EGN NEWS DESK
A marketing campaign has been launched to guard non secular programmes from potential cuts in a brand new Media Bill going via Parliament.
The Sandford St Martin Trust has revealed its #BeliefMatters petition – timed to coincide with the passage of the federal government’s Media Bill to the House of Lords – and has inspired anybody involved concerning the risk to non secular broadcasting to signal it.
The petition raises the alarm about how proposed modifications to current broadcasting laws threaten the way forward for non secular broadcasting and can negatively have an effect on non secular literacy within the UK.
Anna McNamee, Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, stated: “Recent occasions around the globe present how vital non secular literacy is. But in its present kind, the Media Bill will put this core cultural and civic competency in danger.
“If it is handed in its present kind, public service broadcasters will now not be obliged to supply audiences with a variety of programming which incorporates ‘training, sport, science, faith and different beliefs, social points, issues of worldwide significance or curiosity’.
“Instead, they are going to solely want to supply ‘an applicable vary of genres’ with out saying what’s ‘applicable’ or what constitutes ‘a variety’.”
The long-established Trust – that has made highly-prized awards for the very best in non secular broadcasting since 1978 – believes that “broadcasting is a key software for selling the higher understanding of how faith shapes and is formed by politics, social actions and tradition.”
It is looking for any new laws to “clearly defend the longer term amount and high quality of spiritual programming.”
According to the printed regulator Ofcom there was a steep decline in non secular broadcasting within the UK over the previous decade, as highlighted by the Religion Media Centre.
Between 2013 and 2022 the entire quantity of ‘Religion & Ethics’ programming broadcast throughout the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV dropped dramatically from 254 hours to 140 hours per 12 months. By 2022 Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5 weren’t broadcasting any Religion and Ethics programming in any respect.
McNamee added: “The Sandford St Martin Trust has lengthy argued that to disregard faith is to depart a gaping gap on the coronary heart of public service broadcasting. We hope anybody who, like us, values non secular literacy and believes broadcasters ought to help this via their programming, will signal and share the #BeliefMatters petition.”
The marketing campaign comes because the BBC faces continued criticism for considerably lowering native radio broadcasting, together with its weekly Sunday morning religion programmes.
Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, UK, and a former communications director with the CofE.
