Reviewing trends in the academic study of religion and examining media reports, attitudes towards new religious movements in American religious history shifted dramatically after the siege on the Branch Davidian compound. Surveying how scholars of religion and those in the media approached new religions, there is a notable shift in attitudes after the second raid on Mount Carmel. After the second raid in 1993, scholars published more work on new religious movements, and the media questioned its responsibility when chronicling such events.