Given the ever-growing salience of religion as a political, social and cultural factor in global affairs, even in comparatively secular Western Europe, and the ubiquity and importance of the media, now present in almost every area of our lives, one would have imagined that religious literacy among those who report news and make programmes would have been of paramount importance. Discussing or depicting religion inaccurately today risks not only misleading the public (which is bad in itself) but provoking suspicion, tension and, at its most egregious, outright hostility within and between communities. There is no sector of society – whether politics, business or sport – that actively seeks erroneous or flawed coverage of its dynamics and structures, but there are few where the stakes are higher. When it comes to people's core identities – the ideas, objects and practices that they hold in special consideration, indeed, hold as ‘sacred’, and the values by means of which they navigate shared public space – it is essential that we understand them as fully and seriously as possible. Understanding does not necessarily mean sympathise, still less agree with – we should not impose consensus where there is none – but it does mean placing ourselves in a position from which we can make the truest and fairest judgement of the people among whom we live. This chapter examines religious literacy in the British media, outlining its history, focusing at first on the BBC as the longstanding dominant feature on the national religious broadcasting landscape in this particular context, and then analysing its current condition, in the process outlining why religious literacy matters in the media, and what can be done to improve it.

Understanding the background: the BBC and religious Broadcasting

From its outset in 1922, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was married to religious broadcasting, which initially comprised almost exclusively Christian content. Lord Reith, the son of a Scottish Presbyterian minister, was himself a committed Christian and was convinced that his fledgling organisation could play an important role in keeping Christian values as a central part of the life of the nation.