One of my friends from another city works as the religion writer for the metropolitan daily in his State. He has said to me a number of times, ‘I wish I worked in Sydney, it is the Jensen and Pell city and there is plenty to write about there.’ And there is some reality in that statement, though some of us wish at times it wasn’t quite so apt.
Media representatives call often to enquire if the Archbishop will appear on their program, or give them his opinion on some matter under debate. Openings like that can’t be missed because they allow opportunity for gospel preaching or an explanation of biblical teaching to the wider community.
We are fortunate in this diocese to have a team of people who can handle the media interviews. I recall times when the Archbishop, Bishop Davies and Bishop Forsyth have been fielding media calls, all on different topics, while in Wollongong Bishop Piper deals with the media calls on all topics. I also remember a time when all four were overseas and Bishop Tasker was the ‘duty’ media bishop. He handled his BBC call with smooth expertise.
They all, and others, represent us well, they do not let us down.
When we know an issue relevant to diocesan life will come into the media, we are able to plan and prepare strategies and statements. These matters can then be straightforward and trouble-free. When they suddenly happen and we are caught unprepared it is a very different matter indeed.
Sometimes stories appear that put an unfortunate slant upon, or provide inaccurate information about diocesan matters or personalities. In April and May articles were published in the UK Church Times and The Times that provided inaccurate information about the Diocese of Sydney, the Archbishop and the Dean. ‘Sydney’s new Puritans’ and ‘Anglicanism’s new Holy Warriors’ were the headlines. They were based on the articles of a C of E clergyman who visited Sydney for a time and returned home to write about his travels. One presumes he may have been recouping the cost of the airfare.
It was startling to read that Peter Jensen and Phillip Jensen had both been Principal of Moore College and that Mrs Jensen had been the head of women’s ministry in the diocese for a number of years. The article also suggested that Moore College exported David Peterson to Oak Hill College in North London to produce fundamentalist clergy clones for conservative C of E evangelical churches.
Articles like that make one laugh at their inaccuracies, but they do have unfortunate and profound effects.
I was advised by an eminent lawyer whom I consulted, that Archbishop Jensen may have been defamed by some of the statements in The Times.
One wonders also what our friends or ordinary readers think when they read such articles. Do they believe every word because it is in the newspaper so it must be true?

The same question applies to the articles in The Sydney Morning Herald on 11th May and the 18th May about the proposals for change to the evening service and choir singing at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Many now believe that heritage 19th century choir stalls were sold (they were eight 1940s pews designated surplus to requirement when the renovations took place). People also believe the choir is being disbanded (proposals are that they may sing at 8.30am and 10.00am instead of 10.00am and 6.30pm on Sundays).
Journalists are hard working, intelligent and likeable people. Most mornings they are given something to follow up and they have to file their story later in the day. It’s usually sheer hard slog and can be a thankless task with people so often dissatisfied with their final product. Under the pressure, they can sometimes be taken in by people with mischievous agendas.
These days I am becoming well acquainted with official Complaints Procedures in some publications, especially The Times.
Please remember in your prayers people working in the media. Pray also for church media persons that they may be gospel witnesses and honour God’s standards in all they do and say. Christians in the Media is a ministry that we should also support and uphold in our prayer.