Media scepticism: a catalyst for positive social change?

This month’s findings reflected multiple positive shifts in attitudes towards religion in public life. More respondents across the sample agreed that politicians speaking about their faith was positive (5% increase) and that British politicians should consult with faith leaders on social and political issues (7% increase). The perceived importance of Christian heritage and learning about world religions had risen and higher numbers of respondents claimed their faith had given them a sense of purpose in the last four weeks.               

However, the most significant difference between the July and August surveys concerned the perception of religious media coverage. Across all measures, figures showed an increased perception of media bias and general negativity in religious reporting across the whole sample, with only 45% of respondents claiming to be happy with how religion had been portrayed in the last four weeks. More respondents agreed that reporting had been generally negative (16% increase) and portrayed all religions negatively (9% increase). There was also higher disagreement that media content had been balanced in the last four weeks (11% increase). Perhaps then unsurprisingly, more respondents also wanted to see less religion in the media (6% increase).

Turning to the new questions, many respondents across the whole sample felt that religious extremism posed a threat to British society (82%). Furthermore, while 67% of all respondents reported feeling completely free to practise their religious beliefs without fear or intimidation, only 47% of Jewish respondents shared this view. Despite the increased openness to religion in the political sphere noted above, 71% of all respondents agreed that religion and law should be kept strictly separate. The participants without faith were significantly more likely to concur with this statement than those with faith.

A final interesting finding was in the identification of national and religious identities. 71% of all respondents reported they identified as strongly with their British identity as they did with their religious identity. This is notwithstanding that 64% (an increase of 3%) of all participants agreed that Christian heritage is an important aspect of British culture.

The general findings of the August survey reflect an increased openness to religion in political and private spheres. Religion was used as a resource for increased purpose in life and viewed as an asset to British culture. There is also a potential link between declining trust in the validity and credibility of media reporting on religious issues and a greater valuation of the importance of knowing about the world’s religions. This may speak to an increased awareness of how inaccurate representations of religious groups can fuel social unrest. This in turn might be tied to concerns of religious extremism and the imperative to find ways to protect our diverse communities. A resistance to perceived religious and cultural biases would certainly be a promising and vital step in cultivating and sustaining healthy inter-faith group relations.