The BBC on Wednesday announced plans to expand its religious coverage to celebrate holy days and festivals of non-Christian faiths from around the world, including Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism.
Under proposals to inject more religious themes into mainstream TV and radio of the UK’s public broadcaster, festivals like Diwali and Eid will take centre-stage during popular programming.
“We will create specific features and content for major festivals such as Diwali, Passover, Rosh Hashanah [Jewish new year], Ramadan, Eid and Vaisakhi [Sikh new year],” states the BBC’s ‘Religion and Ethics Review’, published today.
Under the policy shift detailed in the new review, viewers will also see the protagonists of mainstream dramas grappling with dilemmas caused by their faith. The move follows a year-long consultation that found that people of all faiths were “often absent, poorly presented or satirised” and as a result the BBC fails to reflect British society completely.
“(The plans) will ensure the BBC better reflects the UK, the world and the role that religion plays in everyday life. They will also raise understanding of the impact religion has on decisions made at home and abroad,” Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, told The Times.