Every October, a living religion is used as seasonal decoration. This year was a little better than last, and still not good enough. We offer this statement in the hope that next October will be better again.
What We Saw
During October 2026 our press volunteers read or watched 163 local news stories and broadcast segments, from across the country, that mentioned Witches, Wicca, or Paganism. We sorted them as fairly as we could.
| Kind of coverage | Items | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Novelty framing: costume imagery, "real witches," or spooky music | 71 | 44% |
| Accurate and respectful reporting on a religious community | 58 | 36% |
| Pagan religion linked, without basis, to crime or danger | 23 | 14% |
| Brief neutral listings of events | 11 | 7% |
Shares are rounded. In 2025, by the same method, respectful coverage made up 29 percent of what we reviewed. The improvement is real, and we thank the reporters and editors responsible for it.
Why It Matters
Samhain, which falls on October 31 and November 1, is the day on which many Pagans honor their dead. Families set a place at the table for a parent or a child who has died. It is among the most solemn days of the Pagan year.
When that day is covered with cartoon hats and jokes about spells, the harm is not hurt feelings alone. The Rights Desk hears from the people who live with the result: the employee whose request for leave on a holy day is laughed at, the child told by a classmate that her mother is "one of those witches from the news," the parent whose religion is described in a custody filing in the language of a horror film. Public images shape private treatment.
The 23 items that linked Pagan religion to crime or danger concern us most. In several, a symbol or a candle found at a scene was reported as evidence of "occult" or "ritual" activity, with no supporting statement from investigators. Reports of this kind have a long history, and it is not a proud one.
What Good Coverage Looked Like
The best stories we read this season had some things in common.
- They treated their subjects as members of a religion, and said which one.
- They explained Samhain in a sentence and let people describe their own observance.
- They used photographs of what actually took place.
- They asked how sources wished to be identified, and respected the answer.
- They found the ordinary: a hospice volunteer, a veteran, a family at a kitchen table.
What We Ask
We ask editors, producers, and reporters to consider five things before next October.
- Cover Samhain as you would cover any religious holy day.
- Retire the stock images. If a picture would be unacceptable beside a story about another religion's holy day, it is unacceptable here.
- Capitalize Pagan, Wiccan, and Witch when they name a religious identity.
- Do not report symbols or candles as signs of crime without a specific, attributed basis.
- Protect the privacy of sources who are not public about their religion.
Our Guide for Journalists sets out each of these points in detail, with a style table and a list of story ideas for every season.
What We Offer
Our press volunteers answer inquiries within one business day, and faster on deadline. We will check a term, explain a festival, or look for a local source. We will also meet with any newsroom or journalism class, in person or online, without charge. The next open session for journalists is listed on our Events Calendar.
Write to press@paganednet.org.
Miriam Castellane
Executive Director, Pagan EdNet