BBC’s Religious Illiteracy Problem Exposed by Former Insider

Faith Facts

• Roger Bolton, longtime BBC Radio 4 ‘Feedback’ host, criticized the network’s widespread illiteracy about religion and religious practice
• Bolton made his remarks to the Religion Media Centre after more than two decades presenting at the BBC
• The criticism adds to growing concerns about mainstream media’s inability to accurately cover faith communities and religious issues

A veteran BBC broadcaster has joined the chorus of voices raising alarm over the network’s troubling lack of understanding when it comes to matters of faith. Roger Bolton, who presented Radio 4’s “Feedback” programme for over two decades, delivered pointed criticism of his former employer’s deficiencies in religious coverage.

Speaking to the Religion Media Centre, Bolton didn’t mince words about what he sees as a fundamental problem within the British Broadcasting Corporation.

“The BBC has a relative illiteracy about religion, both what it is and the way it’s practised,” Bolton stated.

Bolton’s comments carry particular weight given his extensive tenure at the BBC. As a long-serving presenter on one of Radio 4’s flagship programmes, he witnessed firsthand the internal culture and decision-making processes that shape the network’s editorial approach to religious topics.

The criticism reflects a broader concern among Christians and people of faith about how mainstream media outlets handle religious subject matter. Too often, reporters and editors lack basic knowledge of theology, church history, or the practices that define different faith traditions.

This religious illiteracy doesn’t just lead to factual errors. It shapes how stories are framed, which voices are considered credible, and which aspects of faith life are deemed newsworthy. When journalists don’t understand the significance of religious observances, doctrinal distinctions, or the role of faith in believers’ lives, their reporting inevitably suffers.

For Christian audiences in America, the situation at the BBC serves as a warning about similar trends in domestic media. Many U.S. newsrooms display comparable blind spots when covering religious communities, particularly traditional Christians whose values often clash with progressive editorial perspectives.

Bolton’s willingness to speak candidly about these shortcomings, even after a long career at the institution, suggests the problem runs deep. When even longtime insiders acknowledge the issue, it becomes harder for network leadership to dismiss such concerns as partisan criticism.

The path forward requires news organizations to take religious literacy seriously—not as a nice-to-have skill, but as essential professional competence for journalists covering a world where billions of people are motivated by faith.

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