Catholics Rally For Secular Media and Against Archbishop Chaput

Over at Vox Nova we see Another case of Chaput-in-mouth disease .AKA I don't like Fox News and EWTN.

First as you can see at the post this is the part the poster has called in question

“We make a very serious mistake if we rely on media like the New York Times, Newsweek, CNN, or MSNBC for reliable news about religion. These news media simply don’t provide trustworthy information about religious faith—and sometimes they can’t provide it, either because of limited resources or because of their own editorial prejudices. These are secular operations focused on making a profit. They have very little sympathy for the Catholic faith, and quite a lot of aggressive skepticism toward any religious community that claims to preach and teach God’s truth.”

Let me hit two parts of the complaint they get into:


But Chaput is not interested in making a broad point about religious illiteracy. He is instead making a narrow point about select secular news agencies he doesn’t like. CNN and MSNBC. What is the glaring omission? Where is Chaput’s mention of Fox News? And while we’re at it, where is the mention of poisonous talk radio? Is he so entranced with playing to his audience that he is willing to ignore the shameful demagoguery, the overt appeals to racism and base motives, the violent rhetoric, the liberties taken with the truth, and the grave distortions of the Catholic faith? Why does Chaput not mention any of this? Is he so insecure that he cannot handle criticism of the Church in the New York Times, and must instead run to those who use the Church for their political aims? Does he see no nuance and complexity? Is he not aware that he can learn far more about the economic mess from Paul Krugman in the New York Times than anybody on any alternative media source? As a Catholic voice, does he honestly prefer Bill O’Reilly to Peter Steinfels?

One reason that Chaput might have not said anything about FOX news is for the most part they don't do Christian religious news. This has been noted with amazement , with some justification, by many that point out the huge religious demographic of their audience.


More to the point they don't do inside baseball Christian news compared to the others. How often do Catholic and Christian blogs link such stories at FOX? Hardly never because there is
In other words for the most part FOX for the most part through their reporting ( or lack thereof) seems agnostic on issues such as female ordination, the issue of remarriage and divorce in the Church, the standing of gay clergy and gay laity in the Church , etc etc.

Now some folks on Fox News might take some positions the Catholic Church might not like. But rarely is that done by attacking the Church. Such as " the Catholic Church is a bunch of open border fanatics" or "The Catholic Church" teaches socialism".

Maybe Fox news realize their religious audience diversity not to get into this. Now on occasion this has occurred but it happens so few times I can barely recall linking and responding to those attacks.

...Chaput might be quiet about Fox News, but he does say what he likes: “Many of those choices include outstanding Catholic media like Catholic News Agency, EWTN, the National Catholic Register, and Our Sunday Visitor; Salt and Light and Catholic News Service; plus Catholic blogs, websites, and Catholic satellite radio stations.” Again, how thoroughly selective of him. .....

And then we have a rant against EWTN. I am not sure how that list is "selective". Also if memory serves me right ,VOX NOVA posters often have often promoted Salt and Light as an alternative to EWTN. But perhaps because Chaput mentioned them they are out of favor now.