PBS journalist to discuss how the media has handled big religion issues of today in March 30 visit to SU

PBS journalist to discuss how the media has handled big religion issues of today in March 30 visit to SUMarch 26, 2004Kelly Homan Rodoskikahoman@syr.edu

“The Passion of the Christ.” The next Pope. Islam in America. How do journalists handle the big religion issues of our time? Kim Lawton, managing editor and correspondent for PBS’ “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly” will address that question during a lecture on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 254 of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ Newhouse II building. The room is located behind the Food.com snack bar.

Lawton’s lecture, “Preparing for the Next Pope, Covering ‘The Passion’ and Other Challenges of Getting Religion as News on Television,” has been arranged by the Religion and Society Program in The College of Arts and Sciences and sponsored by Department of Religion and the Newhouse School’s Department of Broadcast Journalism. The event is free and open to the public.

Lawton is a reporter, producer, writer and editor who has worked in broadcast media as well as print for the past 17 years covering religion, ethics and culture. She served as Washington bureau chief at News Network International in California until 1996. From 1992-93, she produced a daily radio religion news program broadcast internationally over the UPI radio network. She also covered political news including the White House, Supreme Court and Congress at Christianity Today magazine. She has worked on assignment in 20 nations, and her articles have appeared in numerous publications including The Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Charlotte Observer and Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

For more information, call Kelly Homan Rodoski at 443-3784.