The Journalist and Faith

Why isn't religion talked about in the news? I think the answer comes in two parts:
1. Readers/viewers don't want to read/watch news about religion.
2. Journalists don't want to cover religion.

Readers and viewers don't want to read or watch news about religion. Religion is very personal; worship is very personal. Most people of faith in the United States are not publicly religious. We may be quick to question whether they are at all religious in the first place. Part of the presentation stated that 81% of Americans say prayer is important in their lives. When I think about where I grew up in Indiana, everyone on our street knew that we were LDS. I knew our neighbors across the street were Catholic, but I did not know the religious affiliation of anyone else. But, I would guess 81% of the people on our street considered prayer an important aspect of their lives. Many people who consider themselves religious and who pray, do so in private, and their neighbors may not even know their religious affiliation.
News, on the other hand, makes everything public. We can read or watch the news privately, but it is in a public forum and we are really joining thousands of others who are reading and watching the same thing we are. I think many people are uncomfortable with religion in this public forum because they prefer to keep it in their own private setting.

The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics states that journalists should Seek the Truth and Report It. Journalists know they should find the facts. They should report the facts, and leave the opinion to their sources. It is difficult to reconcile religion with this standard. Often times, a journalist will write or say that a person or group of people "claim" or "believe" something, which then casts doubt on their belief. While this may seem derogatory towards that religion and its faith, it is a journalist doing his or her job. A journalist can not prove a claim of faith. In truth, that religion claims or believes something. A journalist can not state the claim as fact, even if it is in line with his or her own religious conviction. This inability to prove a faith as a fact makes it difficult for a journalist to cover religion.