Christians are being urged to pray for the media and those who work in it.
The call, by Christians in Media, comes as 49 journalists and media workers have been killed this year alone and 524 are currently in prison.
A global index compiled by Reporters Without Borders shows North Korea, Eritrea and Iran as having the worst records on press freedom, with China also near the foot of the table.
The call for prayer also comes at a time when trust in many news sources is at historically low levels, and fake news and disinformation are major concerns worldwide.
Speaking at the Christians in Media annual service in London this month, broadcaster Simon Thomas encouraged Christians considering a career in media to “keep God right at the centre of everything that you do”.
“Include him at every stage because there are going to be setbacks, there are going to be dreams that didn’t quite happen in the way you wanted, but God will lead you through, he will take you to where you need to be,” he continued.
The former Blue Peter and Sky Sports presenter told the service how he seeks to be open about his faith. He continued: “If I’m ever interviewed for a job in a media setting, I will talk about my faith because it’s real, it’s part of who I am, it’s part of my family and I’ll be bold enough to say, if that’s a problem for a broadcaster, then I’d rather not take that job.”
The group, which exists as a community for Christians working in and with media in the UK, said: “Love it or hate it, media plays a vital role in our lives. At its best, media gives a voice to the voiceless, holds the powerful to account, and highlights unjust practices while entertaining us and keeping us informed.
“From national newspapers to local radio, from websites to specialist publications, from TV networks to blogs, all have a valuable role to play. A thriving global and national media matters to all of us. We want to know about our world, its celebrations, its problems and its joys, and we need a thriving media to help us engage with it.”
