Let's say a financial reporter for the New York Times called a trader on Wall Street for a story on interest rates. In the course of the conversation, the reporter asks: "now, higher rates means higher yields, right?" The person being interviewed would probably say "how did you become a reporter with this beat?" or he or she might just hang up the phone. Actually, something like that would never happen because the New York Times expects it financial reporters to know their subjects.
It's different in religion. A reporter from a major news source said to me yesterday, "now, everything the Pope says is infallible, right?" I was gentle in my correction. But when you think about it...wow. These are the people reporting the religion news everywhere today.
