Exclusive: BBC rejects Thought for the Day reform
BBC on defensive over Thought for the Day
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Thursday, 08, Jan 2009 07:56
By Alex Stevenson
The BBC is resisting pressure to make the Today programme's Thought for the Day slot less "spiritual", Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer has told inthenews.co.uk.
He admitted to inthenews.co.uk the slot's religious emphasis raised "a genuinely difficult question" but was unwilling to extend its contributors beyond "believers".
It follows debate about the role of religion in British society after comments on creationism by Richard Dawkins, the Church of England defending its political comments over the Christmas period and the launch of an atheist advertising campaign in London earlier this week.
The Thought for the Day slot sees religious voices from across a broad range of denominations and other religions offer spiritual reflection for three minutes each morning.
It is an integral part of the Today programme but one which British Humanist Association chief executive Hanne Stinson believes reflects the unfair role of religion in British society.
"People who have a strong ethical viewpoint that doesn't come from religion don't get a word in," she told inthenews.co.uk.
"If they called it 'religious thought for the day' that would be fine. But the implication Thought for the Day has to be religious is actually quite insulting to other people who obviously. from their background as philosophers, ethicists, whatever, may have in some cases more important things to say but don't get a chance to say it."
Her views appear to be gathering widespread support. Gavin Orland, a humanist, attracted 1,660 signatures to his campaign calling for the slot to be scrapped or reformed.
He wrote: "If Thought for the Day is to remain, it must at least admit non-religious commentators (AC Grayling would be one who springs to mind). It is otherwise unrepresentative as a moral slot, and it insultingly implies that only religious people have any moral authority. This is unacceptable."
The BBC is reluctant to broaden the slot's brief because, Mr Damazer explained, this would detract from its "distinctiveness".
"We are broadcasting to the general Radio 4 audience which regularly engages with the comments and ideas expressed by our contributors from the world's major faiths - whether they are believers or not," he said.
"Outside Thought for the Day the BBC's religious output contains both religious and non-religious voices in programmes such as Sunday, Beyond Belief, Moral Maze. In these programmes atheists, humanists and secularists are regularly heard, the religious world is scrutinised, its leaders and proponents are questioned.
"Non-religious voices are also heard extensively across the general output in news, current affairs, documentaries, talks, science, history. These programmes approach the world from perspectives which are not religious. As, of course, do the other two hours 57 minutes of Today."
Recent Thought for the Day topics have included the creationism debate, wealth's impact on contentment and the connection between music and the soul.