BBC commissioners “remain committed to religious content”
from Religion Media Centre:
BBC executives in charge of religious programming have given an assurance that the BBC is still committed to religious content and there are no plans to move programmes from linear to online platforms.
In an interview with the Church Times, Tim Pemberton, the Head of Religion and Ethics for BBC Audio, and Daisy Scalchi, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual BBC, answered questions raised about the future of religious broadcasting, as the Media Bill goes through Parliament.
This removes the obligation for public service broadcasters to cover the genres of arts, science and religion and there have been fears expressed that this will lead to fewer religious programmes being commissioned. The BBC’s remit is set out in its Charter, up for renewal from 2027, and operating license. Daisy Scalchi said Ofcom would continue to count the number of hours of religious programming. Within the BBC, she said the understanding of religion as an essential part of the public-service remit had increased.
BBC Budgets were squeezed, so every programme commissioned had to go across all platforms. Ms Scalchi said the need for religious literacy is more important than ever: “Whether you have a faith or not, it is essential to good social cohesion that we understand different belief systems, different faiths, particularly on the global stage, where the numbers and that overall picture is quite distinct from what’s happening here in the UK.”
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