Aaqil Ahmed said that it was vital that religious programming promoted “diversity” but insisted that Songs of Praise would always remain Christian.
Mr Ahmed’s appointment three years ago attracted controversy in some quarters and even complaints to the corporation.
In an interview in 2010 he accused the Church of England of “living in the past” by complaining about a fall in the number of hours given to religious broadcasting.
But speaking to an audience invited by the Catholic Communications Network in London he said it was “childish” to think that religion was being cut back on the BBC.
Religious output on the BBC had risen under his tenure to 600 hours of radio a year and 170 hours on television, he said. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Tuesday, May 15, 2012
