Sammon says moral compass needed in journalism

NASHVILLE — Because the secular media frequently ignores the moral aspects of news stories, Christian journalists must bring a sense of moral clarity to news coverage, White House correspondent Bill Sammon said at the Baptist Press Excellence in Journalism Banquet in Nashville Oct. 15.

The banquet — the culminating event of the fifth annual Baptist Press national Collegiate Journalism Conference — featured award presentations for students achieving excellence in the fields of print journalism, photojournalism, broadcasting, Web design and yearbook. Sammon is senior White House correspondent for The Washington Times and travels with President George W. Bush wherever he goes. Sammon also serves as a political analyst for the Fox News Channel and has written a series of books chronicling the Bush presidency. Christian journalists can bring “a basic moral compass” to their work “that the mainstream media possesses but just so often chooses to ignore,” Sammon said. “That … will allow you to connect with mainstream America in a way that the mainstream media is not doing right now.”