Religion Ethics

For more than a decade, RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY has been breaking ground in news reporting since its national debut on PBS in September 1997. Hosted by veteran journalist Bob Abernethy, this one-of-a-kind television news and public affair program, produced by Thirteen/WNET New York, provides insightful coverage and analysis of the news, people, events and trends behind the headlines in the rich world of religion and ethics. Jane Lampman of the Christian Science Monitor says the program’s “succinct coverage of the week’s religion news and feature stories that get to the nub of trends with a human touch make it always-valuable viewing.” Phil Mushnick with The New York Post writes, “Week after week, R & E similarly delivers, helping restore one's faith in, of all things, television.” And the Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) credits the show for setting “a national standard for balanced and fair coverage of religious topics.”

Through live reports from the show’s studios in Washington, D.C., and taped reports from an experienced team of correspondents, including Saul Gonzalez, Phil Jones, Fred de Sam Lazaro, Tim O’Brien, Deborah Potter, Betty Rollin, Lucky Severson, Judy Valente and Mary Alice Williams, along with managing editor Kim Lawton, the program explores how religion shapes both national and international events, and examines the challenges raised by difficult ethical issues. Newsmakers, scholars and historians also provide insightful perspectives in roundtable discussions. And, the series adds a different dimension to its reports by seeking out the spiritual heart of the news through profiles of interesting, eloquent men and women who share their personal stories of what is most important in their lives.

RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY has been recognized for its commitment to outstanding news coverage, receiving more than 130 broadcast industry awards, including the Sigma Delta Chi, the Gracie Allen, the Chicago TV Fest, New York Festival and CINE Golden Eagle.

To complement the program’s weekly broadcast, RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY offers a Web site, www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics, and a companion viewers’ guide. In addition to individual show transcripts, streaming video of weekly reports, full transcripts of interviews with notable guests, related articles dealing with significant issues in religion and ethics news, and a list of related resources, the Web site also features a special section entitled “One Nation,” which focuses exclusively on religion and politics. The Web site also includes an online pressroom featuring downloadable versions of the program press kit and quarterly newsletter, as well as detailed summaries of individual stories. Audio and video podcasts of the program are also available.

Major funding for RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY is provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. with additional support from the Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, the Henry Luce Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Executive producer is Arnold Labaton; Thirteen/WNET executive-in-charge is Stephen Segaller.