TUESDAY, JUNE 1: It’s been 30 years since the world was introduced to CNN, which originally was a U.S. cable-TV news network that now has branched out in many digital directions and ranks as a top global “destination” for news. (Click here to visit CNN.com.) When the first newscast was aired on June 1, 1980, CNN was the only network to feature 24-hour news coverage; today, more than 70 other television networks have followed suit and launched their own round-the-clock coverage. CNN is available in more than 90 million U.S. households, and its counterpart, CNN International, can be viewed in more than 200 countries around the globe. (More details are at Wikipedia.)
Less than two weeks ago, CNN officially acknowledged the significant role that religion plays in people’s lives when it launched the CNN Belief Blog, a blog that covers the faith angles of the day’s biggest stories. According to CNN’s Dan Gilgoff, a co-editor of the blog, “We believe that understanding the role of faith in today’s world isn’t optional or nice to know. It’s need to know.” (Access the blog here.)
In his statement concerning the blog, Gilgoff points out that to understand many news stories, we need to understand faith. Here at ReadTheSpirit, we say: Right! (And since you’re reading this column, you’re already ahead of the game! Bravo to you for taking the time to learn about the holidays and observances that shape life around the world.) In his statement, Gilgoff also notes something that David Crumm, founding editor of ReadTheSpirit, continues to emphasize: The faith sections of many major newspapers and magazines are quickly disappearing. Reading about religion helps us to understand our world, our neighbors and co-workers.
(By ReadTheSpirit columnist Stephanie Fenton)
(NOTE: To see more short articles about upcoming holidays, festivals and anniversaries, click the “RTS Magazines” tab at the top of this page and select “Religious Holidays.”)
