My examination of religion in the media is demonstrated
through the comparison of my viewpoints on Australian, Canadian and American
media. I have drawn on these three types of media as I have spent four months
in Australia, I am Canadian and I am a consumer of American media due to the
close proximity to Canada and the influence American news and politics has on
Canada. American media, particularly in regards
to politics revolves around religion and underlies political debates
(Hoover, 2012). For example, the debates and policies on same-sex marriage and
abortion are founded upon religious views.
The controversy surrounding Obama's birth certificate and having a
middle name that defers him to being a Muslim. As a result, in the minds of
some Americans this constitutes him as a "terrorist" due to the hostility
against Muslims in the some western societies. The backlash against Muslims,
Islam and Middle Eastern people since 9/11 has infiltrated into political
debates which has resulted in civil religion, a religion being identified with
politics and as a result interferes with the prophetic mission of a religion
(Hoover, 2012). The coverage of events like 9/11 have played a significant role
in the civil religious practices as it highlights that civil religion is not
about the worship of the American nation but part of national
self-understanding (Hoover, 2012).
Although, Canada is a country
founded on Christian values and principles, Canadian political policies are not
mixed with religious viewpoints and perspectives in the media. In Canada, the
protection of multiculturalism is extremely important therefore the coverage of
religion in regards to protests, problems and attacks within society on
religious groups is met with sensitivity. My knowledge and exposure to
Australian media is significantly less in comparison to American and Canadian
media. But, in the four months that I have been here, I have come to the
conclusion that Australia and Canada are similar in the coverage of media and
in the exclusion of religion in politics.
Sources: Hoover
S. 2012. Religion, Media, and 9/11. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture: A
Reader. 75-88. London and New York: Routledge.
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