Following is a prayer written by Mike Smith, editor of the Spartanburg Herald Journal dealing with the media.  It is a tremendous  statement and gives great perspective on the media and how we should respond to it. It is well worth your reading.

Lord, we thank you that we live in a nation with free speech and with a free press. We are grateful that our Constitution gives us the right to disagree and the ability to learn the truth about our society and our government. But we live now in a world that doubts even the existence of truth, in a society that constantly tries to redefine falsehood as truth.

The primary virtue in our society has become tolerance. We are tolerant of most activities and most ideas. Our culture values all ideas equally except the idea that some philosophies are wrong while only one is right. In short, we tolerate everything but the truth.

In such an environment, give the news media a renewed commitment to genuine truth rather than the fallacy that all ideas, concepts and philosophies are equally true. Let the media be dedicated to its role as a watchdog, not only of government but of all institutions and elements of our society. Help us to remember the difference between journalism and advocacy.

Lord, the traditional institutions of the media are crumbling under economic pressure. While some of us may be tempted to celebrate this destruction, the death of these institutions will leave a void that will be filled by less responsible avenues of information. Already, news outlets that seek to provide objective information are over-shadowed by outlets that seek only their own segment of our population and tell that fraction only what they want to hear. This divides rather than unites us. This often obscures rather than reveals the truth. And it furthers the antagonism in our society that demonizes anyone who disagrees with the prevailing views. Lord, give our people a renewed hunger for the truth rather than the confirmation of their own preconceptions and prejudices. You have told us that the truth will set us free. Too many of us are not interested in learning the truth and too few of us are interested in spreading it. Change our hearts Lord. Give our nation a true curiosity to learn the truth and allow those news outlets who reveal that truth to grow and prosper.

Lord, too often we see a media today that looks down its nose at traditional social institutions, at ethical standards other than its own relativism, at faith itself. Give those of us in the media respect for those institutions, values and faith. Help us to realize that God is not mocked, and when people of faith and devotion to you are denigrated that our society is harmed, cheapened and made a little more brutal.

Lord, give us a media that lifts us up rather than drags us down. Give us a media that celebrates the good rather than the evil. Help our media and our society to move away from the voyeurism and the celebration of degradation that characterizes much of our entertainment. Help us not to revel in gossip and the tearing away of others’ privacy. Help us to rise above an interest in seeing others debase themselves by surviving tortures and being stripped of human dignity. Lord, give us a news and entertainment media that pushes us to become better rather than to reduce us to our basest level.

Lord, make us a media that acknowledges evil but refuses to celebrate it. Make us a media that exults in triumph and perseverance and joy and virtue. Lord, make us a media that tells us what is happening and tells us forthrightly and honestly. Make us a media that not only tells us what’s wrong, but make us a media that also points us to whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. Let us report on what is excellent or praiseworthy as well as what is outrageous and shocking.
Lord, make us a media that acknowledges the worst in us, but refuses to wallow in that evil. Make us a media that encourages us to rise above that evil by also focusing on the best in us and celebrating rather than mocking the good.

Finally Lord, no news is as important as your gospel. We are all part of the media who should be spreading that good news. That is the only story that can truly change the world. Give your people a passion for spreading that news that dwarfs all other interests. In Jesus name, Amen.

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