From The Daily Mail
By Paul Revoir
Viewers also felt that minority groups were over-represented by the Corporation.
They expressed concerns over ‘tokenism’ and ‘box-ticking’ and warned the broadcaster against trying to ‘manipulate’ an equal society instead of reflecting reality.
The survey was conducted as part of the BBC’s ‘Diversity Strategy’ and involved 4,500 people, including some BBC staff.
Some viewers still believe the broadcaster has a Left-wing or ‘liberal bias’, the consultation found.
Others said ‘positive discrimination’ was still a ‘notable’ problem with the BBC’s recruitment process.
According to viewers, Christians are badly treated with ‘derogatory stereotypes’ which portray them as ‘weak’ or ‘bigoted’.
It was suggested that there was a bias against Christianity and that other religions were better represented.
And some felt older women were being ‘marginalised’.
The consultation concluded: ‘In terms of religion, there were many who perceived the BBC to be anti-Christian and as such misrepresenting Christianity.’
It added: ‘Christians are specifically mentioned as being badly treated, with a suggestion that more minority religions are better represented despite Christianity being the most widely observed religion within Britain.’
One respondent said: ‘As a Christian I find that the BBC’s representation of Christianity is mainly inaccurate, portraying incorrect, often derogatory stereotypes.’
Another added: ‘Seldom do we find a Christian portrayed in drama, and when we do, it is usually a “weak” person or a “bigot”.’ Another said Christians were ‘represented as dogmatic and unsympathetic or as weak and washy and woolly, or as old.’
Last year the BBC was accused of bias against Christianity in EastEnders over its portrayal of murderous pastor Lucas Johnson, who was obsessed with the Bible.
And the Corporation sparked outrage in 2005 when it aired the controversial Jerry Springer: The Opera. It was one of the most complained about shows in television history. The report said other respondents has raised the same issue in terms of Muslims.
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Last year the BBC was accused of bias against Christianity in Eastenders over its portrayal of murderous pastor Lucas Johnson, who was obsessed with the Bible |
‘Both public and staff respondents commented that ageism within the organisation is one of the BBC’s most pressing equality and diversity issues.’
It was even suggested that one member of staff only employs ‘good-looking people’.
Elsewhere, viewers said that in some cases the inclusion of a wide range of minority groups in BBC shows felt ‘forced’, ‘tokenistic’ or simply done to ‘tick boxes’.
Among the examples given was how historical dramas were made ‘unrealistic’ by the inclusion of black or Asian characters who would not have been associated with certain events.
As a result the BBC was accused of failing to provide enough programming representing white, less well-off audiences.
Some also accused the Corporation of representing poverty by using a regional accent. One even said that working class people were often portrayed as ‘ignorant scumbags’.
Only 35 per cent of BBC staff agreed that incidents of bullying and harassment were taken seriously. There were reports of senior bosses ‘looking the other way’ and a ‘culture that allows bullying to flourish’.
One respondent said women back from maternity leave were ‘deemed as having no ambition’.
It is not known exactly how many respondents expressed the view that the BBC was anti-Christian or ages. But 65 per cent of the public surveyed said the Corporation was poor or very poor at its contribution to creating an equal society.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘The BBC does not have an anti-Christian bias.
‘We have strict editorial guidelines on impartiality, including religious perspectives, and Christian programming forms the majority and the cornerstone of our religion and ethical output.’
2 comments:
Survey parameters/matrices are not known.
I am unable to locate the said survey questionnaire.
If the survey consisted mainly of Christians, then the results as found are debatable.
However as a reader of BBC for quite a few years, I see no substance in the statement that BBC is Anti-Christian or Anti-age.
If news as it happens tends to be against a particular group, the event/news has to be weighed,by checking up other sources as to its veracity.
I f the event/news is more or less the same, covering news can not be labelled as
as Anti-anything.
Programmes that are parodies and comedies need not be taken as an indication of being Anti-christian.
Recent coverage of Osama bin Laden‘s death may be viewed by Muslims as Anti-Islamic, which it is not.
Their fore the reaction that BBC is anti-christian is unwarranted.
If it were so BBC need not have published the results of the Survey.
The results of this BBC survey have been widely reported throughout the British press. The BBC does not exist for its own sake, but as a public service funded by British taxpayers. If the British public, 2/3 of whom are not religious, perceive an anti-religious bias, then BBC has some correcting to do, or public funding should be eliminated. Taxpayers should not be compelled to fund propaganda hostile to themselves.
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