Executive summary 3

Introduction 6

  Macro trends shaping the religion–media space 7

  Mis/disinformation and political religion 8

  Tradition-specific vignettes 10

  Intersecting forces reshaping the religion and media landscape:

  Algorithms, economic precarity, and the rise of AI 14

Methodology 17

Traditional media 20

  1.0 Traditional media: Film 20

  1.1 Traditional media: Television 21

  1.2 Traditional media: Radio 23

  1.3 Traditional media: Print 24

  1.4 Traditional media: Books 27

Digital media 30

  2.0 Digital media: Generational, demographic, and gender factors 31

  2.1 Digital media: Podcasting 32

  2.2 Digital media: Long-form text-based platforms 34

  2.3 Digital media: Long-form video-based platforms 34

  2.4 Digital media: Short-form text-based platforms 35

  2.5 Digital media: Short-form video-based and image-based platforms 36

  2.6 Digital media: Hybrid platforms 38

  2.7 Digital media: AI, religion, and media 38

Religion, music, and media 40

Award programs 42

Networks, collaborations, and philanthropic interventions 43

  3.0 Cross-sector collaborations on faith and media 43

  3.1 Storytelling and narrative-change interventions 44

  3.2 Fellowships to support improved public discourse on religion 44

Barriers to public-facing work 46

  4.0 Structural barriers to public-facing work 46

4.1 Financial misalignments: Why current models undermine sustainability 49

Entering and reforming the religion and media ecosystem 53

Conclusion 56

Acknowledgements 58

List of interviewees 59