BBC TV 'sees religion as tiresome obligation'

[DavidDvorkin]

Religious coverage is seen as a "rather tiresome obligation" by "secular and sceptical" BBC television staff, a Radio 4 broadcaster has said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8705560.stm

If only that were true of major American broadcasters!

The man who makes this claim then calls for the BBC to appoint "BBC religion editor to improve coverage of faith matters." He sees a problem where I see an excellent situation that doesn't need changing.

[Lance_Boyle]

1. The UK still has an official religion.

The mandatory BBC tax would not go over well in this country if religious programming was required. I wonder if the BBC could operate within its charter if its "religious programming" was entirely skeptical and/or comparative in nature?

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. To be precise, Bolton is calling for a religion editor for BBC News

because he wants it to have more prominence in news bulletins (having just a 'religion correspondent' means they're a bit more junior, and probably don't have as much clout in getting the budget for going out and looking for stories). The BBC already has a commissioning editor for religion and ethics programmes (though it put the Daily Torygraph's nose well out of joint when a Muslim was appointed to that position last year).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/26/bbc-news-religion-roger-bolton

I imagine changing religious programming to entirely sceptical or comparative output wouldn't go down well. I don't think there's a need for that, though; the straight broadcasting of Christian services on TV is less than an hour each Sunday, plus a few more services (or equivalent, eg speech by the Pope) at Christmas and Easter. There's still an audience interest in it.

[zazen]

2. so British comedian Eddie Izzard's impersonation of Anglicans is true!

"Cake, or death?"

[PassingFair]

3. Death....

I mean CAKE!

[donco6]

5. LOL! Yep. n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

6. PBS is always reverential

The commercial outlets, too.