Review of Religion on BBC Television, particularly BBC One - Terms of Reference
1. Background
- Governors approved a new religion strategy covering all media in September 2002. This aimed to:
- “bring renewed confidence and energy to reflecting the different faith experiences of the audience…through television, radio and interactive media of high quality and wide impact”
- On BBC One and Two: “Impact will come from landmark programmes in peak-time and high-profile series and seasons”
- The Central Religious Advisory Committee (CRAC) has highlighted concern about the marginalised scheduling of much religious output, including the absence of a regular slot, and the lack of understanding of religious faiths on the part of some programme-makers. Based on this, in the Annual Report, Governors promised:
- ‘Work will be undertaken over the next year to assess the effectiveness of the religion strategy we approved in 2002 which promised high-impact religious programming on BBC One alongside Songs of Praise and Heaven and Earth .…We are concerned that there may not be enough landmark output in peak time to make a regular impact with viewers’
- The impartiality review of the BBC’s religion output (which included consultation with a specialist panel of faith leaders and focus group work with members of the main religious communities in the UK) highlighted concerns about the scheduling and prominence of religious output.
- The Director of Television will be bringing a new religion strategy to the Board during the autumn. This will be an update of the strategy approved in 2002.
- An independent assessment of the effectiveness of the religion strategy on BBC One in particular, and BBC Television in general, will:
- Fulfil the commitment to such a review made by the Governors in the Annual Report
- Set the context for consideration of the new religion strategy the Director of Television is planning to bring to the Board during the autumn
2. Scope
The planned work will focus on the output classified as religion on BBC One, given that BBC One is responsible for 80 of the 112 hours religion commitment on BBC terrestrial television. The work will necessarily make reference to the religious output offered by other BBC television networks, and competitors.
The key question it will ask is: Has the Religion Strategy, approved by Governors in 2002, delivered high-quality and wide impact religious output on television, particularly BBC One?
3. Approach
It is proposed that this piece of work be carried out by the Performance & Accountability team. The work will be largely based on quantitative analysis but will draw on the qualitative research already available. Work will be based on the Reach, Quality, Impact and Value for Money metrics.
4. Timetable
The work will be presented to the Board before the end of this year, ahead of the new strategy being presented by the Director of Television