BBC should have a religion editor, says Church of England

John Plunkett in The Guardian has reported that Bishop Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester and the Church of England's senior spokesman on communications has come out supporting Roger Bolton's suggestion to appoint a religion editor to act as a "trusted guide" for people with faith as well as those without.

Bishop Nigel McCulloch made the comments in the Church of England's response to the BBC Trust's review on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and digital station Radio 7, which is to be rebranded as Radio 4 Extra.

It [The Church of England] said Radio 4 broadcast more than the required number of hours of religious programming, and said the three BBC stations, along with Radio 3 and Radio 7, "broadcast an unparalleled range and depth of religious programming which deserves grateful acknowledgement by all those concerned with increasing mutual understanding between people of all faiths and none".


The BBC came under attack for "marginalising" its coverage of religious and ethical issues at a Church of England national assembly debate in February this year. But senior members of the church's general synod rejected a motion attacking broadcasters over the lack of religious programmes. It was replaced with a more anodyne statement expressing appreciation of broadcasters' religious output, and voicing more general concern at the reduction in religious broadcasting. The Church of England said today that its submission to the BBC Trust reflected a tone of "critical friendship" towards mainstream broadcasters.

 We shall see what The BBC Trust gas to say in due course....