Catholic and Anglican church leaders have called for more religion on BBC Radio 1. The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, the Bishop of Manchester, and John Arnold, the Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, have raised the question why Radios 2, 3 and 4 include religion, but Radio 1 doesn't.
They said: "Religion figures strongly in the output of Radio 2, 3, and 4 under the proposed licences for individual BBC services, but it does not appear under Radio 1." The remarks are included in the churches' response to the BBC Trust consultation on service licences and purpose remits.
They argue that the exclusion of religion from Radio 1 is "illogical and inconsistent".
In their submission to the BBC Trust, they observe: "Unless religion is appropriately included in the Radio 1 licence, audience needs may not be met." But the religious thinktank Ekklesia has responded to the suggestion by saying that the Bishops should 'face the music'.
Ekklesia co-director Jonathan Bartley said: "The bishops are right to identify that young people have a thirst for spiritual input. But they are wrong in their assumptions about its form."
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