It had all the excitement of a true-crime story. I was a young television reporter, interviewing an FBI agent engaged in an ongoing investigation into a renowned Mexican drug lord and his cartel.

I was conducting my own investigation for a special television series. The agent told me this man was ruthless and was suspected of committing countless murders. He said I could be endangering my life. He advised me to stay away from certain places in Mexico that the drug lord and his people were known to frequent. The drug leader was so powerful in his hometown that not even the mayor would speak to us. Despite the warnings, I refused to give in to the pressure. Although I do recall at least one threatening phone call and possibly a letter, I successfully made it through my visits to Mexico and completed my series.

This is just one of many examples throughout my television career where I faced heavy-duty pressure regarding stories I was covering. There was pressure to make ethical decisions, to scoop the competition, to maintain accuracy while also meeting deadlines, and in some cases (although not as much in local news), there were life-threatening situations. All these types of pressures can push open the door for biased reporting. The trick is finding a strategy strong enough to push back.

My story is very humble in comparison with journalists around the world who are reporting on a national or international level. The pressure they face is on a much grander scale. Can you imagine your son or daughter, brother or sister, as a reporter embedded with troops on the front lines in Iraq? Every day would be a test of faith, strength, and survival.

What about a reporter who is assigned to cover a political party that opposes his or her personal beliefs? Can we trust that individual to be objective and balanced? There are mounting pressures on the entertainment side as well. It appears that paparazzi will put other people's lives at risk just to get the big-money photos. Never before have the stakes and potential hazards seemed so high.

With so much negativity, uncertainty, and distortion being published every day, how do we support those in the media who really want to present news and information in an accurate and balanced way?

The good news is that there is a tried and true way to neutralize media bias, and solve every other life challenge. You don't even have to be of any particular religion or belief to do it. It's called prayer. While I was a reporter, I prayed actively, not just during the times when I could be in danger—as with the Mexican drug lord—but at other times as well. My prayers were for me to express qualities such as dominion, compassion, a sense of peace, truth, courage, and accuracy. I also found it helpful to know that there are other reporters for whom trust in God is key.

I remember once seeing an interview with a network reporter who said that she always asks herself, "Where is God in this story?" I found that asking myself that same question about my assignments usually allowed me to get straight to the key point in the issue I was covering. There is only one communicator, and all of us have a direct line to Him/Her. Not only is He/She communicating to everyone what we need to know, but He/She is protecting us as we fulfill our spiritual purpose. Even if you're not a journalist, these ideas will help you as you evaluate what you're reading in the press or seeing on the electronic media.

Those of us who hope to find consistent progress in the media's reliability and sense of balance can make a significant contribution toward that goal by means of persistent prayer. Our hometown newspapers, TV and radio stations, the Internet media, and national and international newspapers, will benefit from this spiritual support. I have no doubt that the many people of different faiths, who prayed while Jill Carroll, a Christian Science Monitor journalist, was held hostage in Iraq, assisted in her release.

Although everyone's experience is different, there are widespread challenges journalists typically face, and your prayers can help.

Media stereotypes

Certain media stereotypes can be hard to shake. "Sharks," "snakes," "hounds"—they're all tough labels to overcome! When addressing this, I always found it helpful to affirm the fact that this image is not part of our true nature, which is spiritual and comes from God. Nor does it have anything to do with the divinely inspired work we're designated to fulfill. Mary Baker Eddy's statement in Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896 sums this up nicely: "It is a rule in Christian Science never to repeat error unless it becomes requisite to bring out Truth" (p. 346). If everyone followed that simple rule, all reporting would be dramatically transformed.

Accuracy vs. pressing deadlines

There's hardly anyone working in the media who can honestly say that he or she has never felt extreme pressure to maintain accuracy while also having to meet a fixed deadline. This is where prayers for dominion, receptivity, and peace apply. These qualities provide strength to pursue truth and clarity. One-sidedness and the possibility of being manipulated by sources—or by management—can be counteracted with the knowledge that God is the ultimate employer. As His/Her reflection, we radiate a magnificent diversity. Since God is also Mind, there can be only one Mind, but there are infinite ideas to express it. Those "ideas" are you and me, and it is only natural and intelligent for this diversity of expression to be evident in all aspects of our lives. That includes the coverage provided by the news and information media.

No time for compassion?

Lack of compassion in the media is probably one of the biggest challenges of all. I have personally seen this problem turned around with prayers for humility and grace. This passage in Science and Health has been particularly applicable when I've been thinking about compassion: "Divine Love corrects and governs man. ... God is not separate from the wisdom He bestows. The talents He gives we must improve" (p. 6). Recognizing our ability to love as Christ Jesus loved helps those of us who are journalists to ensure that compassion is present in our reporting. For those who aren't working in the media, thinking of reporters with compassion—especially when they have to cover a truly grim story—can be a huge help.

Safety on the job

Demands on the media and strains on our daily lives aren't going to vanish, and the job doesn't get any more difficult than when you're facing a life-threatening situation. Here is where we all need to buckle down and insist that there is no higher power than Almighty God, who is always with us, protecting, directing, and offering a refuge from danger. It's true; prayer really does help take the pressure off.