Carolyn Jones, Hon. Secretary of AIG writes :-

More than 70 friends of Altrincham Interfaith Group attended the Alf Keeling Memorial Lecture which this year was given by Christine Morgan, a charming lady who is Head of Radio, BBC Religion and Ethics, and she spoke on Religious Broadcasting in a Pluralistic Society.

Christine Morgan with Mrs Ann Keeling

She drew very much on her own 26 years’ experience at the BBC, explaining how it had changed during the time she had been there. In 1987, when she arrived, there was almost no diversity of voices in the BBC’s religious content and it started to change just about around that time with the Muslim response to Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses and the realisation that Muslim voices needed to be heard. Now she has the challenge of multifaith broadcasting, with the first Interfaith Service broadcast in 1991, and has the aim of providing ethnic minorities with equal rights. Although churchgoing and organised religion has declined, in her experience most people still believe in God and the BBC provides a range of programmes catering for all faiths and needs, reflecting the religious makeup of Britain without stereotyping. She pointed out that religion is a living force, shaping the world in many issues. 

There were many questions after her talk ranging from the timing of religious programmes to the proportion of time devoted to different religious groups.  Everyone enjoyed the evening, and it was a very appropriate tribute to the life and work of Alf Keeling who did so much to establish Altrincham Interfaith Group.