Reaction to Symposium

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is expected that my religion will have some semblance of an impact in all aspects of my life.  My career is no exception to this.  Attending the symposium on the Church Public Relations and the Press on November 12^th, however, truly opened my eyes even more as to how religion would play in my professional future.  Prior to attending the symposium, I saw my religion as just another aspect of my personality, one more thing that would aid with diversity in the news room and give me extra knowledge on particular issues.  I expected that I would be judged by coworkers, employers, and readers because of common misconceptions on my religion.  The speakers at the symposium I attended offered many more views, both positive and negative, on the role of my religion in the journalism world.

                One thing I, in my naivety, had not previously recognized was that my religion would not give me any advantage in getting comments from church authorities.  The authorities are well aware of how the media will act and they know how to act fairly to all representatives of the media.  Also, like with all popular figures, I will have to work with the church’s public relations.  As Bob Evans pointed out in the symposium, it is the job of the LDS Public Affairs to handle journalists – the fact of the matter is that sometimes they will be of help to us, and sometimes we will be forced to go around them.  Still, there are many benefits that come from being a member of the church when it comes to covering the church in the news.   For example, as pointed out by Jennifer Dobner of the Associated Press, to cover news on Mormons, you have to understand their culture, and to understand their culture, you must understand their theology.  There are also many opportunities that present themselves to journalists as the church evolves, which I will be able to be easily aware of as a member of the church.  Being aware of significant events such as temple open houses will give me an advantage in getting the stories I want.

                According to Jon Du Pres, one of the members of the panel at the symposium I attended, “if you can get by the middle man to the source of the story, you can get the story.”  My religion will most definitely present me will challenges in my future occupation.  But, I just need to look at it like the middle man – it is just one more obstacle that I am eager to overcome.  If I draw from the benefits my religion presents me with and also my own personal strengths, I will be able to produce wonderful stories and find success in my field.