Clergy: 'TV is marginalising religion'

The Church of England is to hold a debate about the "sensationalist and unduly critical nature" of current religious programming on British television, it has emerged.

Next month, bishops and clergy in the General Synod will be told that the "once exemplary" state of religious output on UK channels has become a consistent marginalisation of the "few remaining programmes".

Nigel Holmes, member of the Carlisle diocese and an ex-BBC producer, will tell the Synod in a private motion that the BBC's religious coverage has declined by a third over the past ten years.

In a background research paper published ahead of the meeting, Holmes expresses concern that the BBC now runs just two regular religious programmes, Songs Of Praise and The Big Questions, with the latter's "adversarial format" frequently reinforcing the notion that religion is a problem.

However, the paper also highlights that the drop in ITV's religious programming has been "far steeper", from around 110 hours in 2000 to "next to nothing" today.

BBC Three only covers religious topics "from the angle of a freak show", while Channel 4 takes a more "sensationalist and critical" viewpoint when making programmes about Christianity compared to other religions.

As the Synod meeting, Holmes will tell members that nature and natural history are now of much greater interest to TV commissioning editors than religious concepts.

He will further point to a "lack of sympathy for, and ignorance of, religion" at British broadcasters which results in "poor decisions in the corridors of power".

For example, the "significant season" of Advent last year was not accompanied by any dedicated programming, apart from former daytime TV presenter Fern Britton interviewing Tony Blair.

"Was this yet another indication that the teaching and devotional aspect of religious broadcasting must now bow to the celebrity culture?" Holmes will ask.

As a response, Holmes is calling on Synod members to work harder on encouraging broadcasters to create more "moving and memorable" programming about religious faith.

Last week, BBC Radio 2 DJ Simon Mayo also expressed concern that the BBC is pushing religious coverage and topics to the margins of its output.