UK, September 08, 2008: Sikh and Hindu leaders have complained that the BBC has made a disproportionate number of programs about Islam, at the expense of programs on their own faiths. The Network of Sikh Organisations has analyzed the programs from the BBC’s Religion and Ethics department and found that since 2001, the BBC has made 41 programs on Islam, five on Hinduism and only one on Sikhism. Sikhs expressed shock at the perceived bias, which is so pronounced that it appears to represent BBC policy. While it is important to educate non-Muslims about Islam, it is also important to provide informative, open and respectful programming on all religions.
A spokesman for the BBC said the broadcaster was committed to representing all of Britain’s faiths and rejected any claim of bias. He said: “In the autumn we will be covering Diwali from a Sikh perspective and we have a major new series for BBC Two in early 2009, including features on Hinduism and Sikhism.”