On Monday, March 14, 2016, one month from today, journalists and student journalists from around Wisconsin and across the country will be in the capital city to find out how to improve reporting on religion.
The conference is: “Reporting on Religion: Media, Belief, and Public Life.” It’s presented by The University of Wisconsin–Madison Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions, and Upper|House (an initiative of the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation), in collaboration with the UW–Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Madison Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
A number of additional sponsors, primarily local media organizations, are on board. Full disclosure, madisonchristians.com has participated in the planning for this event from the beginning.
Although the conference is for journalists, the public is invited to attend. There is a small charge for the main conference, but no charge for the evening lecture by former NBC News reporter David Gregory that concludes the day.
The conference comes just three days after an international spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama visits UW-Madison once again.
For the past ten years the UW-Madison has also been the home of The Lubar Institute for the Study of Abrahamic Religions, “dedicated to strengthening the values of religious pluralism so vital for sustaining American civil society and peaceful international discourse.”
One year ago The Upper|House also came to the UW-Madison campus as a faith-based initiative. “Upper|House promotes thoughtful conversation, engagement, and theological formation, exploring the influence of the Christian faith on scholarship, professional practice, vocation, and service in the world.”
Along with these two organizations, the Madison Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communications are dedicated to improving the practice of journalism, including its coverage of specialized and sometimes difficult topics, such as religion.
The conference includes a review of America’s changing religious landscape, presented by the Pew Research Center on Religion & Public Life, followed by a critique of how well mainstream journalism does and does not cover religion. Additional sessions will also include a look at the changing perceptions of religious freedom, a tradition deeply woven into the fabric of American life.
David Gregory, former host of NBC’s Meet the Press will bring the day to a close with a free public lecture related to his book, “How’s Your Faith? An Unlikely Spiritual Journey.” The Upper|House is hosting the day’s activities at 365 East Campus Mall, on the UW-Madison campus.