Baylor to Host Religion and Journalism Conference Nov. 14

WACO, Texas - The Baylor University Department of Journalism will host a conference on "Religion and Journalism" from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14, in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center.
The conference will feature Fred Barnes, executive editor of The Standard, a weekly public opinion magazine. Barnes has served as senior editor and White House correspondent for The New Republic. Also an active television journalist, Barnes appears regularly as a panelist on the McLaughlin Group and serves as moderator of " Fox on Politics."
He also debates political commentary on "CBS This Morning." Other television activities include moderating "Voice of America" and "Issues in the News." Barnes has appeared on "Nightline," "Today," "Good Morning America," "Meet the Press," "Face the Nation" and the "MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour."
Other conference speakers include Pam Schaeffer, editor and reporter for National Catholic Reporter, and Jimmy Allen of the Freedom Forum. Panel discussion will follow the conference speakers. The panels include: Jim Jones, religion writer for the Fort Worth Star Telegram; Dr. Will Norton, dean of the University of Nebraska School of Journalism; Rich Oppel, editor of the Austin American-Statesman; Sharon Grigsby, religion writer for the Dallas Morning News, and Dan Lattimore, chair of the University of Memphis journalism department.
Discussing the relationship between religion and the media can improve religion coverage, said Dr. Doug Ferdon, acting chair of journalism at Baylor.
"We believe the religion page is one of the most important pages in the newspaper," Ferdon said. "We hope to discuss how to make the religion page more relevant."
For more information, contact Ferdon at (254) 710-3261.