‘Religious’ audiences and their response to media depictions

Ruth Dellerr.a.deller@shu.ac.uk, @ruthdellerAHRC-funded PhD candidate, Sheffield Hallam University

‘Religious’ audiences and their response to media depictions

‘Religion is alive and well in my in-tray. No subject… creates hotter debates or calls for more difficult decisions' – Mark Thompson, BBC Director General (BBC 2005: 2)

Context

Public service channels (BBC One-Four, ITV1, Channel 4, Five), 2000-09.

PhD research: factual programming. MA research: BBC soaps. Secondary research: Ofcom, BBC,

Channel 4 – with major religious groups. Primary research: Message boards, blogs,

YouTube, Twitter, mailing lists, surveys, focus groups (online and off), interviews.

Context: Public Service Broadcasting

All four PSBs are required to provide some religious content, however, the quotas vary.

All PSBs are meant to represent diversity.

Ofcom guidelines state: Respect for divinities, beliefs, holy days

etc. Care to protect the ‘susceptible’. Restrictions on the kinds of ‘claims’ that

can be made about certain practices and beliefs.

Context: Public Service Broadcasting

Audiences place a low value on (narrowly-defined) ‘religious’ programming, but appreciate its importance, often for ‘others’ (Ofcom 2004/5, BBC 2005).

However, when the definition of ‘religious’ is expanded to include other genres, there is a much greater interest: There is 'a strong interest in programmes… [on]

questions of faith, the manifestation of faith in culture… the role of religion in world politics' (Ofcom 2005: 2).

Very visible protest…

Jerry Springer: The Opera Christian Voice Evangelical Alliance

Dispatches: ‘Undercover Mosque’ MPAC West Midlands Police/CPS

Panorama: ‘Scientology and Me’. Panorama Exposed (and sequel)

Diversity: ‘Us’ and ‘Them’

White Britons tend to feel television reflects multiculturalism, whilst minority groups feel there is a lack of diversity (Channel 4, 2007).

Faith groups tend to feel their own belief system is portrayed unfairly (or not enough) – and often perceive other groups as having preferential treatment.

Persecuted and misunderstood? The BBC only falls over backwards to

please Muslims and sometimes Christians, the rest of are trampled over by them.

To be fair I wasn’t expecting much more from Channel 4, which in my eyes has an anti-Christian agenda.

Fair - yes it was fair if you love Israel and hate Muslims! - it was great! However for the unbiased many, it was nothing short of propaganda.

Biased… against who?

I don’t know why I am shocked when I watch such programmes as they are always biased towards Christians.

I have a major problem with the series in that Channel 4 would never produce a series that questions / undermines Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism etc in such a way. Why pick on Christianity?

Stereotyped and patronised? The whole thing was very anti-pagan in a

way. Or at least, they biased their material towards sexual practices, fighting and the darker aspects of the culture.

Unfortunately, anyone who has any religious belief is portrayed as a bit odd. Even Dot, who seems to be the only person with any serious conviction, goes around quoting passages from the bible - so unrealistic.

Invisible and unheard?

I think the BBC as a whole tends to fairly reflect Britain's cultural and religious diversity...[but] EastEnders, although a great show (in my opinion) fails to accurately show the true ethnic mix of the East End and fails utterly to accurately show the reality of its religious beliefs, practices and diversity.

Why [are there] no Muslim characters (e.g. running the village shop)? The Archers has a diversity problem’.

Invisible and unheard?

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. I remember well when you mentioned the absence of any program or discussion to mark the Vesak, which is one of the most significant in the Buddhist calendar. That was perhaps 5 years ago. NOTHING has changed since. But the coverage of Islam has increased by leaps and bounds. Everyone now knows when Ramadan falls and has a rough idea about it, thanks to the BBC. How many know about Vesak?

I have been quietly observing the BBC intentionally not cater to or involve Hindus and Sikhs… BBC have learned how to pronounce the Muslim places of worship… but yet CAN NOT say the name of Hindu Temples - Mandras , or the Sikh Gurdawaras… BBC involve and cater much more for the Muslims, why? Is it because of fear? Or because of pressure?

What ‘religious’ audiences don’t want

Stereotyping Small sample standing in for the

majority – focusing on the extremes Misunderstanding spiritual practices Being patronised or belittled A lack of visibility

What ‘religious’ audiences want

Visibility Wide range of depictions To be featured in a range of genres What seems to work?

The Monastery Around the World in 80 Faiths Rev/Vicar of Dibley The Qur’an/7 Wonders (mixed response) Christianity: a History (mixed response)

What ‘religious’ audiences want

God's sense of humour here. Just when I thought too many things about our society have slipped into dark places, and that reality tv ranked among the major pieces of evidence for this (so decided not even to risk being upset by watching one in a monastery) - just then, here's evidence of God shows how grace can touch us. Most of my friends did watch The Monastery and I'm frankly moved by what I'm hearing from them all.

What about the non-religious audience?

Atheists and humanists want ‘voices’ (and not just Richard Dawkins!).

Many non-religious people are interested in programmes exploring different beliefs and practices.

As with ‘religious’ audiences, they want less stereotyping, less patronising, more openness.

How have broadcasters responded?

Jerry Springer, ‘Undercover Mosque’ and ‘Scientology and Me’

Dispatches ‘What Muslims Want’ (see MacDonald 2011), Are Christians Being Persecuted etc

Easter programming 4thought.tv

How have broadcasters responded?

The bigger question from our point of view would be not that we don’t do enough in that area, because it’s true, I don’t think we do enough, but we try, you’ve no idea how much we’ve tried... But the reality is if we’re going to be it prime time, they’re gonna have to, you know if you chose to do something really weak at the expense of doing the Muslim funeral parlour film that we did or The Qur’an or something simply because you had to tick a box then you’re hacking it and there’d simply be no point doing the job.(Aaqil Ahmed, 2009)

Conclusion

PSBs do not fully represent diversity with regards to religion/spirituality.

White Britons are likely to see broadcasting as more diverse than minority audiences.

Most faith groups perceive themselves to be treated badly and often perceive others to be treated better.

Broadcasters are aware of the level of feeling but often unsure how to proceed.

References

BBC (2005) Religion Impartiality Review Channel 4 (2007) Race, Representation and the

Media: Channel 4 MacDonald, M. (2011) ‘Discourses of Separation‘

in Brunt, R. and Cere, R. (eds) Postcolonial Media Culture in Britain, Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Ofcom (2004) Ofcom’s First Review of Public Service Broadcasting

Ofcom (2005) Religious Programmes and the Broadcasting Code

Ofcom (2009) Ofcom’s Second Review of Public Service Broadcasting