Media Watch sees the light as Paul Barry questions 7.30’s Christianity coverage
Turns out Christians who actually go to church are less likely to hit their wives.
Julia Baird had a huge report on domestic violence last week. The ABC’s 7.30 last Wednesday:
The church calls it “male headship”, that a woman must submit to her husband ... That headship is more about control than biblical truth and is even used as a licence for violence.
But not everyone was impressed. The Australian, Friday:
Church leaders have accused the ABC of “selective”, “inaccurate” and “anti-Christian” journalism in a report on its TV program 7.30 that claimed the biggest wife-bashers are Christian men who “sporadically” attend church.
Including that arbiter of all things media, Paul Barry. ABC’s Media Watch, Monday:
It’s just a shame that it tarnished an otherwise compelling and worthwhile investigation.
An unholy row - #MediaWatch @ABCTV https://t.co/YEshOEHgYe pic.twitter.com/WZ7Pl8sbMF
— Media Watch (@ABCmediawatch) July 24, 2017
Even our old mate at Media Watch is right sometimes ... Barry on Twitter, May 24:
No idea if this is true … claim that Trump impeachment process has begun.
Critics were concerned about how the research on which Baird based her report was handled. The Australian, Friday:
Critics (of the 7.30 piece) ... say it failed to reveal that the US research it relied upon showed in fact that the more Christian men attended church, the less likely it was that they would abuse their spouses.
An ABC spokesman told The Australian it did report the other side of the story, Thursday:
The ABC did report that point — that religiosity can be a protective factor against domestic violence ...
It was in the online copy (just). ABC News online, last Tuesday:
... men who attend church less often are most likely to abuse their wives. (Regular church attenders are less likely ...)
But the research showing regular churchgoers are “less likely” to hit their wives didn’t appear in the original 7.30 broadcast. Barry on Media Watch, Monday:
7.30 ... made no mention at all of the bigger picture, that regular churchgoing makes abuse less likely.
That huge caveat certainly wasn’t in Leigh Sales’s introduction. The ABC’s 7.30, last Wednesday:
We talk about women in Islam, but statistically it is evangelical Christian men who attend church sporadically who are the most likely to assault their wives.
Baird has not been pleased about the criticism around her report. The ABC journalist on Twitter, Monday:
For the record: there was not a single error in our piece on domestic violence and the church.
But the very researcher who inspired her piece feels his data was misinterpreted. Dr Steve Tracy’s statement to Media Watch, Saturday:
It is all too easy to cherry-pick sound bites and in the process fail to do justice to the data ...
Alas, Barry sticks up for his ABC mates in the end. Media Watch, Monday:
That point aside, the 7.30 report was compelling viewing ... as to the claim that the ABC is waging war on Christianity, we are not convinced.
No war on Christianity at the ABC? Yeah, right ... The Australian, July 4:
The ABC is planning to dump its executive producer of religion ... Religious leaders have slammed the ABC for the alleged “systematic dismantling” of religious programming.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout