Christianity and the Beeb

The BBC has been blamed for facilitating Brexit because it was biased against Remainers in that it gave equal time to the ‘lies and propaganda’ of the Leave campaign. The BBC has been blamed for frustrating Brexit because it was biased against Leavers in that it gave more time to Remainers to spread their ‘lies and propaganda.’

If being complained about by both sides is a mark of balance then it appears as though the BBC should be quite pleased with itself. But what about the BBC and Christianity? Whilst there are a handful of militant atheists who have a fit every time there is a religious service on the Beeb, the majority of complaints tend to be from those of us who think that the BBC has long forgotten and rejected its Christian foundations. I was once asked to give ‘Thought for the Day’ on BBC Radio Scotland – a simple 90 seconds of commentary on today’s issues from a Christian perspective. For some reason the producer was not happy for me to just walk into the

studio and do it live. Not only did he need a script with the exact words (to be vetted), but I had to send him a couple of trial scripts beforehand. After he got the first he phoned to ask me to remove the phrase ‘Britain’s Christian traditions’. Why? ‘Because it might offend’. ‘You want me to speak to quarter of a million people without offending anyone? I can’t speak to myself without offending someone! Besides which it’s true’, I replied. ‘It doesn’t matter if it’s true – you can’t say that.’ And I didn’t because I was banned. And in that one phrase the problem with the BBC and Christianity is summed up.