Category - thought for the day

Now a question of 'when' not 'if' Thought for the Day will be broadened

Press Office — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:05:11 +0000

Speaking after a debate with Controller of Radio 4 Mark Damazer on the BBC's PM Programme, concerning the BBC Trust's report on Thought for the Day, Ekklesia co-director Jonathan Bartley said:

BBC Controller indicates Thought for the Day could be opened up

staff writers — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:42:21 +0000

BBC Controller Mark Damazer last night gave the strongest indication yet that the BBC may eventually open up the Thought for the Day slot to a wider range of contributors.

Time for the religious to kick the broadcasting habit

Press Office — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:26:14 +0000

A new paper released today by the religion and society think-tank Ekklesia highlights how, since its origins in the wartime programming of World War Two, the extension of BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day (TFTD) beyond their own voices has been resisted by Church leaders.

The 'Thought for the Day' debate

Lizzie Clifford — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:56:19 +0000

This paper by Ekklesia researcher Lizzie Cifford looks into the background and history of BBC Radio 4's short 'Thought for the Day' (TftD) slot, as a precursor to a wider analysis of 'Thought for the Day' scripts which Ekklesia is currently embarked on. TftD has become a topic of public and media debate of late concerning the proposal that non-religious as well as religious voices should be heard on it. The paper seeks to reflect the range of viewpoints on TftD, as well as providing information about its development and presentation. It traces how the origins of TftD came in a context of BBC religious broadcasting which was originally viewed as ‘evangelistic and missionary’ and now has to adapt to a mixed-belief society, including humanists, atheists and those who see themselves as 'spiritual but not religious'. The paper describes how attempts at re-branding from the mid 1960s have been opposed by some in the Anglican Church and elsewhere as part of a concern about the withdrawal of the BBC from its position as a central broadcaster in what was seen as a ‘Christian country’. It also highlights how a number of other radio stations, in particular regional programmes, have output which is similar to TftD, but successfully include contributions from the non-religious, as well as ‘minority’ religions, raising further questions about why TftD itself has not followed suit. However, the aim of this paper is description rather than advocacy. Further research on the content of TftD will be published in the new year.

Lizzie Clifford

Thought for the Day must reform or die

Jonathan Bartley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:52:56 +0000

Those responsible for Thought of the Day should learn a lesson from history, says former contributor Jonathan Bartley. When an institution does not reform, it loses its authority and credibility.

Marginalising the religious from Thought for the Day

Jonathan Bartley — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:41:28 +0100

I have just had a press release through from Andrew Graystone at the Churches Media Council (CMC) advertising a debate about whether Thought for the Day should be expanded to include Humanists.

Don't confuse religion with spirituality, report suggests

Press Office — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:41:21 +0100

As the debate continues about the inclusion in BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day of those who are not from the major world religions, a new paper from the religious thinktank Ekklesia urges that spirituality should not be confused with religion

BBC may open up Thought for the Day slot

staff writers — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:30:53 +0100

Thought for the Day may finally be opened up to ‘minor’ religions and non-religious contributors after a number of campaigns for the two and a half minute section of the Today programme to be changed.

BBC religion head should have a 'passion for production'

Andrew Graystone — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:07:53 +0100

Andrew Graystone says that the new Head of Religion could be a Muslim or a Methodist, a Hindu or a Humanist - as long as they believe something and believe it with a passion.

Bowing to religious prejudice in broadcasting?

Sunny Hundal — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:10:26 +0100

Calls for the BBC's new head of religion and ethics to be a Christian as if by right or necessity are wrong, says Sunny Hundal. Public broadcasting should be open to all and not beholden to narrow lobbies.