articulate spokespeople on both sides of a debate, not the crazies.

So, is that happening anywhere today? Yes. And below you’ll find some of the best articles I’ve read about religion and Christian ministries over the past few months. A steady diet of such journalism can train our minds to distinguish between real journalism and faux journalism.

Seminary Professor Accused of Secret Second Marriage by Daniel Silliman in Christianity Today. I will admit that when I saw the headline and then started reading the article, I was skeptical. An accusation is not proof. Had CT descended to sensationalism? But as I read more of this deeply reported, 4000-plus word story, it became more troubling and more fascinating. This story has really great reporting and suspenseful storytelling.

O, Why Not Tonight? By Bobby Ross, Jr. in The Christian Chronicle. This is a beautiful personal story with some solid reporting and research on how invitations have been used in church services – or not used, as is increasingly the case.

What The Heck Just Happened? By Tim Alberta in The Atlantic. Everything Tim Alberta writes is a masterclass in deep reporting. He is especially good at what my journalism professor called “reporting against your biases.” When that means is to find people who will credibly articulate an alternative view, a view that may even undermine the narrative of your story. This story is about the moment that Donald Trump picked JD Vance as his vice presidential candidate, and it’s worth a slow read.

Ohio Haitians Feel Panic, Local Christians Try to Repair Divides by Emily Belz in Christianity Today. What’s great about this story is that it is up-close-and-personal. It brings light to an important national conversation while showing the impact of that conversation in the lives of real people.

Have The Liberal Arts Gone Conservative? by Emma Green for The New Yorker. Emma Green, formerly with The Atlantic and now with The New Yorker, has a track record of writing about religion in a way that is both respectful and critical.

Conservative Christians Face Reality: Increasingly They Stand Alone by Ruth Graham and Elizabeth Dias for The New York Times. If you’ve read Aaron Renn’s Life in the Negative World (or if you heard my interview with him), you’ll find this article valuable. It takes the abstract ideas of Renn’s book and provides real-world examples. I include this article in part because it gives me an excuse to highlight Ruth Graham’s work. She has been covering religion for years, and – while I don’t always agree with her perspective – I often find myself instructed and challenged.

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