The Muted Voice: Religion and the Media

Henry G. MacLeod teaches sociology at both Trent University and the
University of Waterloo.

The Muted Voice was originally presented as a series of three lectures
at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the fall
of 1998. Michael Higgins was the speaker for the 20th anniversary of the
Elizabeth Seton Lectures. Each lecture focuses on religion and the
secular media, covering in turn radio, screen (television and movies),
and print.

Higgins indicates in the preface that the lectures are informal,
autobiographical, anecdotal and impressionistic rather than scholarly.
Without solid references to research, his comments can be unfairly
dismissed as sweeping generalizations and personal opinions. His
reflections on the nature of media coverage of religion in Canada,
United States, Britain, and Australia will ring true for many readers,
but they will be frustrated with the lack of documentation (this is
offset to some extent by a useful bibliography).

Higgins is deeply concerned with how religion is trivialized and
privatized by the secular media in Canada, despite its widespread
strength in society and the growing public interest in spirituality.
Those working in the secular media are often embarrassed to admit to
their religious faith. Moreover, the religious journalist is expected to
be objective, which in this case means that those assigned to religion
are frequently lapsed believers or are disaffiliated with or ignorant of
any religious tradition. Those assigned to politics are expected to be
knowledgeable; why should religion be different? As the author comments,
“Ignorance of the tradition is hardly a worthy investigative tool.”

Higgins’s concern is that, although much of the best writing on
religion is found in the religious media, the most influential writing
on religion occurs in the secular media. Newspapers, for example, have a
much larger readership than religious media. Secular media mutes
religion when its coverage is not fair and open.

Higgins has excellent credentials for writing about religion and the
media. He is a professor of religious studies and has worked closely
with the media as a scriptwriter, columnist, and film consultant. The
Muted Voice is highly readable and insightful.