BBC Stirs Row by Dropping Telecast of Pope’s Message
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LONDON — A row erupted today after the British Broadcasting Corp. announced it is canceling a television broadcast of Pope John Paul’s Easter Sunday message because hardly any Britons watch it.
It is the first time in 30 years that the BBC has not included the papal message in its Easter program schedule.
Norman St. John Stevas, a former Cabinet minister and a prominent Roman Catholic, called the decision “an outrage.”
“The corporation has insulted not only millions of Roman Catholics in Great Britain,” he said, “but Christians of all denominations by this foolish decision.”
According to the BBC, only 200,000 viewers, an all-time low, watched last year’s broadcast from Rome. Dropping the transmission will save $3,000, a BBC spokesman said.
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