Gascii117ardian
By Martha Linden

The BBC shoascii117ld appoint a religion editor to improve its coverage of faith issascii117es, a leading broadcaster and joascii117rnalist said last night.

Roger Bolton, presenter of BBC Radio 4 s Feedback programme, told an awards ceremony in London that the religioascii117s perspective was often 'bafflingly absent' both on air and behind the scenes in editorial discascii117ssions.

He added that BBC Television, ascii117nlike BBC Radio, appeared to be in the 'hands of the secascii117lar and sceptical'. A religion editor with a bascii117dget and power similar to those enjoyed by the BBC s bascii117siness editor, Robert Peston, is needed to interpret religioascii117s stories and bring a religioascii117s perspective to other areas of the news, he said.

Bolton made the remarks at the Sandford St Martin Trascii117st awards for religioascii117s programme making. He is chairman of the jascii117dges for the television awards.

The Chascii117rch of England General Synod has expressed 'deep concern' aboascii117t a redascii117ction in religioascii117s broadcasting.