1. The Representation of
Religious/Spiritual
Experience on factual
British TV, 2000-09
Ruth Deller, Sheffield Hallam University
AHRC-funded PhD candidate

2. Key questions
 What is the nature of coverage of
religion/spirituality in factual television?
 How can it be understood in relation to debates
within sociology, cultural studies and religious
studies about the role of religion in
contemporary Britain?
 What are viewers’ responses to these
programmes?
 What are programme-makers' motivations?

3. Methodology
 Textual analysis
 Discourse, narrative, semiotics, quantitative etc
 Sample of themes, channels, years, genres
 Audience research
 Forums
 Blogs
 Focus Groups
 Exit survey
 Twitter
 Live chat

4. Methodology
 Interviews
 TV commissioning editors
 Programme-makers
 Participants

5. Key findings: texts
 Factual TV conventions
 Personalities
 Journeys and experiences
 Debates
 Talking heads and experts
 Historical/Cultural contexts

6. Key findings: texts
 Seeking to understand belief in socio-historical
context.
 Debunking/unpacking particular beliefs, stories
and practices.
 Personal exploration of beliefs and practices.
 Education about different beliefs and practices.
 Debate and discussion about world events and
belief.
 Appreciation of culture.

7. Key findings: texts
 Acceptable and unacceptable beliefs and
practices
 Of the 'big six', Islam and Christianity receive
most coverage; Sikhism and Buddhism least;
particularly in relation to Britain.
 Atheism occasionally discussed but
agnosticism rarely mentioned; however
agnosticism often default ideological
perspective.

8. Key findings: texts
 'Spirituality'
widely discussed but mainly in
relation to mainstream religion.
 'New age', 'occult' or 'supernatural' beliefs
often dismissed, ridiculed or presented as
light entertainment (e.g. ITV2).
 Paganism, occult/spiritualism and some other
beliefs (e.g. Voodoo, Wicca, Scientology)
often presented as sinister or 'spooky' -
sometimes jokingly.

9. Key findings: audiences
 It'simpossible to please everyone! Many
groups complain about the coverage they get n
relation to other groups; perceived (often
imaginary) biases within programmes.

10. Audiences like:
 Open-mindedness
 Learning something new
 Willingness to debate
 Detailed exploration of issues
 Attractive visuals
 Respect for those featured
 Covering wide range of beliefs and practices
 Being ‘fair’

11. Audiences like:
 Creativity, something ‘new’
 Interesting narratives and ‘characters’
 Knowing the perspective of those involved in
making programme – or at least of the key
voices

12. Audiences dislike:
 Misrepresenting their own beliefs
 Giving a voice to people they don’t like
 The presenter/narrator patronising those
featured
 Inaccuracy
 Omitting key points, facts or events
 Stereotypical imagery and portrayals
 Length of programmes
 Sensational titles, trailers or opening
monologues

13. Audiences dislike:
 Not being allowed to make up their own minds
 ‘Flaky’ people
 Not getting to the ‘heart’ of an issue
 Not being able to see a particular programme
(e.g. many are watercooler stuff, hear about it
after event via friends, press coverage, awards;
repeats happen too soon or at odd times; some
programmes not publicised)

14. Interviews: industry
 Understand lack of diversity within religious
programmes, but feel there aren’t good
programming ideas for some of the under-
represented faiths.
 Don’t know how to present ‘spirituality’
outside of religion.
 See importance of religion to mainstream and
within non ‘God slot’ genres.

15. Interviews: industry
 Feel emphasis on personality can be at
expense of deeper, more intellectual
discussion.
 Constrictions of budgets, timeslots etc.
 9/11 was a key turning point.
 Some topics are seen as more audience-
friendly (e.g. Da Vinci code).
 Feel less experimental commissioning now
compared to earlier in decade.

16. Interviews: participants
 Not always given full idea of what programme
will be like.
 Complaints about finished edits omitting key
detail.
 Sense of footage being used to fit a pre-
determined script.
 Dealing with press and public reaction has been
difficult.

17. Summary
 Sense of importance of religion (this has increased
over decade, less ‘why believe’, more ‘what is role of
religion’).
 Spirituality and religion still largely understood through
shorthand and stereotyping.
 Strong sense of what is and isn’t acceptable.
 Several groups/beliefs still excluded.
 Emphasis on moderation and tolerance within
religious belief.
 Desire for ‘fairness’ and detailed exploration of topics.