“Easter is not just one of the most important moments in the Christian calendar; it is also for the BBC the best way of illustrating its commitment to programming in this area.”
This bold statement accompanying the BBC’s release of its Easter broadcast schedule seems – on the face of it - justified by a strong and varied slate of programming. The outgoing Head of Commissioning, Religion, and Head of Religion and Ethics, Aquil Ahmed, comments: “This is an exciting mix of programming that shows the BBC at its best, mixing genres, working across channels and delivering for our audiences a diverse range of quality programming.”
But look a little closer and it’s possible to detect cracks in the BBC’s statements, as well as more evidence of the demise of the broadcaster’s commitment to the genre.
While religion has always enjoyed a healthy presence on radio – with a rich mix of reflection, worship, documentary and drama – television hasn’t proved such a fruitful medium.
The BBC’s commitment to all programme genres is realised via a mixture of regular, “strand” activity (for religion, programmes such as Songs of Praise and The Big Questions), and “originations” – new ideas commissioned from in-house and independent producers, using dedicated money set aside for each genre.
While strands form the underpinning of a genre’s presence on channels, originations are the key to commitment. The number of hours, the spend, the scheduling and the marketing of originations sends a signal to producers – both in-house and independent – that the BBC wants you to pay attention and think big: to develop brand new ideas, be creative, innovative, think of something new to say.
In addition to the strand programmes, this year’s Easter television has three strong new pieces: Tony Jordan’s drama The Ark, and David Suchet’s In The Footsteps of St Peter (both on BBC1) and The Gospel of John on BBC 2.
But while the Ark got a prime time slot on Monday befitting its glossy status, the Suchet piece – described by the BBC as “central” to this year’s offering – airs at 9am on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Gospel of John fares worse, going out at 8am on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. It’s a bit like serving Christmas dinner for breakfast – before your guests have even had a chance to realise what day it is.
The BBC may argue that the iPlayer is making scheduling a mere detail, and there may be some merit in this, but I suspect the target audience for these shows would still rather sit down and enjoy them as a shared cultural experience on broadcast television.
Interestingly, only the Suchet piece is a BBC Religion and Ethics department origination – and it was made by an independent company, not in-house. The Ark is a commission by the BBC’s Drama department, and The Gospel is an acquisition bought in from the Finnish production company Lumo and reversioned by the British independent production company CTVC, from which the BBC also commissioned the Suchet piece.
This detail may seem academic but to insiders it suggests a genre reliant on repeat strand activity and other departments’ output because its capacity to commission originations is seriously limited. If this is Religion’s showcase, what else is in the cupboard for the rest of the broadcast year?
Jacquie Hughes is a journalist, writer and academic and former BBC independent commissioner for Religion, Music, Arts and Performance
Above: Noah, played by David Threlfall in Tony Jordan's The Ark. Photo: BBC Pictures
Loading ...
What do you think?
You can post as a subscriber user ...
User comments (3)
Yes Posy the ubiquitous Easter bunny is a very clear sign of the times.
Dr Carmody's comments from Australia also make for rather sobering reading. Unfortunately I don't think BBC radio three is all that far behind.
And what are we to make of the cover of the Radio Times - a giant bunny, with attendant chicks?
This is a fair point, Ms Hughes. But take some consolation by looking southwards towards Australia.
When considering the schedules (radio and television) of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, one would be pardoned for thinking that there is a real hostility to religion within that highly secular organisation. And to judge from comments by past and current staff, one would be correct in thinking that. During 2015, the airtime devoted to programming about religion (radio and television, both) has shrunk: the programming people not only have an animus towards religion but seem to had a profound historical and anthropological ignorance of its enduring importance in the operation of human societies and cultures.
And on Holy Thursday, a presenter on the ABC's "Classical music" network, having played an extract from JS Bach's "St Matthew Passion", made the offensive and disrespectful remark (disrespectful to the composer and his music, as well as to the radio audience), "If Jesus is your thing....". That religious hostility is pervasive throughout the ABC and I await the CEO's response to my e-mail of protest: it will be a test of sorts.