British television and religion: audience perspectives

Ruth Deller (@ruthdeller)

Where does discussion occur?Entertainment forums (e.g. Digital Spy, Unreality TV)

General interest forums (e.g. The Student Room)

Focus groups: online and offline

YouTube: comments and response videos

Broadcaster/programme blogs and forums

Faith group forums/blogs/sites

Twitter

Individuals' blogs and comments

What do audiences like?Learning something new

Just finished watching the documentary on sky plus. Found it well balanced and interesting. I knew very little about his life. I think that any documentary that can inform non-Muslims about both the prophet and the Koran should be commended and applauded. Ignorance is not bliss. (LV on The Life of Muhammad)

A sense of 'balance' or 'fairness'

I like the fact there are no agendas, proselytising, witch hunts, setups, etc. Nice change for British TV documentaries (Woof on Revelations).

What do audiences like?Respect for beliefs/believers/cultures

So having the chance to sit and really watch a beautifully crafted program about Buddhist culture and iconography today, was a real joy. (AP on Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World)

A sense of ‘openness’ about programme’s position

With this guy we knew that he believed in God, the way that he believed in God, the sort of church he belonged to… I felt like I got to know him through the programme (Laura on Around the World in 80 Faiths)

What do audiences dislike?A lack of diversity

In my experience, the BBC could not care less about the feelings of or requests from the Hindus. They simply ignore them... The BBC also ignores the significant Buddhist population in Britain. (Praya on BBC message boards thread ‘Does the BBC under-represent UK Hindus and Sikhs?')

Perceived misrepresentation, exaggeration, ‘distortion’

When or when will there be a documentary showing the 99.9% of muslims that are NOT extremists...Will the BBC or any other media channel show this? i dont think so.... (alan on My Brother The Islamist)

What do audiences dislike?Perceived reinforcing of stereotypesIn this program, we ‘learned’ that all Jews are smugly ignorant, elitist, isolationist, consumerist, money-obsessed, tasteless, smug and entirely lacking in fellow-feeling… in which Devotion is expressed as Bling. All this demonstrated by a number of ghastly characters who entirely conform to the anti-Semetic cliches. (SS on Strictly Kosher)

Programmes that are 'unfair' to their subjects

I feel, as i've felt with a number of BBC3/C4 programmes, that there's an element of exploitation here, which is not fair to someone who is only 13 and has quite obviously been totally brainwashed (dom on Deborah 13: Servant of God)

What do audiences dislike?‘Patronising’ programmes, interviewers or presenters

I've never seen a more patronising, belittling programme in my life! (Leah on Jews)

Perceived 'bias'

You can't even expect it to be honest/impartial because any sort of portrayal of Muhammad that isn't glowingly positive could, and probably will, attract an aggressive backlash. (San on The Life of Muhammad)

How do audiences perceive ‘others’?As being treated differently to their own group

The BBC only falls over backwards to please Muslims and sometimes Christians, the rest of are trampled over by them. (PaganLove on A History of Christianity)

In ways that replicate/reinforce negative stereotypes

But so many of these evangelical creationists have the morals of a second-hand car salesman in my experience... The typical creationist tactic of fast talking, of railroading their converts into accepting their belief and bombarding them with a ton of garbage... it won't work on national TV with an audience of sophisticates. (RH on Sunday Morning Live)

How do audiences perceive ‘others’?With hints of racism, xenophobia & British superiority

who else thinks americans are a prime example that people should be drowned at birth there is no god we dont have to beleive in god abortions is ok and children with bibles piss of u have a go at islamists use are the same fuck u yanks. (ab1 on Cutting Edge: Baby Bible Bashers)

As either ‘victims’ or ‘villains’

OMFG THESE PEOPLE ARE SO FUCKING STUPID AND FUCKING IGNORANT Christians i hate to break it to you but the Burning times is over move the fuck on…i hope every priest that stuck his hands down little kids pants is will be roasting in hell. leave it to the Church to fuck up a already messed up country (AlJoseph on Dispatches: Saving Africa’s Witch Children)

What else happens in these discussions?Audiences share their own experiences

As a 'Born Again and Spirit Filled Christian,' l still love 'Song's of Praise' but happily for now (as long as God allows it!?) l am no longer part of the 'established' church. I do attend a wonderful 'happy clappy 'Evangelical' church' but, l also enjoy being part of, albeit via the medium of television the re-assurance of all of those old hymns that l grew up with (I'm 60 by the way) (Kate on Songs of Praise)

Audiences debate beliefs and viewpoints

I agree with you. It's all hunky dory if you follow their strict rules and regulations ( which differ greatly in the various Amish communities). But if you question or step out of line, then it's instant excommunication and complete shunning by your family and community. (Terry on Amish: A Secret Life)

What else happens in these discussions?Audiences & programme makers/participants interact

When you see such backlash that's when you know your words were powerful. I got my message out to the world. And will carry on. #4thought (Zahra Al-Alawi on 4Thought)

Audiences like to joke!

It was just two of us on a nice romantic date." Oh aye, apart from the BBC film crew holding microphones and cameras. (Ryan on Strictly Soulmates)

ConclusionSome groups feel under-represented

Whilst others feel mis-represented

There is a perception of ‘unfairness’ and ‘bias’

They feel presenters/film-makers should be honest

They don’t like feeling patronised

But they do like learning something new

And feeling like a programme is intelligent and ‘fair’

They often perceive ‘others’ as different to themselves