Ruth Moon
Rapid City
General assignment reporter for the Rapid City Journal.
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Articles by Ruth Moon
Examining Journalists’ Adoption of Social Media Tools in Contexts of Precarity
Advanced search Journalism Studies Latest Articles Submit an article Journal homepage Full Article Figures & data References Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Read this article /doi/full/10.1080/1461670X.2024.2414340?needAccess=true ABSTRACT Digital technologies have changed journalists’ work practices and their roles with far-reaching effects for news production.
“Scooped by the Town Drunk”: Unpacking the Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Journalism Work
Advanced search Digital Journalism Latest Articles Submit an article Journal homepage Full Article Figures & data References Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Read this article /doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2024.2344125?needAccess=true Abstract Journalists serving rural communities are crucial sources of information across the U.S.; they also face challenges and opportunities unlike those of their peers at large urban outlets.
“It’s Not Hate but … ”: Marginal Categories in Rural Journalism
ABSTRACT Journalists who cover rural areas in the United States say they are afraid to report on hate groups, and this fear is exacerbated by close community ties and limited resources among rural journalists. We examine the concept of “hate speech” as a boundary object, analyzing in-depth interviews with U.S. journalists reporting in rural communities (n = 33) to better understand how rural journalists report on hate.
Aarrgh We There Yet?
Pirates Bay, the great sweep of ocean east of teralina/Eaglehawk Neck, received its first European name, Monge Bay, during Baudin’s expedition, in 1802. The earliest use of ‘Pirates Bay’ appears on a map printed in 1824. Below ‘Pirates Bay’ is written ‘Schooner taken, 30th January 1822’.
Moto-Taxis, Drivers, Weather, and WhatsApp: Contextualizing New Technology in Rwandan Newsrooms
Abstract Journalists adopt new technologies amid the limitations and structure of their existing tools. This study uses organizational sociology and actor-network theory to examine the infrastructure supporting journalists’ newsgathering in two Rwandan newsrooms, highlighting the role of the messaging platform WhatsApp.
Away With 'Away in the Manger'?
Discussion Starter: Christmas The U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to consider a challenge to a ban on religious carols in public schools. The decision underscored how singing "songs of good cheer" can be complicated. Some Christians believe that leading up to Christmas, churches should not sing carols that celebrate the birth of Christ. Others question the theology of some carols.
Should Christians Stop Studying the Teachings of Fallen Pastors?
After popular Florida pastor Bob Coy confessed to a 'moral failing' and resigned, his Fort Lauderdale megachurch took his sermons offline. It said it was preventing malicious use. But public demand for the sermons stayed strong. Should Christians stop downloading and listening to the sermons of fallen pastors?
When Journalists See Themselves as Villains: The Power of Negative Discourse
Aitamurto, T., Varma, A. (2018). The constructive role of journalism: Contentious metadiscourse on constructive journalism and solutions journalism. Journalism Practice, 12(6), 695–713. Google Scholar | Crossref Bourdieu, P., Wacquant, L. J. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology. University of Chicago Press. Google Scholar Carlson, M. (2014). Gone, but not forgotten: Memories of journalistic deviance as metajournalistic discourse. Journalism Studies, 15(1), 33–47.
Did Evangelicals Change the Climate Change Conversation?
Katharine Wilkinson has been interested in the environment and religion's role in culture since her undergraduate years at Sewanee: The University of the South. So when the Rhodes Scholar began studying for a Ph.D. in environmental studies at Oxford University, she paired the two to study the evangelical community's discussions of climate change.
Pine Ridge resident appointed to national low-income housing board
Oglala Lakota Emma Clifford took housing at Pine Ridge into her own hands 12 years ago when she decided to lead a project to build a home for a man who was living in “unsafe” conditions. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” she said recently. “I did it all wrong, but that house is still standing, and someone is living in it.” Today, Clifford is still passionate about housing as executive director of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing.
Why Pope Francis Excites (Most) Evangelical Leaders
Image: Dmitry Lovetsky / AP Why Pope Francis Excites (Most) Evangelical Leaders Editor's note: CT has also gathered reactions from Argentine evangelical leaders (who describe Bergoglio as an "answer to our prayers") and evangelist Luis Palau, who has a personal friendship with Bergoglio. Pope Francis has drawn much attention for being the first pope to come from the ranks of the Americas and the Jesuits, as well as take the name Francis.
America’s Largest Christian Adoption Agency Lets LGBT Couples Foster in 1 of 35 States
Bethany Christian Services, the largest Christian adoption and foster agency in the United States, will begin placing foster children with same-sex couples for the first time after a legal battle in its home state of Michigan.
Embracing Science
If you were to listen to the views espoused by some of today's foremost "new atheists," you'd quickly draw a conclusion: We humans don't need religion, faith, or "God" any more. Science has answered (or is answering or someday will answer) our questions. Faith—akin to belief in a made-up fairy tale—has no place in a life of honest, logical scientific inquiry.
The Percentage of American Christians Who Believe in Climate Change is (Slightly) Growing
Climate change is happening. Among experts — people who’ve devoted their professional and academic careers to the study of the environment — there is virtually no disagreement. Climate change is happening, much of it is man-made and if there’s not a huge, global attempt to change course, the repercussions are going to keep getting worse. But among voters, climate change remains sort of a Rorschach Test for your political and social views.
Report: 85,000 Children May Have Starved to Death in Yemen
Save the Children, an international aid group, has calculated approximately 85,000 children under the age of 5 have starved to death as a result of civil war in Yemen. The group says the number is a “conservative estimate” based on historical studies of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children. The United Nations estimates around 1.3 million children have suffered from SAM in the wake of a war between Yemen’s rebel faction and a Saudi-led coalition which began in 2015.
Everything You Need to Know About What's Going Down With Brexit
British Prime Minister Theresa May is in hot water after two members of her own cabinet have quit over their opposition to her draft plans for a withdrawal from the European Union. Among the resignations was Dominic Raab, the chief negotiator of the deal. It’s all a little complicated, but here’s an extremely simplified breakdown of, well, the breakdown. Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU.
Report: 78 Students Have Been Abducted From a Christian School in Cameroon
Local reports from the Nkwen village near the city of Bamenda in northwest Cameroon say 78 students from a Presbyterian school have been kidnapped by armed gunmen. The kidnapping took place in an English-speaking region of the nation where separatists have been fighting to form an independent nation.
Social Media Rants Won't Change the World
It was 1990, during my senior year of college. My friends and I were enjoying a beer when we got into a spirited debate about some social issue. It’s been nearly 20 years so the topic escapes me but one friend was particularly passionate about it. Eventually, one of us asked, “Well, what are you doing about it?” After an awkward pause, my friend replied, “You know … that’s a good point.” We’re living in the midst of one of the worst refugee crisis of the 21st century.
Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslim...
"I would say it's absolutely appropriate, particularly if one does it for spiritual reasons, combining it with prayer and strengthening your discipline and submission to God. If there are side benefits, like showing some solidarity with your Muslim friends, that's fine too. It's best not to be bragging about it.
How Clean Water Really Does Change Everything
The expansive, bright green countryside dotted with farmhouses and lush crops planted in neat rows which surrounds the Zambian capital certainly don’t scream “We have a water problem” to the casual visitor. But even in this lush nation, water scarcity and lack of hygiene affect people’s daily lives. The CDC estimated that 11 percent of the deaths of children under the age of 5 were caused by diarrhea from poor sanitary conditions and water-related illness.
Teaching Natural Theology
The changing climate that threatens to drown the island nation of Tuvalu is also a trial by fire for the islanders' faith. "We plant and depend on God to provide fruits. We go out fishing with faith that God will provide enough daily," said Tafue Lusama, general secretary of the Ekalesia Kelisiano, Tuvalu's national church.
Why Domestic Violence in the Home Endangers Your Church
When a violent encounter happens at a church, it’s often a surprise—and 90 percent of the time, the violence doesn’t stop until the perpetrator decides to stop, according to statistics collected by church security expert Carl Chinn. Sometimes these violent events unfold too quickly for staff or law enforcement officials to respond.
Forgive Us Our Debts: How Christian College Grads Pay the Price
When Christian students view college as a part of their calling, they won’t let the cost get in the way. For some, that means doubling down on savings, hustling for scholarships, or working their way through undergrad or seminary: whatever it takes to cover rising tuition bills. Others see robust federal loan packages as a godsend, allowing them to enroll at a Christian college. Recent student loan trends have left some Christian college grads feeling the economic impact for decades.
A Corpus-Linguistic Analysis of News Coverage in Kenya's Daily Nation and The Times of London
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Ken Starr Resigns from Baylor Leadership; Football Coach Art Briles To Be Fired
Update (June 1): Former Baylor University president Ken Starr resigned this morning, shortly after his demotion to just chancellor following the Baptist school’s sexual assault shakeup. The decision came “as a matter of conscience,” he said on ESPN. “The captain goes down with the ship.” Baylor’s Board of Regents accepted Starr’s resignation and thanked him for his service.
Crimea Adoptions to Americans Blocked by Russia
[Updated with stats and evacuation plan from Ukraine Without Orphans.] Last year, Ukraine replaced Russia as the third-largest source of international adoptions by American families. Russia had ranked No. 3 or higher since 1999 (see charts below), but recently banned U.S. adoptions, leaving many orphans in limbo. But now, Russia's controversial annexation of Crimea from Ukraine has stalled all U.S. adoptions from the disputed Black Sea peninsula.
Who Are the Copts?
This weekend, Egypt will choose as its president either Mohamed Morsy of the Muslim Brotherhood or Ahmed Shafik of the former Hosni Mubarak regime. (That is, unless fallout from a high court's invalidation yesterday of the nation's parliament cancels the election.) Few Egyptians are excited about these choices—including many of the nation's Copts. But who are the Copts?
Christians Must Take Climate Change Seriously
Editor’s Note: A version of this story first ran on May 9. Living in a post-truth world can be difficult for those of us who simply do not understand the uncanny ability so many people have to simply dismiss facts. Working as a journalist covering climate change, global warming and clean technology for over a decade, this has been a specific problem I have had to deal with.
Segregated Surveys: How Politics Keeps Evangelicals White
The Assemblies of God, one of America’s largest and fastest-growing denominations, celebrated its 100th birthday this year. Almost all of its growth has come from ethnic minorities, who compose more than 41 percent of its 3.1 million American adherents. But on many national survey reports of religious Americans, those nearly 1.3 million evangelicals are invisible because they are not white.
$70,000 Minimum Wage Brings Bible Parable to Life (Unfortunately)
Earlier this year, Dan Price, a graduate of Seattle Pacific University and CEO of Seattle-based Gravity Payments, made headlines nationwide after announcing plans to raise his employees’ base salary to $70,000 a year. But not everyone at Gravity Payments agrees with his plans to share the wealth. Two of his top employees quit in protest. His brother, a co-owner of Gravity Payments, filed suit.
Onward 'Christian Soldiers': First American Volunteer Dies Fighting ISIS
Some of the foreign fighters flocking to Iraq and Syria are taking the side of persecuted Christians. The first American volunteer to die fighting ISIS in defense of persecuted Syrian and Iraqi Christians will be laid to rest Wednesday. Keith Broomfield, 36, had been in Syria for four months with the secular Kurdish People’s Protection Units. On June 3, he was killed during a skirmish with ISIS fighters near Kobani, a city in northern Syria.
Rally vendors swarm Sturgis to make it big or stay afloat
Todd Biggins of Missoula, Mont., hopes his new business, Kozmic Eatz, makes it big at this year's Sturgis motorcycle rally. "Last night was our first dollar," he said early in the week. "I'd like to get many more." The brand new, shiny chrome food truck is tucked behind a few other vendors off Lazelle Street near Junction Avenue. Biggins and two friends outfitted the truck with a new kitchen and set up two folding tables with a dozen bright blue chairs outside to attract customers.
Clean Water Changes Everything
The expansive, bright green countryside dotted with farmhouses and lush crops planted in neat rows which surrounds the Zambian capital certainly don’t scream “We have a water problem” to the casual visitor. But even in this lush nation, water scarcity and lack of hygiene affect people’s daily lives. USAID in 2010 estimated that 15 percent of the deaths of children under the age of 5 were caused by diarrhea from poor sanitary conditions and water-related illness.
One-Third of Audience for Christian Books, Radio, TV, and Movies Is Unchurched
LifeWay/NRB study examines whether Christian media is used for discipleship or evangelism. Is Christian media a better tool for discipleship or evangelism? A new study released at the 2015 NRB convention examines just who exactly engages with Christian books, radio, TV, and movies. “Christian media delivers teaching, music, and entertainment to a predominantly Christian constituency,” said Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research.
Breakaway Anglicans Can Keep Churches Worth $500 Million, Rules South Carolina Judge
Diocese of South Carolina not required to give properties and name back to national Episcopal Church.
Christianity Today
In response to same-sex marriage, hundreds signed a pledge endorsed by First Things to separate civil and Christian marriage. LifeWay Research found that 1 in 4 pastors (and 1 in 3 Americans) support such a move. Here’s how theologians and other experts answered the question. Answers are arranged on a spectrum from “yes” answers at the top to “no” answers at the bottom. "For a long time, Christianity has sewn its teachings into the fabric of Western culture. That was a good thing.
For Giving Tuesday: Where Evangelicals Donate (And No Longer Donate) Their Dollars
Christians are giving away more money than before the recession. But the parachurch, not churches, is getting most of it. Giving Tuesday, with its record number of participants this year, is extra frosting on the cake for charitable organizations, which saw more money from Americans in 2013 than before the 2007 recession. But most of that growth is going to charities, not churches, according to the latest reports from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and Giving USA.
For Giving Tuesday: Where Evangelicals Donate (And No Longer Donate) Their Dollars
Christians are giving away more money than before the recession. But the parachurch, not churches, is getting most of it. Giving Tuesday, with its record number of participating organizations this year, is extra frosting on the cake for charities, which saw more money from Americans in 2013 than before the 2007 recession.
Acts 29 Removes Mars Hill, Asks Mark Driscoll To Step Down and Seek Help
Update (Aug. 15): Mars Hill has canceled its 2014 Resurgence Conference, which was to be held October 28-29 and included recently resigned board members Paul Tripp and James MacDonald as speakers. "The Resurgence Conference has always been born out of our love of Jesus and the church, and the desire to support efforts to grow leaders to grow churches," states the church's announcement.
NRB Forces Out WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers Over Sister Imprint's 'Gay Christian' Book
Update (Nov. 4, 2014): Crown has announced that it is separating the location and leadership of Convegent and Waterbrook Multnomah. A leading Christian book publisher has resigned its membership in the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) after a dispute over God and the Gay Christian, a new book published by an affiliated imprint.
Is Valentine's Day a Lose-Lose Holiday?
Valentine's Day is lame. The holiday designed to celebrate love somehow makes most of us feel dissatisfied with our relationships or defensive about our relationship status — whether you're single, married, or dating. One of us is single. One of us is in a relationship.
Is Concern Over the Rise of the 'Nones' Overblown?
A recent Gallup report suggests that the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans, or "nones," may not be growing as quickly as widely thought. The "nones," who today represent almost 18 percent of U.S. adults, grew by only 0.3 percent in 2012—the smallest increase Gallup has seen since 2008 (when they numbered 14.6 percent). "We're getting bent out of shape over nothing. Institutional affiliation is not a spiritual issue—it's a generational one.
Should Churches Discourage Belief in Santa Claus?
Image: Bart Fields / Flickr Should Churches Discourage Belief in Santa Claus? "The key word is belief. Emulating Saint Nick is awesome, but I have problems with parents duping their children into believing that Santa exists. A church could acknowledge in a family context the historical person of St. Nicholas. But the figure the culture has created does not belong in church." Scottie May, professor, Wheaton College "The true meaning of Christmas is sacred.
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