Author: Bobby Ross Jr.

Bobby Ross Jr. is an award-winning journalist who has reported from all 50 states and 20 countries.
Christian Chronicle

How to cover a tragedy: San Antonio paper offers sensitive, insightful reporting on church bus crash

By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion

Years ago, I helped cover the funerals in a small West Texas town after eight senior citizens were killed in a church bus crash.

I couldn’t help but recall that heart-wrenching tragedy as news broke Wednesday of another church bus crash — this one with an even higher death toll.

As a reporter, I always hate handling first-day stories on tragedies such as this. Pressing crash investigators for the basic details of what happened is no problem. But seeking comments from grieving loved ones is never easy. Never.

With my personal experience in my mind, I am impressed with the San Antonio Express-News’ main front-page story today.

The piece offers sensitive and insightful reporting on the tragedy, which occurred in the San Antonio paper’s coverage area.

The lede nicely sets the scene:

Read the full column.

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More of my GetReligion columns (March 2017):

Continue reading “How to cover a tragedy: San Antonio paper offers sensitive, insightful reporting on church bus crash”

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Christian Chronicle

Driven by faith, Texas mom advocates for refugees

Reda Hicks, attorney, community activist and military wife, helps displaced families start over in U.S. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle HOUSTON — To Reda Hicks, refugees aren’t nameless faces on the news. They’re real women — with real stories of escaping war and persecution in places such as Iran, Iraq and Sudan. Hicks, a member of the Memorial Church of Christ in this … Continue reading Driven by faith, Texas mom advocates for refugees

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Christian Chronicle

‘Do we really trust God enough to love our neighbors?’

President Trump’s immigration orders spark passionate responses from Christians. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle “We Welcome Refugees,” declared the sign outside the Northlake Church of Christ in Tucker, Ga., on a recent Sunday. That message reflected the intense national debate over President Donald Trump’s order to bar — at least temporarily — refugees from seven countries deemed terrorism threats. Trump’s court-challenged travel … Continue reading ‘Do we really trust God enough to love our neighbors?’

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Christianity Today

Six ways churches can thwart new email threat

Sophisticated messages can appear to come from a leader in the targeted church. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today Tim Samuel nearly fell for an email scam that has cost victims billions of dollars. Samuel, chief financial officer for Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland, received a message that appeared to come from the church’s information technology director. “I was blown away … Continue reading Six ways churches can thwart new email threat

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Christian Chronicle

For thousands of Nicaragua’s poor, mission ‘a gift from God’

Outreach that started with a small medical clinic has grown to meet needs ranging from education to water systems. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle JINOTEGA, Nicaragua — In a nation where many live on just a few dollars a day, things most U.S. residents take for granted make a world of difference. An aspirin to relieve a headache. A filter to provide clean water. … Continue reading For thousands of Nicaragua’s poor, mission ‘a gift from God’

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Christian Chronicle

Build the wall? Bar refugees? Christians debate Trump’s orders

Faithful contemplate how to balance compassion for immigrants with concern for national security. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle An Iraqi refugee who serves as a Christian missionary in the heavily Arab community of Dearborn, Mich. Canadian church members who adopted a Syrian refugee family with six children. An Illinois minister who prays with loved ones of undocumented immigrants facing deportation. All voice strong opinions … Continue reading Build the wall? Bar refugees? Christians debate Trump’s orders

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Christian Chronicle

They are friends in Congress — and brothers in Christ

The only two members of Churches of Christ in the U.S. House share a special bond. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle When two U.S. congressmen visited a small, English-speaking Church of Christ in Brussels, one of them left Sunday worship with something that didn’t belong to him. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chuckles as he recalls his friend and brother in Christ — Rep. Ted … Continue reading They are friends in Congress — and brothers in Christ

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Christian Chronicle

Anti-Islamophobia: A nuanced portrayal of Syrian refugees in the heart of red-state America

By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion

Stereotypes plague so much news coverage of Muslims in Donald Trump’s America.

I’m talking about negative pieces that attempt to turn every conservative state into a bastion of hatred toward Islam and its followers.

These are the type of stories that take a single case — or a few random incidents — and scream, “Islamophobia!” See examples here, here, here, here and here. Too often, these articles rely on squishy generalizations when what readers really need — and deserve — are hard facts.

So what’s the antidote to such poor journalism?

Well, reporting that focuses on real people — with real context and real nuance — would be a nice place to start.

Speaking of which, the Washington Post (for which I occasionally freelance) featured just such a story on its front page Monday.

Post national writer Robert Samuels enlightens and surprises — both nice traits for a newspaper story — as he paints a portrait of Syrian refugees in a state where nearly three out of five voters supported Trump.

Read the full column.

• • •

More of my GetReligion columns (February 2017):

Continue reading “Anti-Islamophobia: A nuanced portrayal of Syrian refugees in the heart of red-state America”

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