By TDN Member Stuart Jeffery
For many years I have listened to Thought for the Day on Radio 4 and enjoyed other aspects of religious programmes but as someone who has identified as a Druid and Pagan for over 25 years it seems that we get very little coverage by the likes of the BBC. Indeed I cannot find any record of a Pagan voice on Thought for the Day ever.
I have been regularly emailing the BBC’s religion and ethics department to ask whether they would consider a Pagan voice on Thought for the Day but after six months of chasing they have not replied.
Then in December 2017 the BBC published a review of its religious programming. The review stated that the BBC “… need(s) to reflect an increasingly pluralistic UK society” and that they “will try out new contributors from a wide range of backgrounds on programmes”. The BBC consulted with over 150 “stakeholders” covering a variety of religious beliefs but they forgot to talk to any Pagans.
In response to their report I emailed the Director General, Tony Hall. He clearly read the email and passed it to his complaints team who gave a bland reply that did not answer any of my questions.
Along with the TDN, which is a full member of the Inter Faith Network and recognised by the Charities Commission, the British Druid Order, the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and the Pagan Federation are all well established and easily contactable. There seems to be no excuse for not consulting us.
In the 2011 census, of the people who stated a religion 0.2% were Pagan (or similar Earth based spirituality). While this may sound a low number 0.6% were Buddhist and 0.7% Jewish. There are regular Buddhists and Jewish voices on Thought for the Day, respectively 3% and 5% of broadcasts in 2016. Pagans may be in a minority but we seem to be marginalised too.
The need for Pagan voice has never been greater. The perspective that we bring to public life is unique. While climate change wreaks havoc, the oceans are filling with plastic debris and the government is allowing fracking companies to push chemicals into the Earth, it is us Pagans, Druids, Wiccans, Heathens and others who revere the Earth, who see her as part of who we are and who worship her. Our voices need to be heard.
So at the beginning of January I started a petition calling for the BBC to include more Pagan voices in its programming. In the first two days over 1200 people signed it, a number that continues to grow. The plan is to hand it in to the BBC in a few months and get some publicity when I do so.
So please sign the petition if you haven’t done so already and please ask your friends and family to sign it too. Finally, please share it on social media!
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/bbc-should-make-pagan-voices-heard
The trustees of TDN in their January 2018 meeting fully supported this initiative.
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