Thoughtless for the day
The BBC has rejected requests to open Radio Four’s Thought for the Day slot to atheists, humanists, secularists, and…er…anyone who thinks anything really.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/nov/17/bbc-thought-for-the-day
The BBC Trust said that Thought for the Day was religious output, and as such, didn’t breach the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality.
We never had a prayer
Secularists are bitterly upset at the trusts’s ruling, while the Church of England has welcomed it. No religious group has commented so far.
There’s probably no Richard Dawkins
National Secular Society president Terry Sanderson said: “Naturally we are very disappointed. This is a campaign we have been waging for 50 years, ever since Thought for the Day and its predecessors were first broadcast on the BBC.
“Of course, to look on the bright side, it does mean people like us can give up and get a life, or at least find something more important to obsess about, such as the way they make crisp packets look bigger by filling them up with air, even though there are fewer crisps in the packet than there were even five years ago, let alone 50. Now that’s a real scandal. I was only saying as much to Richard Borekins the other day…”
Actually, he didn’t say that at all. I made the last bit up.
The BBC has rejected requests to open Radio Four’s Thought for the Day slot to atheists, humanists, secularists, and…er…well, anyone who thinks anything, really.
The BBC Trust said that Thought for the Day was religious output, and as such, didn’t breach the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality.
We never had a prayer
Secularists are bitterly upset at the trusts’s ruling, while the Church of England has welcomed it. No religious organisation has commented so far.
There’s probably no Richard Dawkins
National Secular Society president Terry Sanderson said: “Naturally we are very disappointed. This is a campaign we have been waging for 50 years, ever since Thought for the Day and its predecessors were first broadcast on the BBC.
“Of course, to look on the bright side, it does mean people like us can give up and get a life, or at least find something more important to obsess about, such as the way they make crisp packets look bigger by filling them up with air, even though there are fewer crisps in the packet than there were even five years ago, let alone 50. Now that’s a real scandal. I was only saying as much to Richard Borekins the other day…”
Actually, he didn’t say that at all. I made the last bit up.
Nuff said.
Why anyone – religious or otherwise – would want to listen to, let alone contribute to TftD, surely the most pointless daily bit of radio ever invented, I’m not entirely sure.
Seriously? 50 years of campaigning?
I’m only guessing, Paul, but it must have been a Reithian legacy … remember the furore over the attempt to consecrate 3E; the religious broadcasting studio?
Enjoyed the posting Bernie!
Quite like listening to Lionel. At least he cracks a few jokes.