Thursday, September 15, 2005
CNN Hires Religion Correspondent
The reporter is the first religion reporter at a major network since 2001
CNN is the first major network to hire a religion correspondent since Peggy Wehmeyer left ABC in 2001. Delia Gallagher will provide stories on faith, religion and values for the second place cable network. Analysts say CNN is realizing that news outlets are not addressing a major component of American life. Now the network is promising coverage from a faith point of view. Austin Ruse of C-fam worked with Gallagher in Rome.
"What she brings to it is, I think, a deep knowledge of Catholicism at least, and I'm quite sure that she's conversant in the protestant denominations and at just a high level of professionalism."
But Tim Graham of the Media Research Center says Gallagher will be a minority in network news.
"There is no doubt that when you study religion in the newsroom, you find a lot of people that seldom or never attend religious services. Coverage suffers because of that."
CNN should now have adequate coverage of religious trends, but Ruse wonders if Gallagher will be allowed to report on the cultural battles so important to people of faith.
"Will she cover simply things going on within the churches or will she cover the church in the public square? Great question, I don't know."
CNN viewers will remember Gallagher from the network's coverage of Pope John Paul the Second's funeral.
by Steve Jordahl
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