Name:                                        Ricky Singh

School:                                        Hatch End High School

Candidate Number:                 9253

Religious Education

Teacher:                                        Miss Boyd

Date:                                        2002        

Contents Page

Section A:                                                                Page:

Introduction                                                        4

Religious Documentary Programmes                         5

Religious Magazine Programmes                                8

Religious Worship Programmes                                11

Religion in Soap Operas                                                13

How a religious/moral issue is

Dealt with in a drama/film                                        16

Section B:

Does television always present

religious people as being “out                                        19

of touch” with the modern world?

Overall conclusion                                                22

                                        

Introduction – Religion in the Media

This is a brief introduction into my R.E coursework, which is based upon religious programmes in the media.

Since religious programmes started broadcasting on the television in 1946, many people’s knowledge about other faiths other than their own, have grown. This is due to the fact that there is a vast majority of viewers tuning into these programmes shown on the television, which are usually shown on the television on a Sunday morning or afternoon. They are usually aired at this time because many older people are unable to get access to their local church so they watch these programmes instead. These series’ of programmes are called the “God slot”.

Many other religions show programmes to do with their faith if there is a religious occasion, but it is mainly Christian programmes about the church and issues concerning the world.

Most religious programmes give the viewers either a positive or negative impression towards their religion. This often influences younger viewers against the idea of religion, if they see the church as a dull and place which only old people go to. Some programmes give the viewers this impression, but now there are many programmes in which they show the church in a much brighter and more enjoyable place to be. They show many programmes during Christian festivals (Christmas and Easter) that show the church as a fun and enjoyable place, which they hope, will influence younger viewers and increase the number of people attending the festivals in churches. This tactic is also used for other religions such as Hinduism and Judaism when they have important festivals up coming such as Deepawali and The Passover. This is quite a useful way of broadcasting other religions and showing to the viewers that the programmes on the television concerning religion are not biased.

 

I have concluded that if comedy is added to religious programmes, this will increase the number of younger viewers. This is because they will find the church much more than a chore or a place of no fun with loads of old people, but of a place that makes religion enjoyable and fun for others.

Religious Documentaries

Introduction

In our previous R.E lesson, we watched two videos that was to teach people from other religions about the Muslim ways of life and about a course that could make people that are not very religious, into religious people. These types of religious programmes are called religious documentaries. There are many other categories of religious programmes other than documentaries, and here are a few of them:

  • Worship
  • Magazine
  • Animation
  • Music

Here is a chart that states whether these religious programmes are documentary, worship, magazine, animation or music.

The Belief File

The programme about the Muslim faith was called the Belief File. This is on BBC 1 around 2am to 6am for 1 hour on a Sunday morning and this is classified as a documentary.

The people in this documentary about the Muslim faith, where young Muslims explaining about their religion and answering the questions put forward by the couple of children that where learning about the Muslim faith. They mentioned the 5 pillars of Islam and how a Muslim prepares themselves in their special way for their daily prayers.

I cannot recall any music being used in this presentation, but there was some prayers being read out and that sounded musical.

The audience was our class and they were watching the video and taking down notes on what they were seeing about the Muslim faith. After watching the video our teacher asked us what we had thought about the video that we watched and had a class discussion.

The pace of the programme was quite steady; they repeated a couple of the words twice so the audience could understand the pronunciation of the words. They did use subtitles for these words so the viewers knew how they were spelt.

I think that the target audience was younger viewers. I think that they want to give younger viewers a well-balanced look towards religion in the world and so that they do not think that there is only one religion dominating the world. They want them to know that they live in a multi-cultural society.

I do not think that this programme was very enjoyable, even though I thought that it taught very well about Islam.

I think that some people might have not liked the fact that it is on in the early hours of the morning and that there was no background music.

It was what I had expected from a religious point of view, as it taught people about the Islamic faith and their ways of life very well.

I think that it was a good representation of the Islamic religion as it out lined the most important things in a Muslims life.

Join now!

I think that aim of the documentary was to teach younger viewers about the many religions in the world and I think that they might have succeeded in this.

I do not think that they have taught the viewers very interestingly in this programme.  

Conclusion

I think that this programme was good in terms of teaching the Muslim faith but was rather dull. Most of my classmates thought that as well.

Alpha-Will it change their lives?

The programme about the Alpha course was called Alpha-Will it change their lives? This is on ITV ...

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