BBC head defends screening of Springer musical

The director general of the BBC last night criticised the religious groups who protested against the corporation's decision to broadcast Jerry Springer: the Opera last month.

Mark Thompson told the FT New Media and Broadcasting Conference that the BBC had a duty to stand up for the "widest range of ideas".

Despite drawing 50,000 complaints and accusations of blasphemy, the work attracted an audience of 1.8 million.

Mr Thompson, who is a Christian, said the decision to show the hit West End musical, which features a nappy-wearing Jesus, was "both right and important.

"Our duty is not to be swayed by short-run moral panics or claims about this trend or that trend but rather to consider the issues around broadcast as objectively and dispassionately as we can," he said.

Talking about the freedom to screen controversial programmes, he said: "I do believe that this openness, along with the wider openness of our whole society, is under threat."

One religious group, Christian Voice, led a campaign against some BBC executives, publishing their home addresses and phone numbers.

"I do think the organisers of some of the protests, in particular Christian Voice, should reflect carefully on what happened," said Mr Thompson. "Actions have consequences and even if you yourself do not intend to intimidate or threaten, publishing private phone numbers and addresses on the web may lead someone else to do just that.

"The volume of protests was something we did take into consideration, because it showed the widespread strength of feeling. But even if around 50,000 different people really had registered their disquiet, that number has to be considered alongside the 1.8 million who eventually chose to watch Jerry Springer and indeed the 25m households we serve altogether."

He also predicted further controversy in the future as small pressure groups used the internet and emails to target those they felt were attacking their views or beliefs.

"There is sometimes a sense of competitive victimhood, especially in the matter of religion - they achieved that, why can't we achieve this?"

He said: "Rage and extremism seem somehow closer to the surface. So at the BBC we expect to be tested again, perhaps with greater frequency and intensity."

However, Mr Thompson conceded the corporation must do more to "connect" with Christian viewers. "In my view we have plenty more to do to reflect religion positively on our airwaves particularly Christianity where, despite some real advances in recent years, there is still something of a creative deficit," he said.