The Unseen Face of Christianity: A Report on Media Representation
A new report, “Christianity in Media 2025,” has shed light on the underrepresentation of Christianity in mainstream media, with a disproportionate focus on negative stories. The report, commissioned by Christian media group Jersey Road, analyzed over 5,000 stories from the UK’s most widely-read outlets and found that Christianity is often portrayed in a negative light, with over a third of stories reflecting the faith in a negative way. Meanwhile, positive stories made up just 23% of coverage.
The report highlights a gap in faith reporting, despite a growing interest in spirituality in the UK. According to pastor Nims Obunge MBE, the media’s tendency to focus on negative stories can distort the public’s perception of Christianity. “Bad news sells better than good news,” he was told by a tabloid editor. However, Obunge believes that the media can do better, particularly in light of recent reports of revival across the UK. “There is something about the heartbeat and the conscience of the nation… we need to do better to inject that good news,” he said.
The report also found that stories about Christian persecution are significantly underreported, making up just 2% of UK media coverage. Timothy Cho, a Christian who escaped North Korea, emphasizes the importance of reporting on persecution, saying it’s a crime against humanity. On a more positive note, the report highlights that personal faith stories, such as those of sportspeople and reality TV stars, are the most popular category of faith-based coverage. Gareth Russell, CEO of Jersey Road, believes that the media loves human interest stories, and the positive impact of faith on people’s lives is a story worth telling.
