Christian Broadcasting Blog

SAT-7 TÜRK Launches on January 1st 2010

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11 GMT

SAT-7 TÜRK Launches on January 1, 2010

Broadcasts mark a major step for indigenous Turkish Christian channel

On January 1, 2010, SAT-7 TÜRK begins its first broadcasts as a full member of the SAT-7 network of channels. For the last six years the channel has operated as an independent ministry under the name “TURK-7.” In early 2009, TURK-7’s leadership sought to become part of the SAT-7 family to expand its operations. The January 2010 broadcast launch marks the end of a six month merger process and the beginning of a significant expansion for the Turkish Christian broadcaster.

“There is a real sense of excitement about the potential for growth now that we have merged with SAT-7,” says David Middleton, SAT-7 TÜRK’s Executive Director. “Being part of a larger organization provides us with great support that we didn’t have before. With that support comes added confidence in what we can do now and what we’ll be able to do in the future.”

The Turkish broadcaster was created in 2003 to serve the needs of Christians in Turkey and to help the wider non-Christian Turkish population understand more about Christian beliefs and practices. Since early 2006, SAT-7 has provided airtime for the Turkish ministry to broadcast its locally-produced programs (most of which are made in Istanbul) on the SAT-7 PARS (Persian) channel. The two ministries have always shared a similar ethos: to be inter-denominational, affirming, non-attacking of other religions and to be a source of Christian teaching, training and encouragement through which all viewers can experience God’s love.

“We’ve been operating at a solid level for the last three to four years and I believe we’ve established a good foundation. In 2010 we’re hoping to double our hours of production which will enable us to make a much bigger impact. With some additional funding we hope that we can move to our own 24-hour channel in 2011,” says Mr. Middleton.

SAT-7 TÜRK also operates a website www.sat7turk.com on which viewers can watch the ministry’s programs on demand.

For more information about SAT-7 TÜRK or SAT-7, go to www.sat7.org

UCB Gospel goes on to DAB

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:49 GMT

UCB Gospel goes on to DAB

Dec 21, 2009

United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) has launched its Gospel music station on to DAB radio across five regions and extended the coverage of UCB Inspirational to a further two regions.

UCB Gospel was previously only available on Sky and online and UCB Inspirational was available only in some areas of England and Wales on DAB. UCB Gospel is now available on DAB across the North West, North East, Yorkshire, Severn Estuary and the West Midlands and UCB Inspirational is now additionally available in London and Staffordshire.

UCB’s Chief Executive, Ian Mackie said, “We launched our flagship station UCB UK on to national DAB radio just a few weeks ago and to now have the opportunity to extend the coverage of two of our other stations, is providing even more choice in Christian music and content on DAB radio. We’re so grateful to our listeners and supporters who’ve joined us on this exciting journey and helped to bring us so far”.

For more information contact Paula Cummings at UCB on 01782 654741 or email pcummings@ucb.co.uk

Notes to editor

1. United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) has five radio stations, three of which broadcast on DAB digital radio – UCB UK now broadcasts nationally on digital radio, UCB Inspirational broadcasts across large areas of England and Wales on digital radio, and additionally in London, and Staffordshire. UCB Gospel is now available on DAB across the North West, North East, Yorkshire, Severn Estuary and the West Midlands .Other UCB stations and UCB TV are available on Sky, Virgin Media and the internet at ucbmedia.co.uk

2. UCB provides thought-provoking, life-changing resources to churches, Christians and people seeking a better understanding of the Christian faith, currently reaching more than a million people across the UK and Ireland.

__________________
Paula Cummings
Broadcast Publicist
United Christian Broadcasters Ltd
Broadcast Centre
Hanchurch Lane
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 8RY
UK
Switchboard: +44 (0) 1782 642000
Direct Line: +44 (0) 1782 654741
Email: pcummings@ucb.co.uk
Web: http://www.ucbmedia.co.uk http://www.UCB2GO.co.uk http://www.LookingforGod.com

New licensing arrangements for wireless microphone users

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:56 GMT

In the UK some wireless microphone systems require a licence. This will depend on the frequency and transmitter power of the radio microphone system.

VHF Frequencies
If your operate a VHF radio microphone which transmits between the frequencies 173.800MHz and 175.00MHz, has a maximum power of 10mW for handheld or 50mW for belt pack microphones, you will not be required to obtain a licence.

UHF Frequencies
If the radio microphone system is operated in the UHF bandwidth between 863.100MHz and 864.900MHz and has a maximum power of 10mW for handheld or 50mW for belt pack system, you will not be required to obtain a licence.

Any radio microphone which operates outside these frequencies or has above the regulation power output will require a licence. More information on obtaining the correct licence can be found at www.jfmg.co.uk It is the responsibility of the user to establish and obtain the correct licence.

Ofcom have announced that it is revising licensing arrangements for wireless microphone users to help them better plan for the future.

Wireless microphone users currently have exclusive use of one dedicated channel – channel 69 – which will be cleared in 2012 to allow for new uses, particularly mobile broadband.

To safeguard the future interests of wireless microphone users, Ofcom announced earlier this year that they would be able to use a replacement channel – channel 38 – which will offer the same utility as channel 69.

Licensees have been notified by letter that from 4 January 2010, channel 38 will become available on a shared use basis.

This means that equipment used in different locations can be covered by the same licence, reducing costs and bureaucracy particularly for those who travel with their equipment.
It will also give confidence to those looking to invest in new equipment that uses this channel.
Channel 38 is already available for wireless microphone use in most of the UK.

However there are a number of locations where it will not be fully available until 1 January 2012. This is because of the need to protect radioastronomy sites in Cheshire and Cambridgeshire and terrestrial television transmissions in adjacent channels where digital switchover has not taken place. To assist wireless microphone users, Ofcom has arranged, where possible, for channels 39 and 40 to be made available on the same shared licence in all of these locations until channel 38 becomes fully available.

In addition, channel 69 will also be included in the new licences, effectively rolling up to four channels – 38, 39, 40 and 69 – into the one licence.

Ofcom has also proposed that most of the 32 channels of spectrum retained for digital terrestrial television after switchover should continue to be available for PMSE, to meet the future needs of users.

International Conference on Computing and Mission

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:12 GMT

GOD LOVES GEEKS ON A MISSION!

We are all aware that technology is changing lives across the globe at an ever increasing rate - many kids nowadays have never seen a vinyl record - it's deemed to be old technology after only 60 years of production!

Churches and Mission agencies are using technology and the geeks that understand it more and more to share the gospel message of hope as well as run their own operations. Keeping track of the good, the bad and the ugly of technology is a struggle for many technologists in good times, but with over-stretched budgets and people, and never-ending technological change, keeping up to date is now almost an impossible task.

The International Conference on Computing and Mission (ICCM) exists to collaboratively help and support those who work with computer technology and mission. It is a place where Christian technologists from missions, churches and industry can talk together about walking with God on the one hand and technology on the other. The conference has been running for over 20 years around the globe. It is genuinely a unique, collaborative event, run by the attendees for the attendees.

The next ICCM is being held in Europe between Wednesday the 10th and Saturday 13th March 2010 at De Betteld in the Netherlands.

For more information visit http://www.iccm-europe.org or contact Mick
Leggett, HCJB Global, The Media Centre, 131 Grattan Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 2HS. e: itdept@hcjb.org.uk t: +44 1274 721810

---

ICCM-Europe is organised and hosted by a group of people who value and work with technology in mission, many of whom work within mission organisations. It is a sister conference to ICCM-Asia and ICCM-US and like them is more of an organism than an organisation.

DAB radio faces threat from satellite rival

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:41 GMT

DAB radio, the digital radio format promoted by the UK Government, commercial radio sector and BBC, is facing a challenge from a subscription satellite radio which is set to launch throughout Europe.

Ondas Media, a Madrid-based satellite radio group funded by German and Swiss investors, has agreedments to provide its radio devices to car manufacturers including BMW and Nissan. Deals are also expected with Audi, Mazda, Toyota, Honda and Jaguar.

Ondas have also announced a deal to broadcast Britain’s Jazz FM when Ondas’ satellite service launches in 2012. Jazz FM chief executive Richard Wheatly will work with the group to create additional specialist radio channels with tailored content. The satellite radio company is also in talks with the BBC.

Ondas plans to launch with 150 channels in 2012, with devices which will have the capacity for multi-lingual radio, music, video and data services. The devices will be built under licence from Ondas by electronics manufacturers including Bosch, Continental and Delphi. The monthly subscription is expected to be in the region of €10-€12 a month for individuals.

Carmakers have been viewed as vital to making a success of DAB radio, but they have been slow to offer DAB radios in their models, with scepticism about the UK’s commitment to DAB, whether another platform might take its place and whether there will ever be a universal digital standard throughout Europe.

Ondas are also hoping that households and individuals will invest in the technology, which could be available in other devices, including mobile phones and Tom Tom sat nav devices.

Christian Radio Station Planned for Muslim Area of West Africa

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:37 GMT

Christian Radio Station Planned for Muslim Area of West Africa
Source: HCJB Global

HCJB Global Voice recently signed a final partnership agreement with another organization in West Africa, to start a radio station in the area. HCJB Global Voice expects construction to be completed in the next few weeks with plans to be on the air by Christmas.

After “Pastor J” and his team complete the building of the radio tower, HCJB Global Voice will donate the radio equipment needed and will also assist in the installation of the equipment. When the radio station is in place, the mission plans to help train the staff on the technical and programming aspects of the radio station, giving local partners the ability to run the facility on their own.

Pastor J, born in West Africa, was raised and trained in Islam. As an adult, he became a science teacher at an Islamic school. During that time, a Christian couple led him to the Lord. In 1983 he dedicated his life to reaching out to Muslims and has been serving as a missionary and strong spiritual leader ever since.

Christian Fellowship Church in Ashburn, Va., describes him as “a unique visionary and a strong Christian leader of exemplary faith … an effective evangelist with a heart of compassion for Muslims…and an astute, entrepreneurial businessman who continually applies his skill to spreading the gospel.”

Pastor J’s ministry focuses on providing schools, water wells and small-business opportunities for local communities. The station will be the first Christian outlet in this primarily Muslim area of West Africa, and will reach out to people who may otherwise never hear the Christian message.

HCJB Global is also involved in other community development projects that integrate both the voice (media) and hands (healthcare) aspect of ministry.

Trans World Radio Changes Name to TWR

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:51 GMT

Trans World Radio Changes Name to TWR
Media Organization Also Embraces New Positioning Statement
“Speaking Hope to the World”

CARY, NC, November 16, 2009

International Christian ministry Trans World Radio, a pioneer in media missions, will change its name to TWR on November 18, 2009. At the same time, the organization also will adopt the positioning statement "Speaking Hope to the World" to fortify its new identity.

"While our commitment to radio broadcasting remains steadfast, the name Trans World Radio no longer fully conveys the scope of our organization," says TWR President Lauren Libby.

"TWR is more than radio. It is a multifaceted media ministry. By changing the name to TWR, we will maintain radio as a keystone communication component all the while employing a strategic integration of new media platforms. In fact, we will even seek to enlarge our broadcasting footprint."

Libby explained that TWR is committed to leveraging digital advances such as the Internet, MP3 players, video and other mobile-device formats.

"In recent years, modern technology has enabled us to make significant strides in engaging with our global audience," he said."We also recognize the tremendous ministry value of social media portals like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube," Libby adds.

"We're not just endeavoring to reach people for Christ; we want to connect and dialogue with them as they grow in faith. Furthermore, we realize social media is a fast and efficient way to communicate with our stakeholders."

The ministry's new positioning statement, according to Libby, will clearly reflect TWR's primary objective of Speaking Hope to the World "

Speaking not only refers to verbal communication but also signifies the ability to relate with people in other resourceful ways," Libby explained. "With that in mind, we will offer relevant messages of hope in Jesus to men, women and children around the globe. Whether it's by radio or other new media means, TWR is dedicated to helping fulfill Christ's Great Commission."

Frequently Asked Questions
With the name of the organization changing from Trans World Radio to TWR, does that mean people will no longer use the term Trans World Radio anymore?
The name Trans World Radio has existed for more than 55 years. It goes without saying that it is entirely unrealistic to expect everyone to stop using that name overnight. That said, TWR staff, partners and affiliated ministries are encouraged to make the gradual shift toward using TWR as the primary moniker.

Is TWR abandoning or scaling back its commitment to radio broadcasting?
No, not at all. In some areas of the world, we are increasing traditional radio broadcasts on shortwave, AM and FM outlets. As TWR's Bill Damick states in his forthcoming document "The Future is Here: Radio, New Media and Missions": "[Radio] has the unique ability to deliver its message efficiently, inexpensively, and compellingly to the greatest percentage of the world's people regardless of their economic status, educational attainment, or geographic location."

What is the meaning behind TWR's new positioning statement/tagline "Speaking Hope to the World"?
The word "speaking" is used in both the literal and figurative sense. It can either mean "communicating audibly" or "communicating a deeper message" (as in "the author's latest novel really spoke to me"). The word "hope" refers to the true, lasting expectation of something (or Someone) better. The word "world" captures the global essence of how TWR communicates the gospel. It's international in scope. After all, Jesus said "go into all the world and preach (speak) the gospel."

November

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:41 GMT

The following is not new but, as local councils in the UK continue to introduce winter festival activites (which may, or may not, include Christmas), it is perhaps a worthwhile reminder from our Stateside brothers.

November

Twas the month before Christmas

When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying

Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away,

The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ' Holiday'.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, cheques and credit

Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod

Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa

In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down

At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears

You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty

Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton,

Wolf BlitzenOn Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter

To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith

Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded

The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,

not Happy Holiday !

ICASA and Radio Pulpit negotiations fail

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:58 GMT

ICASA and Radio Pulpit negotiations fail, review application continues

The attempts by Radio Pulpit and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to resolve the dispute on a broadcasting licence for the Western Cape out-of-court have, unfortunately, been unsuccessful.

On the 7th of May 2009 Radio Pulpit submitted a Review Application to the High Court to have the decision of ICASA reviewed or set aside.

After the Review Application was served on ICASA, the Authority proposed to get a process in motion to settle the matter out of court. This proposal was made on the 15th July 2009.

Numerous attempts by Radio Pulpit to get the settlement process in motion were consistently derailed by ICASA and this course of events brought Radio Pulpit to the conclusion that ICASA was not acting in good faith.

The essence of the settlement process proposed by ICASA was that ICASA would appoint a two-man committee to reconsider Radio Pulpit’s Licence Application. Furthermore ICASA undertook that this committee would consist of board members that hadn’t previously been involved in the consideration of Radio Pulpit’s application. It soon became apparent, however, that the committee members who ICASA intended to nominate, have been previously involved in the case of Radio Pulpit and it also became clear that they have in fact voted against the approval of Radio Pulpit’s application. Based on this information which came to light, Radio Pulpit decided that it cannot place its destiny in the hands of a biased committee.

A further condition of ICASA’s settlement offer was that, pending the decision of the two-man committee, Radio Pulpit’s review application had to be withdrawn on the basis that each party will carry its own costs.

Radio Pulpit’s review application deals with various grounds for review, with particular reference to ICASA’s policy that Community Broadcasters must be geographically bound with regard to the area of their transmissions.

A withdrawal of Radio Pulpit’s review application would effectively deprive Radio Pulpit of the opportunity to obtain a fair and objective ruling from the High Court on the various grounds for review that are dealt with in the review application in respect of which the two-man committee wouldn’t rule against themselves in the process which was proposed by ICASA.

The ongoing dispute regarding the Western Cape transmitter has been strongly fuelled by unfounded and erroneous reasons from ICASA. The first of which being that ICASA classified this transmitter as a commercial transmitter; while during the past 7 years no commercial broadcaster applied to use this transmitter and while Radio Pulpit’s application has been rejected three times by the Authority in the past three years. Another reason that was put forward as motivation for the denial of Radio Pulpit’s application was the scarcity of frequencies. This is also an unfounded reason because it is a well known fact in the broadcasting industry that only 3 out of te 19 available medium wave frequencies in South Africa are currently being used.

Given the history of this application and the most recent developments, Radio Pulpit is left with only one clear option, which is to proceed with its review application to the High Court.

From Ecuador to the World

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:25 GMT

Missionary Radio Station Broadcasts the Gospel for Nearly 6 Decades
By Kenneth D. MacHarg
Missionary Journalist

Just stepping on the property one knew that it was a special place.

Others declared that it was holy ground.

Whatever a person’s viewpoint, these 110 acres of rolling green fields with a spectacular view of the perfect snow-covered volcanic cone of Mount Cotopaxi to the south were a single point from which shortwave radio programs could be beamed to the four corners of the earth.

Pifo, as the transmitter site for international Christian radio station HCJB, the Voice of the Andes, was known, could only be described in superlatives: one of the largest radio stations in the world; the home of one of the largest broadcast antennas ever built; one of the few places in the world where radio broadcasts could reach around the globe; the place from which the gospel of Jesus Christ could be heard by listeners in each of the world’s countries.

Even before entering the property, a visitor approaching the transmitter site from Quito could see red-and-white towers poking up into the sky. Passing through the entry gate just east of the town of Pifo, one saw 31 arrays of steel towers and curtains of wire spread out. Clustered near the transmitter and maintenance buildings were the homes of resident engineers.

Each of those unique structures with their complex web of reflecting curtains was designed to throw a powerful signal to a specific target, be it North or South America, Europe, the South Pacific, East Asia or West Central Africa. Smaller antennas, configured in a different manner, served to send programs in the Quichua dialects straight up where they would bounce off electronically charged layers far beyond the reach of the highest-flying airliner and bounce back down like an umbrella over the Andes where those descendents of the Inca civilizations still live.

In the large transmitter building, 10 behemoths of electronic genius pumped out hundreds of thousands of watts of signal power, much of it generated in HCJB Global’s own hydroelectric plants even higher in those majestic mountains.

Some of those technological marvels were commercial brands known to radio engineers around the world: RCA, Harris, Siemens. Others, including the super-power, 500,000-watt HC500, were built by HCJB Global’s own engineers in Ecuador and Elkhart, Indiana, USA.

None of these were ordinary, run-of-the mill transmitters. No, they were specifically built for or adapted to Pifo’s extraordinary altitude of 8,600 feet where the air is thin and electrical arcing between components could quickly burn up precious parts and force an expensive and crucial piece of equipment off the air.

Hidden away in the roof of this fascinating building was a switcher unit, or to be more precise, dozens of switchers. These connected the appropriate transmitter to its scheduled antenna to beam the Christian message from Pifo in the morning to missionaries in the Brazilian Amazon or to German settlers in Paraguay and Argentina. In the afternoon they helped send programs to eager listeners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; in the evening to enthusiastic listeners in the Americas and the Caribbean and in the wee hours of the morning to others in East Asia and the South Pacific.

While the transmitters were impressive, it was the antennas that were awe-inspiring. Whether seen against the backdrop of the setting sun or with Cotopaxi visible through their web-like patterns, these tall towers, reaching as high as 417 feet and holding two or three curtains of wires were fascinating as they invisibly bounced hundreds of thousands of watts of power, carrying the life-giving message of the gospel to people trapped behind the Iron Curtain, confined in the totalitarian state that was the Soviet Union. Also nurtured were those hidden behind the veil of Mideast nations or casually listening in their homes and offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific.

It’s hard for those without engineering experience to understand how an array of thin wires can bounce an electric signal against another similar curtain and have that signal and its message arrive at a radio receiver 6,000 miles away.

But, the antennas and transmitters of Pifo, Ecuador, did just that, broadcasting at times in up to 18 languages a day, around the clock, around the world.

While the technology was fascinating, even more compelling were the people who made it happen—those men and women who relocated to the beautiful South American country of Ecuador over the years so that they could build a radio station that would carry a message of hope and life to listeners around the world. Those engineers and technicians gave up what could have been lucrative careers back home to make certain that people in Ecuador and El Salvador, Germany and Greece, Russia and Romania could hear the life-giving message of Jesus Christ in their own language on their own radios.

These people, from a multitude of nationalities, were innovators and geniuses in their own right. They designed the Cubical Quad antenna to prevent electrical arcing at the tips of antenna wires and made that model available for personal, military and commercial use around the world.

They built and operated the “steerable antenna,” said to be one of the largest broadcast antennas ever built and the only one of its design ever constructed. They fabricated transmitters, antennas and components almost out of barbed wire and tin cans when standard supplies were not available. They utilized propagation possibilities (characteristics that allowed the signal to span long distances) that were unknown to others at the time, yet allowed the signal of HCJB to reach the ends of the earth.

Why did they do this? Because they had learned that God, who created the world and everything in it, including the fascinating science of radio broadcasting, cares about His creation and wishes that each and every person, from every tongue and nation, will know His love for them. And, they discovered the truth of God as it is written in the Bible and the love, forgiveness and salvation of God which results in eternal life through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who is the friend of sinners and the Savior of the world.

Today, those fields from which gospel programming was broadcast for almost 60 years are silent and almost empty. Gone are the huge towers and miles of wire that stretched across the green grass. Now gone silent are the transmitters* that labored day in and day out to transform the programs into a signal that would be carried around the world.

The site, which began broadcasting in 1953, signed off for good on Sept. 30, 2009. A changing world and changing methods of mass communication have challenged HCJB to move on to new ways of sharing that same message of hope. Today, satellite television and radio, the ability of local Christians to launch their own stations in communities where such broadcasters were forbidden or impossible in the past, the availability of other shortwave transmitting sites, the Internet, podcasts, social networking sites and Internet radio have become additional means of receiving information, entertainment and inspiration.

Pifo has become silent and the engineers and program producers have moved on. But today in every country of the world there are churches meeting, worshiping and serving because they practice what they heard on HCJB. There are entire communities and nations and people groups that proudly bear the name Christian because listeners heard the message emanating from Pifo. And, there are people, believers in Jesus Christ, who will attest to how their lives were transformed by Him and how today they are followers of Jesus because of what they heard from Pifo, Ecuador.

To God be the glory!

(*While the official closure date for the Pifo transmitter site was September 30, broadcasts in Portuguese were scheduled to continue for a few weeks.)

Note: Kenneth D. MacHarg served in Ecuador with HCJB Global from 1990 to 1998. He and his wife, Polly, retired from Latin America Mission in 2006 and now live in Carrollton, Ga. His website is www.missionaryjournalist.net.

Kenneth D. MacHarg
Missionary Journalist
Missionaryjournalist@gmail.com