What CNN, Fox News, MSNBC Can Learn From Pope Francis' Rousing Speech

Catholics across the U.S. rejoiced on Wednesday as Pope Francis waved his hands at adoring worshipers throughout Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, politicians — and political media — listened to the Argentine-born pontiff as he gave a rousing speech in front of a joint session of Congress.

And for media that have earned an increasing share of Americans’ scorn, all outlets can learn from the religious icon’s call for unity and a closing of the social and economic divide.

Also Read: 5 Powerful Moments From Pope Francis' Congressional Address

“Look at all the media he gets for doing a healing presence — there’s way more opportunity for healing than the fear-mongering that goes on in the press,” Sister Simone Campbell, who attended the pope’s congressional speech on Thursday, told TheWrap.

Campbell spearheaded the infamous “Nuns on a Bus” tour in 2012 that traveled to nine states in opposition of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal, which Campbell viewed as a document against the poor and needy. Pope Francis seemed in lock step with Sister Simone on Thursday, calling for an end to economic slavery.

Also Read: Pope Francis Calls for Climate Change Action During Historic Visit With President Obama

“I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty,” he said. Campbell took such comments as the pope’s call for Americans to aspire to dreams and vision instead of polarized divisions.

She also thinks the pope’s comments might prompt some media executives and politicians to recall why they chose their professional paths in the first place.

“The combination of the quest for money and the hunger for notoriety in order to get re-elected — it’s that dual struggle that is fueling this name-calling that’s supposed to pass for dialogue,” she said.

Fr. Jonathan Morris, a Fox News religious analyst, thinks everyone — including media executives and journalists–should take a cue from Pope Francis.

“Every single person has social responsibility,” Morris told TheWrap. “The Pope’s message was speak the truth and look out for the common good and if we either don’t speak the truth or purposely divide for selfish purposes [economic or social] we’re breaking with our social responsibility.”

Politics should be a noble profession, Morris said, and no politician or journalist should let their personal ambitions exacerbate division and polarization in the U.S..

But journalism veteran and University of Maryland professor Mark Feldstein poured some cold, but sensible, water on the notion that the media will take anything away from Pope Francis’ calls for unity aside from some entertaining primetime segments on Thursday night.

Also Read: Brian Williams' TV Return, Pope Francis Arrival Draw Big Ratings for MSNBC

“The only learning lessons TV executives seek are about how to increase their ratings and profits — not how to uplift the moral or spiritual tone of their programming,” he told TheWrap.

Feldstein thought the Pope was spot-on in his calls for action against poverty, environmental degradation and climate change. “It’s a terrible indictment of our news media that Pope Francis understands this better than the executives who control our communications outlets,” he said, adding that in decades, the media will be faulted in textbooks about climate change.

“When this era’s history of journalism is written by future generations, the news media will be remembered for having fiddled while the planet literally burned.”

Also Read: Pope Francis Calls for Climate Change Action During Historic Visit With President Obama

But Feldstein isn’t ready to call for the media guillotine quite yet.

“Of course, it’s not just the fault of the news executives, who answer to shareholders seeking maximum profit on their corporate investments,” he said. “Any TV boss who focused on poverty and climate change wouldn’t last long in the job because ratings would tank and profits and stock prices would follow suit.”

Also Read: Weather Channel Founder to CNN: Network 'Has Drunk the Kool-Aid' on Climate Change (Video)

“The ugly truth is that the blame belongs to all of us who prefer to be distracted by celebrity gossip and sensational trivia rather than issues of substance that really matter to the future of mankind,” he concluded. “The fault is not in our media — which merely panders to what we want — it is in ourselves.”

Imagine if Pope Francis could rally the troops to fix that.

Pope Francis Gets Rock-Star Reception in US (Photos)

Pope Francis arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland from Cuba on Sept. 22, 2015.
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President Barack Obama, the First Lady and their daughters welcome Pope Francis, during his first visit to the U.S. on Sept. 22, 2015.
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Pope Francis is greeted by a group of Catholic school children on Sept. 22, 2015.
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Pope Francis waves to crowds from the back of his Fiat after arriving from Cuba on Sept. 22, 2015.
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President Obama and Pope Francis shake hands during the arrival ceremony at the White House on Sept. 23, 2015.
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Pope Francis and President Obama stand for the U.S. National Anthem during the White House arrival ceremony on Sept. 23, 2015.
The Pontiff, President and Mrs. Obama wave to crowds outside the White House on Sept. 23, 2015.
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Pope Francis and President Obama review the U.S. Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps during the arrival ceremony at the White House on Sept. 23, 2015.
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Pope Francis gives a speech during his arrival ceremony at the White House on Sept. 23, 2015.
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President Obama and Pope Francis have a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 23, 2015.
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Pope Francis rides in his specially-made Jeep popemobile during a parade on Sept. 23, 2015.
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Spectators gather on the streets of Washington, D.C. to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis.
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The Pope kisses a little girl, after she broke through a security barricade on Sept. 23, 2015.
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The Pope leads a canonization Mass for Junipero Serra on Sept. 23, 2015.
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The Pontiff closes the canonization Mass with Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl.
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The Pope waves to a crowd from the balcony of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2015.
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The Pope greets members of Congress just before giving a speech on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner listen to an address by Pope Francis on Sept. 24, 2015.
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The Pope addresses a joint session of Congress on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Pope Francis meets with homeless, immigrant and low-income clients of Catholic Charities in Washington on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Pope Francis bids farewell to Secretary of State John Kerry before departing Washington on Sept, 24, 2015.
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Pope Francis leaves Washington via American Airlines en route to New York City on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Pope Francis makes his way down 5th Avenue in New York City towards St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Pope Francis is greeted by crowds in New York City on Sept. 24, 2015.
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The Pope acknowledges well-wishers outside St. Patrick's Cathedral as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) watch on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Protesters hold signs on Fifth Avenue before the arrival of Pope Francis at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sept. 24, 2015.
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Police stand watch outside St. Patrick's Cathedral awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis on Sept. 24, 2015.
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A crowd watches coverage of Pope Francis's arrival to New York on a billboard in Times Square on Sept. 24, 2015
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Pope Francis pauses to pray during a visit to Ground Zero on Sept. 25, 2015.
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Pope Francis visits the Ground Zero Memorial Grounds on Sept. 25, 2015.
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Pope Francis delivers an address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on Sept. 25, 2015 in New York City.
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Pope Francis delivers an address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on Sept. 25, 2015 in New York City.
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Thousands of people wait to go through security screening to enter Central Park where Pope Francis will ride in a motorcade on Sept. 25, 2015 in New York City.
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School children photograph Pope Francis after his arrival to the Lady Queen of Angels school on Sept. 25, 2015.
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Pope Francis greets school children upon his arrival to the Lady Queen of Angels school on Sept. 25, 2015 in the Harlem neighborhood.
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Thousands of people gathered to see Pope Francis ride through Central Park in the popemobile on Sept. 25, 2015.
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Pope Francis waves as he rides through Central Park in the popemobile on Sept. 25, 2015
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