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Obama's Church Sets Ground Rules For Reporters

By Howard Friedman

Today's Chicago Tribune reports that leaders of Barack Obama's Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago have set new rules for media access to church services. Reporters must get permission on Thursday to attend Sunday services, they must check in, wear a badge and refrain from interviewing members on church property. They can use note pads, but may not use recording devices, cameras or BlackBerries on the church's campus. Audio and video recordings of the day's sermons will be available for purchase immediately after the services at the church's bookstores. Apparently not covered by the new rules are other controversial methods that reporters have used to locate church members to interview-- getting names from the church's list of those who are ailing and home bound, or approaching members at funerals.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on April 04, 2008 (boomark / email).