Archbishop wants BBC religious programs

CANTERBURY, England, March 29 (UPI) -- Archbishop of Canterbury Roman Williams, the Church of England's top bishop, says Christian programming is getting the short end of the stick on the BCC.

The Sunday Telegraph reported Williams complained to BBC Director General Mark Thompson about a decline in the time allocated to religious programs being offered by the British TV and radio broadcaster. Other Church of England officials have contended Christian program is also taking a back seat to other religions when it comes to BBC programs.

The BBC World Service has only offered a half hour of religious coverage a week so far in 2009, compared with a 2001 weekly average of one hour and 45 minutes.

Christina Rees, an Archbishops' Council member, backs the complaints, saying the BBC should offer more religious programs to meet the needs of its predominantly Christian audience.

"The vast majority of the population identifies itself as Christian and as the established Church in England we would be negligent not to take an active concern in the changes happening with the BBC's religion and ethics department," Rees said.