Bbc three, young people and faith

bbc three, young people and faith
Ruth A. Deller
@ruthdeller

Launched in 2003 to replace
digital channel BBC Choice.
Aimed at 16-34 year olds –
particularly since 2008 rebrand.
Programme mix of
drama, comedy, documentary, c
urrent
affairs, reality, lifestyle, sport, mu
sic, news and politics.
BBC Three… provides a rich mix of
innovative, bold and creatively
challenging programmes
across all genres for young viewers
(Zai Bennett, in BBC 2012)

BBC Three remains the only
digital channel providing high-
impact factual for a young
audience. We are never
afraid to tackle difficult issues in a
fresh and inventive way… BBC
Three’s factual output will find
fresh and innovative ways to
address the issues that matter to
a young audience. (BBC Three
Statement of Programming, 2012)

These may be 'our' shows to teenagers, but… the programmes are
created by adults, arguably with a particular adult agenda… to
educate and inform… to set certain agendas at this delicate time
just prior to the onset of a more prominent citizenship; and/or to
raise crucial issues (of adult choosing) in a 'responsible manner'
that is entirely hegemonically negotiated. Recurrent topics of
discussion - even within the most fantastical of shows - are sex
and sexuality, drug and alcohol use, family tensions and
negotiating one's place among one's peers… many of these
programmes are earnest enough (or cynical enough in the face of
parental group pressure) in their commitment to building a certain
recognised type of future citizen (namely a politically liberal one)…
geared towards creating a certain notion of political subjecthood
before the freedoms of adulthood are attained.
(Davis and Dickinson 2004: 3 on ‘youth’ television).
(See also Buckingham 2008; Oulette and Hay 2008; Ferguson 2010; Skeggs 2004; Braitch 2007)

Deborah 13: Servant of God
Special Edition Films, 2009
Documentary about 13-year-old Deborah Drapper, who, unlike other British
teens has never heard of Britney Spears or Victoria Beckham. She has been
brought up in a deeply Christian family and her parents have tried to make
sure she and her ten brothers and sisters have grown up protected from the
sins of the outside world. (BBC Three website)

They wanted me to be really surprised about there's a bigger world
and there's people with blue hair and stuff but I wasn't. I'm not as
sheltered as they wanted me to be at times… I thought it only
portrayed me in a certain light, like this is only a slim part of my life…
Are you interested in fashion? Not really, no.
Parties with people your own age? I’ve not really been
to a party just with people my age.
Are you interested in boys? Um, no.
Snogging? No.
Do you know much about sex? Not really. No.
Would it shock you to hear that there are some 13 year
olds who are doing those things ever day? It wouldn’t
shock me, I mean I do know that some teenagers are
doing those things everyday but um, er, it saddens me…
it’s not what life’s supposed to be like.

The parents are guilty of child abuse at a fundamental level, and
should be brought up on charges. One step away from the
Westboro/Phelps sickos.
(Iahar)
I feel, as i've felt with a number of BBC3/C4 programmes, that
there's an element of exploitation here, which is not fair to someone
who is only 13 and has quite obviously been totally brainwashed.
(dan)
I'd be delighted if my own kids didn't care who Victoria Beckham
was and weren't interested in reality TV.
(RPC)

Gary, Young, Psychic and Possessed
BBC Productions, 2009
Twenty-year-old Gary Mannion calls himself Britain's youngest psychic
surgeon, channelling a spirit from the dead to operate on the sick. He is a
rising star in the world of spiritual healing, travelling the world to bring his
alleged ability to effect miracle cures to a devoted following. (BBC Three
website)

One thing I kind of agreed with myself is that until I could prove
to myself 100% that Abraham was definitely a spirit coming
through, I’m open to the possibility that what I’m doing may be
through other means. (Gary)
Emeka Onono: A multi-million pound industry
now caters for this interest in alternative beliefs…
Gary’s been working as a healer for two years.
He says he lives mostly on donations, averaging
£30 a session. On a good week he can earn up to
£2000, enough to employ a full time
manager, Kevin… He lives with his manager. I
wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I wasn’t
expecting this [close-ups of
deodorant, CDs, printer]. Gary lived like any
other 20 year old.

I do think under the mental health act, he's slightly sectionable.
Erm, as a former mental health social worker.
(Paul)
[On presenter Emeka Onono]
Lightweight (Serena)
Patronising (Laura)
Personally, I think he DOES have a gift, but if it's to the extent that's
being claimed, I have no idea, as far as I concerned, the sceptics
didn't debunk him, because no one can be 100% right all the time.
(Hydra)

My Brother, The Islamist
Grace Productions, 2011
Tree surgeon-turned-filmmaker Robb Leech is an ordinary white middle-class
boy from the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth. So too is his stepbrother
Rich, but a little over a year ago Rich became a radical Islamist who now goes
by the name of Salahuddin. He associates with jihadist fundamentalists and
believes the UK should be ruled by Sharia law. (BBC Three website)

My brother the Islamist plotted terror attacks. BBC film's subject targeted town
that saluted dead soldiers - Daily Telegraph (Whitehead, 2013)
A MUSLIM convert who told of his hatred for Britain in a TV documentary was among
six terror suspects held by cops yesterday - The Sun (Morgan and Hughes, 2012)
Leech: There’s more to these guys than how they
behave at the protests. They’re actually a laugh. I’m
enjoying their company. I’ve managed to last the whole
day of fasting. We break it in the traditional
way, eating dates. I find myself reflecting on the
sincerity and the resolve of the group which Rich and
Ben have become part of. Such total belief in a religion
is something I still can’t get my head around… They
think it’s funny, but I’m starving. When we finish
eating, the conversation again turns to matters of faith.
I find it hard to dislike these guys, even though they
clearly hate my Western world.

I am currently watching My Brother The Islamist, I am barely keeping my tears at bay.
My son is too from a white middle class family, well educated. He too has converted to
Islam. The similarities between the way Rich speaks and my son speaks is alarming.
Indoctrination. My son's conversion has torn our family apart as his attitudes are so
far removed from ours, from the way we live, from the way he has been brought up.
My son too is very young, and thinks he has found the answer in Islam. I don't agree
(BritMum)
As a British born Muslim, I watched this programme with interest and really felt for
Robb… Groups like Islam4UK are a blight on all Muslims and are too literal and quite
small minded.
(MuslimMan)
Rob leech , you knew the group has some views that were not Islamic yet you didnt
point them out. The aim of this program maybe to make parents of those who have
converted or maybe looking into Islam worried and even to make non Muslims
worried about Muslims.
(Usa)

Make Me a Muslim
BBC Northern Ireland, 2013
Growing numbers of young British women are converting to Islam. Shanna
Bukhari, a 26-year-old Muslim from Manchester, sets out to find out why
girls are giving up partying, drinking and wearing whatever they want for a
religion some people associate with the oppression of women. (BBC Three
website)

Make Me a Muslim
The people we initially contacted were suspicious of us on the phone
simply because we were journalists. We decided to meet people face
to face to explain what we wanted to do, and that our aim was to
challenge stereotypes about Islam. (Emily Hughes, 2013)
Bukhari: I’ve got something baggy on me… I
feel less pretty. Does that sound bad?... I don’t
mean to be rude to the people who agree with
Alana but I totally disagree with that. You can’t
wear high heels!... It doesn’t mean I’m not a
Muslim cos I’m not doing it, cos I’m modern. I
was born as a modern British Muslim and I will
die as a modern British Muslim.

Make Me a Muslim
Me being a convert myself, this programme helped break down barriers
as my friends and family watched and got an insight on other
converts, as they hadn't heard any other converts story or saw their
way of life. From what I've saw so far, nothing tried to portray Islam in a
bad light (only the presenters comments), and showed the equality of
men and women, the rights of women, and the peace Islam brings.
(Dij)
It seemed to me to focus on the externals of religion, there was too much
trying on of Islamic headwear, and it appeared that Shanna’s main concern
was to sort out in her own head whether she should continue with her
modelling career. But there was no real discussion of the interesting
issue… I felt I didn’t learn any more about Islam, or, except for the finding a
husband issue, about the difficulties experienced by converts.
(Keepingoin)

'Most of the media fail to acknowledge that 'separateness' becomes
a 'problem' only if there is a conflict of interest, and a 'threat' only if
it poses a challenge to existing sources of power… By constructing
the Muslim population as the agents solely responsible for
separation, those 'at risk' become, almost by definition, the non-
Muslim majority.'
(Macdonald 2011: 140).
'Muslim women wear the hijab, Muslim men appear
bearded, praying, or both… 'Muslims must appear on the screen
with their 'Muslimness' marked out in some way. Their existence as
subjects in any other sense is effectively voided. Yet, at the same
time as the Muslim 'essence' is made visible, its difference from the
normalized community around it is underlined‘… *Much media
coverage works to] 'keep Muslims 'outside' the nation and firmly in
the media ghetto'
(Morey 2011: 118-120; 126).

Strictly Soulmates
Raw, 2012
Strictly Soulmates takes a fun, entertaining and emotional look at the real life
trials and tribulations of a group of singletons trying to find their perfect
match from four different religions: Evangelical Christian, Hindu, Muslim and
Jewish. (BBC Three website)

Strictly Soulmates
Raw, 2012
At least, all in all, I hope that Christians have been represented
on TV and I don’t think we came across too crazy!
(Lorraine’s vlog)
VO: But when she does find her perfect match it
won’t just be the two of them in the relationship
Katy: I think a husband should expect that Jesus
would come first and that he would come
second. That might be quite hard to understand
for people because generally we talk very much
about falling in love and that person being our
number one, but ultimately if Jesus isn’t our
number one you’re trying to put somebody else
in the place where he should be.

Strictly Soulmates
Raw, 2012
It was refreshing to see accuracy portrayed about Christians for once. I
enjoyed the programme immensely… It's a shame about Katy and Jake -
they seemed so right for each other, but God knows best. I pray that many
more young Christians will watch this and see the importance of following
God's teaching in finding a fellow believer for a partner. Well done BBC3.
Can I suggest we now have one for the over 40s please :-) ?
(Jilly)
It would have been nice to have filmed actual Orthodox Jews for this
documentary, and the complexities of Orthodox Jewish dating. I liked the
Muslim episode of this because it showed actual serious/religious
Muslims, but as a Jew myself, I'mdisappointed in this Jewish episode.
Non-religious Jewish dating is not any different to regular, non-Jewish
secular dating. So what's the point?
(Dancer)

The World’s Strictest Parents
TwentyTwenty, 2008-2011
Ten unruly British teenagers are sent to live with strict families in five
different countries in an experiment to find out the right way to bring up a
child. (BBC Three website)

We realised that they were just victims of circumstances and
what life had to offer kids in the West. The system which always
talks of everyone's rights seemed to have left the kids the wrong
end of the stick to deal with life (Mandy De Zyvla, 2010)
Voiceover: They’ll be staying with the Hajars, a Sunni
Muslim family who believe that rigid boundaries are
essential in raising children…
Debbie: Dressing modestly and respectfully is a pile of
shit … I’m not going to get married just so I can have sex;
that’s ridiculous… *on wearing hijab+ Like it’s so
claustrophobic, it’s like tight, dead tight, against my skin.
There is no practical reason for it at all, it’s just, I just
think it’s sexist to be honest, but the women
don’t, erm, so if they accept it then that’s up to them.

As a Sri Lankan living in the UK I am really proud of De Zylva family. The
way they handled Jerry and Nicky was remarkable. And I should thank
BBC for telecasting this gem of a programme. I am proud be a Sri Lankan
Buddhist.
(SJ)
I feel bad for those families... They probably had no idea what they were
in for. And the British teens are just on there to milk up the 'fame'.
Still, makes a good watch when you're bored.
(CityLover)
All the 'good' families are religious while all the 'bad' kids come from
non-religious backgrounds. It's just typical BBC pushing religion down our
throats again like they always do.
(Bruvva)

Branded a Witch
Children accused of witchcraft. This is not just medieval history, it's
happening now... and here in Britain. Kevani Kanda explores the dark and
secretive world of faith-based child abuse which, in the last few years, has
seen an upsurge in children being abused and even murdered by relatives -
all in the name of witchcraft. (BBC Three website)

Branded a Witch
We understand that for some people this may have been an uncomfortable
watch, but we felt it was in the public interest to make people aware of this
important issue. We have worked with charities who are aware of the plights
of each of the children that we have filmed in the Democratic Republic of
Congo. (BBC Three Facebook)
Kanda: This is me, 23 years old and living in London.
Pretty normal, you might think, although my
upbringing was anything but. I was born in the
Congo, into a family that, like most other families
there, believes in witchcraft. When I was five I came
across to this country and suffered years of abuse
before being taken into care. In many ways though, I
feel lucky because I got through it and now have a
safe and happy life with my two beautiful sons. But
many young people are far from safe and it's all
because of a belief in witchcraft.

Branded a Witch
Im actually appalled that you have actually filmed that poor boy been
beaten and abused you have took documentrys to a whole New
disgusting level!
(Elissa)
I have never been so embarrassed by our planet than now. These
people are being blinded by their 'God' to harm children. It is
horrendous and disgusting, completely immoral and must stop. It's not
fair for this innocent kids to be harmed when they've done nothing
wrong.
(Polly)
Swear down the media annoy me. Forever portraying countries
in Africa soooo bad. This "Branded awitch" just angers me!
(Nia)

Media portrayals of religion undoubtedly have some sort of relationship to
the social reality that they try to depict… the media undoubtedly fashion the
images that many of us have of religion. Such images are curiously diverse
and may become more so. But equally there may well be limits to what a
British audience will tolerate.
(Davie 1994: 113)
A number of different discourses about religion/spirituality and nationality
emerge... but... there is a dominant discursive construction of Britain as a
liberal, tolerant place where religion and spirituality are simply one lifestyle
choice among many, acceptable as long as they are practised in ways that do
not challenge ‘British’ values.
(Deller 2012: 360)
Tolerance of diverse beliefs in a community becomes possible to the extent
that those beliefs are phrased as having no public importance; as being
constitutive of a private individual whose private beliefs and commitments
have minimal bearing on the structure and pursuits of political, social or
economic life.
(Brown 2006: 32)

The titles… position Gary as ‘possessed’ and Deborah as a
‘servant’, implying passivity and lack of control over their
actions, whilst Salahuddin/Rich is described as an ‘Islamist’, a term that
has received considerable negative press… *The+ films repeatedly
emphasise the ‘strangeness’ of the subjects’ worlds, as if this is reason
enough for the young people featured not to be allowed to voice their
own stories. This is in sharp contrast to self-narrated films on BBC
Three, where the emphasis is on how ‘normal’, and how like the
audience, a young person whose life appears unusual on the surface
‘actually’ is.
Viewers will typically be offered a subjective position which invites
them (like the film maker) to keep a certain distance from the
programme's content. Indeed, with certain films the viewer is
explicitly given the role of observer… A stance is thereby prepared
for viewers which mimics that of the filmmaker…*documentaries+
conceal the ideologies which they embody.
(Kilborn and Izod 1997: 40-43).

These may be 'our' shows to teenagers, but… the programmes
are created by adults, arguably with a particular adult agenda…
to educate and inform… to set certain agendas at this delicate
time just prior to the onset of a more prominent citizenship;
and/or to raise crucial issues (of adult choosing) in a
'responsible manner' that is entirely hegemonically negotiated.
Recurrent topics of discussion - even within the most fantastical
of shows - are sex and sexuality, drug and alcohol use, family
tensions and negotiating one's place among one's peers… many
of these programmes are earnest enough (or cynical enough in
the face of parental group pressure) in their commitment to
building a certain recognised type of future citizen (namely a
politically liberal one)… geared towards creating a certain
notion of political subjecthood before the freedoms of
adulthood are attained.
(Davis and Dickinson 2004: 3 on ‘youth’ television)

References
BBC (2012) Executive Priorities and Summary Workplanning 2012/13. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/accountability/work
plan_220512.html
Braitch, JZ (2007), ‘Programming Reality: Control Societies, New Subjects and the
Powers of Transformation’ in Heller, D (ed) Makeover Television: Realities
Remodelled, London: I.B. Tauris, 6-22.
Brown, CG (2006) Religion and Society in Twentieth-Century Britain, Harlow: Pearson
Longman.
Buckingham, D (2008) (ed) (2008) Youth, Identity and Digital Media, London: MIT
Press
Davie, G (1994) Religion in Britain since 1945: Believing without Belonging, Oxford:
Blackwell.
Davis, G and Dickinson, K (eds) (2004) Teen TV: Genre, Consumption and
Identity, London: BFI
Deller, RA (2012) Faith in View: Religion and Spirituality in Factual British Television
2000-09 [PhD thesis] available at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/5654/
Deller, RA [forthcoming] 'Faith, Identity and Youth in BBC Three documentaries'

References
De Zylva, M (2010), 'World's Strictest Parents: Looking after two troublesome
girls', BBC Blog. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tv/posts/worlds-strictest-
parents
Ferguson, G (2010) 'The Family on Reality Television: Who's Shaming
Whom?', Television and New Media 11(2) 87–104.
Kilborn, RW and Izod, J (1997) An Introduction to Television Documentary:
Confronting Reality, Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Macdonald, M (2011) 'Discourses of Separation: News and Documentary
Representations of Muslims in Britain' in Brunt, R and Cere, R (eds) Postcolonial
Media Culture in Britain, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 127-141.
Morey, P (2011), 'You've Been Framed: Stereotyping and Performativity in Yasmin' in
Brunt, R and Cere, R (eds.), Postcolonial Media Culture in Britain, London: Palgrave
Macmillan, 115-126.
Morgan, T and Hughes, S (2012) 'Brit Hater is Held by Cops', The Sun, 5 July.
Ouellette, L. and Hay, J (2008) Better living through reality TV. London: Blackwell.
Skeggs, B. (2004). Class, self, culture. London: Routledge.
Whitehead, T (2013) My brother the Islamist plotted terror attacks, The
Telegraph, 16 March.

Bbc three, young people and faith

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