E
EmptyTimCup
Guest
Prominent ‘Religion News Service’ Wire Service Found to Be Taking Funding From Atheist Mogul in Exchange for Coverage of ‘Freethinkers’ — Ethical?
Religion News Service (RNS), a prominent non-profit news organization focused on faith, is facing some of the same financial constraints that have led to the demise of numerous traditional media outlets. As time goes on and revenue becomes tougher to generate, newsrooms like RNS find themselves looking for ways to bring in much-needed funds. One of the more controversial models that the group has embraced is accepting funds from special interest groups.
RELIGION NEWS SERVICE TAKING FUNDING FROM ATHEISTS
In the case of RNS, The Stiefel Freethought Foundation (SFF), a hub for the atheist movement, has given $65,000 over the past two years to help fund coverage of non-believers and the so-called “freethought” movement. The organization, run by atheist millionaire Todd Stiefel (read our extensive profile about him here), has a very clear goal of organizing atheists, while spreading and advancing non-belief.
An announcement on the SFF web site explains the purpose of an initial $50,000 gift in 2011. Under a section entitled “Accomplishments in 2011,” the site reads, “SFF donated $50,000 to Religion News Service to bolster its coverage of freethinkers with a series of news, investigations, feature stories and photos.”
- Religion News Service (RNS) has received $65,000 in funds (2011-2012) from the Stiefel Freethought Foundation, an atheist group
- Funding was granted to bolster RNS’s “coverage of freethinkers”
- Millionaire Todd Stiefel claims he has no editorial control over RNS coverage
- RNS’s editor-in-chief Kevin Eckstrom defends the gifts and says the outlet is seeking funding from other faith-based foundations as well
- Poynter’s Kelly McBride weighs in on the ethics surrounding the funding
Religion News Service (RNS), a prominent non-profit news organization focused on faith, is facing some of the same financial constraints that have led to the demise of numerous traditional media outlets. As time goes on and revenue becomes tougher to generate, newsrooms like RNS find themselves looking for ways to bring in much-needed funds. One of the more controversial models that the group has embraced is accepting funds from special interest groups.
RELIGION NEWS SERVICE TAKING FUNDING FROM ATHEISTS
In the case of RNS, The Stiefel Freethought Foundation (SFF), a hub for the atheist movement, has given $65,000 over the past two years to help fund coverage of non-believers and the so-called “freethought” movement. The organization, run by atheist millionaire Todd Stiefel (read our extensive profile about him here), has a very clear goal of organizing atheists, while spreading and advancing non-belief.
An announcement on the SFF web site explains the purpose of an initial $50,000 gift in 2011. Under a section entitled “Accomplishments in 2011,” the site reads, “SFF donated $50,000 to Religion News Service to bolster its coverage of freethinkers with a series of news, investigations, feature stories and photos.”
