Updated 11/3/11: LifeWay has added a Q & A page on Sammy Nuckolls. The page answers questions about LifeWay's relationship with Nuckolls, their policy concerning speakers, and directs any Fuge attendees who think they might have been victimized to call the police who are investigating. Nothing yet from Baptist Press.
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I don't expect Baptist Press to jump on every bit of salacious information that bubbles up around the Southern Baptist Convention but their credibility is eroded when they pass on stories that are pertinent to SBCers, to the SBC's entities, and to SBC churches.
Take for example the story of the arrest in Blytheville, Arkansas last week of evangelist Sammy Nuckolls for video voyeurism.
The local Arkansas paper reported the story last Thursday: Mississippi man accused of video voyeurism.
A prominent Baptist blogger, FBCJax Watchdog, reported the story this past Saturday: SBC Lifeway's 2011 Youth Camp Pastor Sammy Nuckolls Arrested for Filming Woman Showering in Her Own Home
Associated Baptist Press reported the story yesterday: Evangelist charged with video voyeurism .
There is a virtual flood of stories (many linked here ) from news outlets and bloggers yesterday with more to come today and this week.
Baptist Press reported...well...nothing so far.
Before one accuses ABP or the Baptist blogger of gratuitous journalistic voyeurism for delving into this, consider that the evangelist was one of LifeWay's FUGE, a big youth camp, pastors and had been involved in the camps for years. He was also popular with youth events and in churches. This makes it news of interest to SBC pastors, youth ministers, and anyone concerned about the SBC's handling of sexual offenses.
LifeWay was concerned enough to immediately scrub their online sites of the evangelist's presence.
Is not this something that Baptist Press needs to report? Other news outlets are reporting that more victims are coming forward.
I like Baptist Press. I read Baptist Press. But I don't trust Baptist Press to report all matters that are newsworthy.
In this case, I look for BP to eventually get around to reporting on this, dragged kicking and screaming to do what they should have done already.
Come on, BP, you can do better than this. We can handle bad news and may even learn from it.
7 comments:
Does BP stand for Baptist propaganda or Baptist press? The main role of BP appears to just promote the cp not do real journalism or even repeat real journalism. It really does not bother me once I realized this a couple years ago.
Considering the number of stories that Baptist Press has intentionally chosen not to cover, doesn't that indicate that they aren't a "news" organization but instead in the PR/Communications business?
Compare Baptist Press with BGCT Communications. They do pretty much the same thing.
Baptist Press needs to be renamed, "SBC Public Relations." That is what they are.
I tend to think this type of story is beyond the scope of BP. They might if there was a conviction.
No worse than " the Christian Index " in Georgia that only reports as J Robert White and Gerald Harris feel what is newsworthy, even if they lie often and cover up for the good ole boys within the Georgia Baptist Convention and then when hit with the truths, continue to coverup until the real truths are exposed.
These papers and reporters are nothing more than PROPAGANDA outlets for Baptist and not even worth the fish wrapping it is intended for.
Right Mike Everson and your 3 college degrees you had them lie about until you were busted!
Let me request that extraneous people be left out of this discussion. I recognize your issue here but ask that you respect my wishes here. Thanks.
The Christian Index has done very good reporting on NAMB. One has to give credit for that.
Maybe they didn't want to become like the National Enquirer. At least we don't have to read the liberal garbage on the ABP.
It hasn't been reported in the Texas Baptist Standard and I would hardly call them Southern Baptist.
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