Author: Joelle Santolla
Graduation Year: 2006
Advisor: Diana Owen
Reader:
Date: 08 May 2006
Link to Thesis: joellesantolla.pdf
A small percentage of American journalists are religious, even fewer
Catholic, and yet Catholic news stories have appeared in the news quite often in
recent years. Catholic media is widespread, although obviously not as widely
disseminated as mass media. This thesis seeks to answer the question “Are
American Catholics receiving different messages from the mainstream media and
Catholic media about Catholic issues?”
The dichotomy of uneducated mass media versus educated Catholic media
results in misinformation and a confused Catholic population. If Catholics hear news
one way in Church or in Church-sponsored media, and another way through the
ever-present mainstream media, a crisis of faith is inevitable. This will result in a
confused, not confident, Catholic who cannot articulate the views of his Church and
cannot decipher which candidates or issues he should support. However personally
confusing this multi-message media consumption may be, it has even greater,
widespread implications. If all Catholics are experiencing the same onslaught of
varying messages, the result would be critical to their power as a voting bloc.
Ultimately, the Catholic (and non-Catholic audience, if they read both) are
receiving two different interpretations of Catholic issues. Mainstream media uses
different tones, language and explanations to describe Catholic issues like the death
of Pope John Paul II, Terri Schiavo and John Kerry receiving communion as a prochoice
politician. Ultimately, the Catholic press stays true to the tenets of the
Catholic faith, but does not utilize all possible options for reaching the faithful and
addressing these issues in their own, unique voice. The mainstream press ran more
negative material, but did consult more Catholic sources and doctrine. The sexual
abuse scandal was mentioned by both types of outlets. None of this signals the
often-written about anti-Catholic media bias. If media are misconstruing or
misrepresenting the Catholic faith, however, it has connotations in the political and
social realms, not just the religious realm.