Faith programming continues on the BBC

BBC Religion and ethics leaders have confirmed that faith programs will remain on television and radio, and not just on digital platforms, such as the BBC celebrates a century of religious broadcasts.

Tim Pemberton, Head of Religion and Ethics for BBC Audio, and Daisy Scalchi, head of Religion and Ethics for Television, in a joint interview with the BBC emphasized that senior managers are “enthusiastic about religious programming,” despite budget constraints that require content to have the widest possible reach.

Reflecting on the pandemic era, Pemberton said “religion was as relevant as it was a hundred years ago,” highlighting the crucial role of broadcasting when churches were closed.

Pemberton focused on the decline in church attendance versus interest in spirituality, noting, “While formal religion… may decline over time… that is different from people’s interest in religion and the people’s involvement in spirituality.” Scalchi added that while more people identify as “None,” this does not equate to disinterest in religion. “It’s actually a very complex group of people who are often very warm towards religion,” she explained.

Despite budget challenges affecting all genres due to inflation, Scalchi assured that their focus remains on maximizing the reach of the content. She quoted Love, faith and me among series with significant digital success. Gareth Malones Passion for Easter was highlighted as a cross-platform initiative that brings the Passion Story to a broad audience. Scalchi commented on its importance: “It brought the Passion Story to a very wide audience… we ensure that this remains central to our offering at Easter.”

A monthly gift of $11 makes a world of difference

In a world of fake news, there has never been a greater need for quality Christian journalism. Premier’s mission is to provide the Church with the most timely and relevant news, told from a Christian perspective. But we can’t do it without you.

Unlike many other websites, we have not set up a paywall; we want to keep our journalism free when it is needed and as open as we can. Producing Premier’s news takes a lot of time, money and hard work. No one in the US shares news like we do on the radio, in magazines and online, so please help us continue that today.

For a monthly gift of $11 or more, we can also send you a free copy of the brand new Premier Bible, a beautiful Anglicized version of the NLT packed with exclusive bonus content, reading plan, and tools to help you get the most out of your book. from Scripture.

Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Thank you.

Support us