BBC criticised for stifling Christian voice

London: The Archbishop of Canterbury has complained to the director-general of the BBC about the decline of religious programming at the corporation.

Dr Rowan Williams warned Mark Thompson at a meeting at Lambeth Palace that the broadcaster must not ignore its Christian audience.

Senior members of the Church of England are concerned that the BBC is downgrading its religious output and giving preferential treatment to minority faiths.

The corporation recently sacked its head of religious programmes, Michael Wakelin, a Methodist preacher.

The emergence of a Muslim as the front-runner to succeed Wakelin, and the recent appointment of a Sikh to produce Songs of Praise, has raised fears that the Christian voice is being sidelined.

Thompson caused controversy last year when he suggested more sensitive treatment by the media for Islam saying Muslims are a minority religion.