Media and religion

the major religious issues and trends that are so important today cannot be fully
addressed or understood without intention to the media. Indeed, these trends are rooted in the media in important ways. The media are a source of information about religions, religious trends, and religious ideas ...

A local newspaper may help promote a local religious establishment by publishing events, or may inform its readership about various aspects of a religion. a national newspaper may feature articles on national or international events.

There are many religious publications which educate and promote the message of religion to support and strengthen people's faith. Some say that religious publications may give a one-sided image of their religion, which might lead to prejudice against other religions or non-believers

Soap operas, dramas and documentaries give different representations of religion. Documents are factual and should give a balanced presentation. For example, the documentary strictly kosher showed the reality of everyday life for some Jewish people.
Soap operas are very popular in the UK and often tackle religious issues but some believers may be frustrated by the way in which a religious issue is tackled.

Religious groups can use the internet to their advantage by promoting their religion to the world and bringing together the faithful by sharing news and views online.
The internet can also be used to spread a message of bigotry and hate about particular religions or groups of people.

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Some radio stations target a religious audience, broadcasting the latest religious news and providing sermons, music, stories and advice.
More secular radio stations may explore issues where there are clear religious perspectives to be considered .
for example, topics such as abortion might be discussed and opinions contributed by the presenters, guests and the public.

Often, films which have a religious aspect or story-line have characters facing moral choices. for example the film Bend it like beckham highlights the typical struggles that some religious sikh women may experience as a result of living in the west.

Films can help to educate the public about different religious principles. Viewers can also sympathize with religious characters in the films and the difficulties they may go through.
Films may also promote discussion on sensitive issues experienced by faith community members such as homosexuality or arranged marriage. However, they can also reinforce stereotypes by offering a biased portrayal of the religion.