ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Coverage of religion has broadened in newspapers, but the accuracy of that coverage has not, according to a study released by the University of Rochester.

Reporting on the research, the Episcopal News Service said faculty and students in the department of religion analyzed 12 daily newspapers. The university called the study, "Religion in American Newspapers: A Critique and Challenge," the most exhaustive review of religion in the media in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"Since September 11, America's stakes in understanding the visions and hopes of the world's religions are higher now than ever," said William Scott Green, dean of the college and a professor of Judaic studies. "For most Americans, the press is a primary source of information about other peoples' religions."

The newspapers studied were: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, The Denver Post, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, and USA Today.

"When it comes to religion, the press seems at odds with itself," the introduction to the study said. "On one hand, religion pervades America's newspapers as part of the background on topics from politics and economics to sports and the arts. On the other hand, stories about religion itself infrequently address religion's beliefs and values."

For example, researchers found that much of the coverage of the Roman Catholics is associated with the church's sex-abuse scandals, and coverage of Islam is "more than ever identified with terrorism," according to the news service.

The study asks whether "religion is a topic that is too difficult to treat in daily newspapers? Does it pose challenges to reporting that other subjects do not? Should the press be obligated to cover religion fully?" The answers to those questions "raise important issues for the conduct and character of American life."

Among the recommendations emerging from the study are:

• Remember that the context is the key to the complete reporting of a story.
• Make a clear distinction between religion and criminal activity associated with that religion.
• Consider a religion section to provide fair, comprehensive and interesting coverage.
• Accentuate religion close to home.
• Be balanced in coverage to help readers achieve an "accurate perspective on their communities."
• Reflect both the newspaper's region and country in terms of race, gender and religion.
• Develop a means of obtaining advice and expertise about religion.