Four Reasons I Trust Faith-Based Media More Than the Mainstream Media

There is a lot of talk these days about the biased nature of what we call "mainstream" or "legacy" media. Having only promoted Christian clients my entire career, I have personally watched this one-sidedness increase dramatically over the past three decades.

In the early 1990s, I figured out (through trial and error) that when I used the term "Christian" in a press release to identify an artist, author, or event, it was almost immediately tossed in the trash by mainstream media. I learned I could use the word "gospel" artist and it became more readily acceptable. At major newspapers, it was clear to me there was a bias against anything labeled "Christian," even among religion editors.

For everyone just now catching up to this trend—which now extends beyond Christianity to anything that appears conservative or remotely biblical in nature—I have good news to share with you. There are still media people and companies that care about facts and truth—namely, the Christian or faith-based media.

I admit I am about to paint with a broad brush here. As we all know, there are exceptions to every rule, and that is true with the faith-based media as well. But on the whole, here are several reasons I trust the accuracy of the faith-based media more than the mainstream media:

Faith-based media people still vet their sources. 
This used to be a standard practice when journalistic integrity was still a thing among media people. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, journalists sought to prove the integrity of the source of the news before they used that source in a story. Now, they simply run with anonymous sources or questionable sources as long as it fits the narrative they want to spin. This is NOT considered true journalism. It is simply a gathering of opinions (and sometimes, lies) that make their pre-conceived story angles sound valid. Overall, the faith-based media still care about the accuracy of their sources, and it makes their news stories automatically more truthful than what the mainstream offers. Publicists are the main dispensers of news, and I have spent my career trying to make sure all content that we send to the media is as accurate and thorough as possible. For that reason, I've had many faith media folks tell me they trust what I send them. They still care about the truthfulness of their news sources.

Faith-based media people follow the facts.
It is a given that faith-based media people view things through the lens of a biblical worldview, but they still follow the facts wherever they may lead. In general, they do not "cover" for pastors or church leaders who mess up. They follow the facts and report the stories as they unfold. They cover the five "W's" of journalism — Who, What, When, Where, Why. You know, like journalists.

Faith-based media people aren't looking to do "gotcha" interviews.
The mainstream media loves "gotcha" interviews where they pounce on a guest with questions they weren't expecting or they do a "pile on" against a guest on a specific topic. The majority of faith-based media outlets are not looking for these types of interviews. Mainly, they seek out guests who will encourage and edify their audiences. They don't shy away from dramatic stories, but they want them to be positive and helpful. Clicks and viral attention are not the main concerns of faith media folks. Instead, they are looking for stories and news that will uplift and inform their audiences, first and foremost. 

Faith-based media stay focused on their audiences.
This one has a few more exceptions to the rule lately, but in general, faith media outlets know their audiences well, and focus on topics they know will appeal to them. Many faith media outlets are non-profits themselves so they are very in tune with the people who support them. Companies like Disney and the Washington Post have traded the wants of their consumer base for a very woke agenda and it is affecting their bottom lines. Some faith media outlets are currently trying to be more progressive in their biblical (or non-biblical) stances on cultural topics, and time will tell how that works out for them. But most faith media don't have the deep pockets of a Jeff Bezos to help keep them afloat if their audiences go away.

The media animosity toward biblical viewpoints in our current culture should not surprise believers. Jesus tells us plainly in Luke 6:  “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven."

The New York Times may revile us, lie about us, and even slander our names, but Eternal Truth will write the final headline.

--Gina Adams