Not enough religion on TV?

According to the Church of England, there’s simply not enough religious programming on UK television (see this BBC News article). I think that what they are actually trying to say is that there is not enough Christian television programming on British television.

It has said that we need more programming that “imaginatively marks major festivals”, and points to what it deemed a poor schedule of religious shows to mark Good Friday in 2009. Further more the original motion passed at the synod by Nigel Holmes singled out the BBC in particular , saying,

A fortnight ago the BBC announced that it was commissioning research with a view to improving the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Perhaps it could do the same for those who proclaim a faith.

One wonder if Mr. Holmes is referring to all those who “proclaim a faith” to have recognition in mainstream programming? Is he saying that there should be more output to reflect the broad religious makeup of Britain in the 21st Century? Is he saying that there should be programming to mark religious festivals of the major non-Christian religions? Perhaps a week of programming to mark the Hindu festival of Gancha Ganapati, or a month of programming to celebrate the Islamic festival of Ramadan? Somehow, I think this is not what he is trying to say.

What I think he is saying is that he feels that there is just not enough representation of Christianity on television, singling out the BBC in particular. Perhaps Mr. Holmes has missed Songs of Praise on BB1 every Sunday tea-time for the past, oh, nearly fifty years?!

For those of you unfamiliar with the BBC, it is a publicly funded television channel where the majority of it’s income is brought in from the compulsory purchase of a Television License for anyone able to receive television (either traditional analog, digital cable or satellite or over a computer). Additionally, the BBC (and the other four “main” channels) have certain quotas they must fulfil in respect of certain programming types (such as religious, educational, children’s entertainment, original drama).

While the synod did reject Mr. Holmes original motion and instead chose to say that it had

deep concern about the overall reduction in religious broadcasting across British television in recent years.

While not quite as scathing as Mr. Holmes original motion it is still worrying that the Church of England sees fit to attempt to hijack the BBC (and the other four channels) for it’s own gain.

They say “religious broadcasting”, they mean “Christian programming”. As one person commented on the original article,

The BBC should exist to educate and entertain, not to indoctrinate.

Rant over.

Survivors, Tuesday night, BBC, 9 o’clock

Survivors Cast

Is anybody else hooked on the second season of Survivors (Tuesdays, BBC 1, 21:00)? We’re now four episodes in to it’s second outing and, boy, have they covered a huge amount of ground!

From the spectacular special effects of a hospital collapsing in episode one to the Greg turning all Judas on Tom at his “trial” in episode three, it’s been a massive roller coaster ride of events and emotions.

For those of you who missed out on season one, a virulent and untreatable disease has wiped out 99% of the world’s population, with the remaining 1% struggling to survive in a world where modern comforts and technology are but a memory and the fight for survival is brutal and unkind. The group is more encouraged (rather than actually led) by Abby Grant (played by julie Graham), a woman in search of her son who was on a camping expedition when the plague struck. What’s more, Abby is the only person known to have caught the disease and then recovered from it, which makes her a target for a mysterious laboratory that knew of the plague and it’s ferocity and sealed itself away from the world.

The backgrounds of each of the characters is only hinted at, and with some of them there’s very little to go on. Take Tom, or instance. We know he was in prison at the time of the plague, and we know he can be violent, but we don’t know exactly why he has been banged up.

If you have missed it, Season One is available to buy on DVD in the UK, and if you liked films like 28 Days then this is right down your street. Season two episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer until March (only accessible to those accessing the site from within the UK).