Nepal, Oct. 17 -- News outlets in Nepal often welcome Dashain with their mastheads adorned with images of tika and jamara. This is a familiar practice, and it reflects the festival's cultural significance in Nepali society. But it also raises an important question: do these media outlets extend the same visual recognition to festivals celebrated by other religious and cultural communities?

The relationship between media and religion extends beyond the publication of religious news. Media studies have long examined how religion is represented in the press, entertainment and digital communication, and how religious identities become visible in public life.

A 2002 academic review titled Media and Religion by communication researcher Paul A...