The BBC is to be given free reign to dramatically slash the number of hours it devotes to religion on Radio 4, under a shake-up of the rules by the broadcasting watchdog.

Ofcom has ripped up the old broadcasting licence - and many of its strict targets for BBC radio - to make it easier for the corporation to keep pace with audience demands for podcasts and other new ways of listening to radio-style content.

Under the current regime, BBC radio must meet around 200 targets demanding regular coverage of things like health, farming, consumer affairs, business, education and disability on Radio 4.

The BBC is to be given free reign to dramatically slash the number of hours it devotes to religion on Radio 4 (file picture)

The station is also obliged to devote 180 hours a year to comedy and 600 hours of drama.

Ofcom has dramatically slashed that rule book to just 20 targets, according to a draft document.

Critics have warned that the BBC could become less distinctive as a result, and warned that it would dilute its public service role.

Voice of the Listener and Viewer, the lobby group, told Ofcom that the move risked undermining 'Radio 4's distinctiveness and its ambition to deliver the mission to engage and entertain.'

However, BBC chiefs said that it needed more 'flexibility' to exercise its 'creative discretion' as audiences abandon traditional broadcasts and listen to digital music services and other radio-style content in new ways.

In a letter to Ofcom, BBC policy director Clare Sumner said that the broadcaster remained committed to drama and comedy but questioned whether targets demanding a certain number of hours in these 'expensive genres' was the best way of 'maximising the distinctiveness.