How many people are currently employed in the field of religion reporting in the secular US media? What’s the outlook for the future?
We estimate there are between 400 and 500 people who spend a significant part of their time reporting on faith and values. Nearly all newspapers with circulations of 100,000 or more have at least one religion reporter who works mostly fulltime on the beat. Reporters working at newspapers smaller than 50,000 usually cover a variety of topics, including religion. About two-thirds of RNA’s members are at publications over 50,000 in size,
It is rare for television stations to have a religion reporter, because its reporters are rarely organized by beat. ABC network news does have a reporter whose specialty is religion, but none of the networks has anyone who does it fulltime.
The secular news media, particularly newspapers, are in a transition time. As they struggle to increase circulation they are striving to find new beats and new areas to cover that will attract readers, especially youth and readers from diverse ethnicities. At the same time they are under increasing pressure to raise corporate profits. At many publications, religion is not as highly valued as some other beats, even though polls show that most people adhere to some belief in God.
Because of this, it is unclear what the prospects for religion news will be. But it seems safe to say that there will not be a huge increase in the number of religion reporters at U.S. general circulation papers, It is our estimation that the trend of increasing religion reporters has peaked.
What are the salary ranges in the field?
Salaries depend upon the reporter’s experience, size of the paper or media outlet and the region. Checking with the state newspaper association of your interest can provide the most accurate information. Full-time average range is typically $25,000 to $55,000 with significant experience.
