There was an interesting controversy about the Thought for the
Day programme last week. TFTD is the two or three
minute snippet that interrupts BBC Radio 4's morning news programme,
Today, every day at about 7:45. The speaker changes from
day to day, and is given an opportunity to reflect on the news,
stories and issues of the day from a faith perspective
. So, as it
stands, only the religious get to compose freeform editorials on any
subject that concerns them. Last week, a
collection of secular people wrote the BBC a letter, demanding
that secular voices get a go too.
The Today programme covered this story (nicely self-referential, I thought), and featured Richard Dawkins giving an alternative, secular thought for the day. I wasn't around to hear it happen, but having read his contribution, I think he would have made a much better case for the secular cause if he'd avoided commenting on religion entirely. Moreover, when they had someone else on to be interviewed about the subject, he argued the case extremely badly. So, it doesn't look as if anything on this front is going to change anytime soon.
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