Professor Leonard Baynes Moderates US Conference on Catholic Bishops’ Public Forum on Religion and Broadcasting

St. John’s University School of Law Professor Leonard M. Baynes, Director of The Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Development, took part in a public forum on Religion and Broadcasting, which was hosted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in cooperation with the National Council of Churches of Christ and the United Church of Christ, on January 9.

Leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths including Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, Diocese of Tucson and Reverend Robert Chase, Director of Communications, United Church of Christ, as well as FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, gathered at the Thirteen/WNET studio in New York to discuss the way in which broadcasters cover religious events and whether that coverage meets the needs of their community members.

Professor Baynes served as the day’s moderator, facilitating a discussion between several key religious leaders including Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Pastor, Middle Collegiate Church; Rev. Peter Panagore, First Radio Parish of America; Imam Yahya Hendhi, Georgetown University; Rev. Kermit Netteburg, Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Rabbi Marc Gellman, Temple Beth Torah, Melville, NY.

Professor Baynes opened the discussion with thoughts on the media’s role throughout several major historical events. During Dr. Martin Luther King’s struggle for Civil Rights he used the media as a platform to discuss moral issues and Pope Benedict XVI, during his message for the 40th World Communications Day, warned against the “distortion that occurs when the media industry becomes self-serving.”

Click here to read the text of Professor Baynes’ opening remarks.

For more information, please contact Professor Baynes by e-mailing baynesl@stjohns.edu.