Religion writers agree: Pope Francis is no. 1 newsmaker

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/religion-writers-agree-pope-francis-is-no-1-newsmaker/2013/12/17/2abda7da-673a-11e3-997b-9213b17dac97_story.html

By Adelle M. Banks | Religion News Service,

He’s Time magazine’s Person of the Year, the most talked about topic on Facebook and the most popular baby namesake in Italy. No surprise, Pope Francis is also the top Religion Story of the Year and the Religion Newsmaker of the Year, according to a poll of Religion Newswriters members.

Francis beat out his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was the No. 2 story, and evangelist Billy Graham — who recently turned 95 and is reportedly ailing — for the newsmaker designation. Benedict made news when he became the first pope to resign in almost six centuries.

The rankings were based on results of an online ballot conducted between Friday (Dec. 13) and Monday. Only Religion Newswriters Association members were eligible to vote.

Coming in third among the top religion stories was the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision permitting gay marriage in California and ending the ban on federal employee benefits for same-sex couples. Within months of the June decision, the total number of states permitting same-sex marriage rose to 16, including Illinois and Hawaii.

more at link

[edhopper]

1. And Conservative writers agree

that Benghazi is the biggest scandal of the decade.

This poll is close to useless.

That that anti-semitic Graham is third tells you enough.

[cbayer]

2. Seems legitimate to me, but I could be wrong.

They polled the right group, but online polls are pretty unreliable.

They are just talking about newsmakers, not whether they are good or bad or somewhere in between.

Looking at the trends on DU, though, I would say that this is a pretty accurate reflection.

[edhopper]

3. It just seems like

an obvious nonstory to me.

[cbayer]

4. Well, that's probably true.

I personally like these end of the year recaps, but they aren't for everyone.

[edhopper]

5. Oh

okay

[Bradical79]

6. I don't know, it passes the eye test

Doesn't matter what you think of Pope Francis, he's plastered all over the news. I can't think of a more talked about religious subject than the Pope. It seems like an accurate statement backed up by polling people who write about religion. Seems like they would know :-P

[edhopper]

7. Yes it is

It's also it too obvious to garner any interest.

[trotsky]

8. Meta-news

The media reporting about its own coverage of something? Glad they don't have more important things to do!