Religious broadcasting

Religious broadcasting is broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.[1]

While this article emphasises dedicated religious broadcasters, many non-dedicated stations transmit religious programs; a state with no religious station may broadcast much religious programming.

Religious broadcasting can be funded commercially or through some sort of public broadcasting-style arrangement (religious broadcasters are often recognized as non-profit organizations). Donations from listeners and viewers, often tax-deductible, are solicited by some broadcasters.[2]

In some countries, particularly those with an established state religion, broadcasting related to one particular religion only is allowed, or in some cases required. For example a function of the state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation is by law "to broadcast such programmes as may promote Islamic ideology, national unity and principles of democracy, freedom equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam..." (s. 10(1)(b)).

Radio

(The distinction between radio and television broadcasters is not rigid; broadcasters in both areas may appear in the Radio or Television section in this article.)

Australia

Religious radio stations include

Italy

Netherlands

New Zealand

South Korea

Spain

United Kingdom

British broadcasting laws prohibit religious organisations, political parties, local government and trade unions from running national analogue terrestrial stations. Some religious radio stations are available in certain areas on the MW (medium wave) or VHF (FM) wavebands; others transmit using other methods, some of them nationally (such as via digital terrestrial TV broadcasting, satellite and cable).

There are five main stations, TBN UK Sky 582 and Freeview 65, Revelation TV is available on SKY Guide 581, Freesat 692 and the Roku box. God TV is available on SKY Guide 580 Premier Radio is available on MW in the London area and also nationally on DAB. United Christian Broadcasters is available in both the London and Stoke-on-Trent areas, and nationally as well via DAB

There are several UK-based radio stations which serve a genre group or locality, such as Cross Rhythms based in Stoke-on-Trent, a contemporary music station with a local FM community radio licence. Branch FM operates across West Yorkshire and is a volunteer-run community Christian radio station. Like most other local Christian stations, they also use the Internet to gain national coverage.

There are other UK-based radio channels which apply for regular temporary licenses, such as Flame FM on the Wirral, Cheshire which applies for two months of local FM broadcasting per year via a Restricted Service Licence (RSL), and Refresh FM, which regularly broadcasts in Manchester for 3 or 4 weeks over the Easter period.

Also there are religious broadcasters that transmit to the UK from outside on medium wave at night (when MW signals travel much further) by buying airtime on commercial stations such as Manx Radio (from the Isle of Man) and Trans World Radio (from Monte Carlo).

Many religious radio stations transmit via terrestrial digital radio, Premier Christian Radio being just one example, and these all broadcast nationwide.

Although there are tight restrictions on religious groups setting up their own radio and TV stations, there is a legal requirement for the BBC and ITV to broadcast a certain amount of religious programming. Some commercial local radio stations carry a limited amount of religious programming, particularly in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland

United States

The most prominent religion on the radio in the United States is Christianity, particularly the evangelical sect. It has changed since its inception with a growing audience and different regulations. The audience for Christian radio has grown in the past twenty years and has a dispersed audience throughout the U.S.. The Moody Bible Institute was the first religious organization to use satellite radio to reach a larger audience than before The Moody Bible Institute was also one of the first religious broadcasting networks to receive a non-commercial educational FM license from the FCC allowing them to open other stations. Religious broadcasting in the United States is mainly the province of local or regional networks which produce programming relevant to their community, and is usually heard on stations holding non-commercial educational broadcast licenses. Although religious radio began as locally owned, because of the deregulations in the 1996 Telecommunications act it has become more consolidated with local affiliates under a national radio company. Several national networks do exist, which include;

Television

(The distinction between radio and television broadcasters is not rigid; broadcasters in both areas may appear in the Radio or Television section in this article.)

Africa

Dove TV is a Christian television network by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (www.rccg.tv)

T.B. Joshua's Emmanuel TV.[4]

Ezekiel TV is a Christian television network started by Ezekiel Guti of ZAOGA Forward in Faith Ministries International (FIFMI) in 2008, based in South Africa. Most of the programming is from Zimbabwe, where ZAOGA FIFMI is headquartered. The channel broadcasts on the internet on the FIFMI Website, www.fifmi.org

Liberty TV (Prophet Eric SEM) is founder of Liberty Ministry International also owns Liberty TV. website,He started his miniseterial work in Mundemba of the south west province. From there, he moved on to Ndokotti, Douala, where launched his present ministry. (www.libertycm.tv)

Canada

Networks

Name Owner Religious Affiliation Base Range Notes
Yes TV Crossroads Christian Communications Christianity (some multi-faith) Burlington, Ontario Nationwide Airs a mixture of religious and general entertainment programming.

Also available over-the-air in:

Channels

Name Owner Religious Affiliation Base Range Notes
ATN Aastha TV Asian Television Network Hinduism Newmarket, Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
ATN Punjabi 5 Asian Television Network Sikhism Markham, Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
ATN Sikh Channel Asian Television Network Sikhism Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
Daystar Canada World Impact Ministries Christianity (Evangelical) Vancouver, British Columbia Nationwide Only available on pay television
HopeTV ZoomerMedia Christianity Winnipeg, Manitoba Nationwide Available over-the-air in Manitoba (Winnipeg) and pay television nationwide.
Joytv ZoomerMedia Multi-faith Fraser Valley, British Columbia Nationwide Available over-the-air in British Columbia (Vancouver, Lower Mainland, and Victoria) and pay television nationwide.
Salt + Light Television Salt & Light Catholic Media Foundation Christianity (Catholicism) Toronto, Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
Vertical TV Vertical Entertainment Christianity Brampton, Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
VisionTV ZoomerMedia Multi-faith Toronto, Ontario Nationwide Only available on pay television
CFSO-TV Logan & Corey McCarthy Christianity (Mormonism) Cardston, Alberta Local Only available over-the-air; airs selected programming from BYUtv
CFEG-TV Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren Church Christianity (Mennonite Brethren) Abbotsford, British Columbia Local Only available over-the-air
Miracle Channel The Miracle Channel Association Christianity (Evangelical) Lethbridge, Alberta Local Only available over-the-air; secondary affiliate of Trinity Broadcasting Network

France

Italy

Middle East

In the Middle East, Christian satellite broadcaster SAT-7 operates five channels, SAT-7 ARABIC, SAT-7 PARS (Farsi), SAT-7 KIDS (Arabic), SAT-7 PLUS (Arabic) and SAT-7 TÜRK (Turkish), which broadcast in the prominent languages of the region with more than 80% of programs made by and for people of the region.[8] SAT-7's satellite footprints reach 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as 50 countries in Europe, with "free to air" programming. SAT7, founded in 1995, is the first and largest Christian satellite broadcast organization operating in the region. It is supported by Christian churches from a variety of denominations in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as supporters from Europe, Canada , United States , and Asia.

Norway

Pakistan

A function of the state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation is by law "to broadcast such programmes as may promote Islamic ideology, national unity and principles of democracy, freedom equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam..." (s. 10(1)(b)).

Turkey

Islamic broadcasters include:[9]

United Kingdom

In the UK, religious television operates differently from the US. Most religious stations transmit via direct-to-home satellite, some, are streamed live via the Internet or, like TBN, broadcast 24 hours on terrestrial Freeview. The BBC and ITV broadcast religious programmes, such as Songs of Praise and Highway, as part of their public service remit. The 2009 Ofcom report found that religious broadcasting on public service channels was watched on average for 2.3 hours per year per viewer on the main PSB channels in 2011,[10] 2.7 hours in 2008, reducing steadily from 3.2 in 2006 and 3.6 in 2001. In 2006, 5% of viewers found religious broadcasting to be of personal importance.[11]

In 2010, the commercial television broadcasters reduced their religious output due to poor viewing figures; at the start of the year, ITV1 planned to show one hour and Channel Five had no plans. The BBC is obliged by its licence to broadcast 110 hours per year.[12]

Dedicated religious channels available include:

See also List of Islamic television and radio stations in the United Kingdom

United States

Religious television stations in the United States experienced growth in the 1990’s, the number of faith-based T.V. stations alone has tripled. The United States government does not regulate these networks it is instead the National Religious Broadcasters. Religious television is widely used by evangelical groups, but other religions using television broadcasting is also growing, such as Jewish groups broadcasting on the Odyssey. The audience for religious television is still mainly white, middle-class, evangelicals but, that is also changing as there is an increase in young Catholic viewers and Spanish-language religious television. There has also been a growth in the number and power of television preachers in the United States, particularly evangelical preachers, also known as televangelists. An example is Pat Robertson, who appears on the show “The 700 Club” on CBN, regularly comments on other aspects of non-religious life and has even said they separation of church and state in the United States is ‘nonsense.’

In the United States, Christian organizations are by far the most widespread compared with other religions, with upwards of 1,600 television and radio stations across the country (not necessarily counting broadcast translators, though because many outlets have low power and repeat national telecasts, the difference is often hard to define).

Christian television outlets in the U.S. usually broadcast in the UHF band. While there are many religious content providers for religious and faith-based television, there are few nationally recognized non-commercial television networks—funded by soliciting donations—such as Daystar Television Network (operated by Marcus Lamb and Joni Lamb) and Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) (operated by Paul Crouch and Jan Crouch). Unlike the larger religious network providers available to the mass public, many smaller religious organizations have a presence on cable television systems, either with their own channels (such as the 3ABN service) or by transmissions on public-access television (common for local congregations) or leased access channels. Religious programs are sometimes also transmitted on Sunday mornings by general commercial broadcasters not dedicated to religious programming. Religious broadcasters in the U.S. include:

Industry organizations

United Kingdom

The UK equivalent of the NRB is the Christian Broadcasting Council, but affiliation is much less common. Additionally in the UK is the Church and Media Network, formed in 2009 as a successor to the Churches' Media Council, which states that it seeks to be a bridge between the media and the Christian community.

United States

Christian broadcasters (but not other religions) in the U.S. are organized through the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) organization.

Funding

Financially, US channels tend to fare a lot better than UK based ones. The American concept of asking viewers to donate money to a channel to keep it going on air is considered more culturally acceptable than in the UK; as a result more money is raised this way. However this has become more contentious as television preachers have been accused of corruption and soliciting donations for their own personal use. There used to be no advertising revenue model – the traditional method of running commercial TV in the UK – that worked for religious TV channels. The UK government's Broadcasting Act 1990 allowed ownership of broadcasting licences by religious organisations and their officers and those who controlled them in some circumstances;[17] this had previously not been allowed.

Religious channels aimed at a UK audience could get around this previous restriction by basing themselves offshore, often in a European country that permits asking viewers for money on air. Stations may appear to be based in the UK, but actually broadcast from another country. However Ofcom since lifted the restriction, and channels with UK licences can now ask for funds on air.

The other primary method for raising funds to run religious channels is to accept paid advertising. Traveling preachers and large churches and ministries often set up a TV department filming what they do; they then buy slots on TV channels to show their programmes. Often the same programme from an organization is shown on several channels at different times as they buy slots. The vast majority of organizations which do this are US-based. In the UK this tends to make Christian TV channels appear to be US-based, as most material originates there. Some UK TV channels have invested in making programmes to complement advertising, most notably GOD TV and Revelation TV.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ben Armstrong (1978). Religious broadcasting sourcebook. National Religious Broadcasters. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "KPLE-TV". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Human Content Media Producties B.V. "Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation - Buddhist Broadcast Foundation". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Manasa, Makweembo (2010-02-11). "TB Joshua - 21st Century Prophet In Our Midst?". Zambian Watchdog.
  5. ↑ Holy God Television Ministries, France: mission statement Archived 19 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Archived 10 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ New Living Ministries. "Contact us". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "SAT-7 - Making God's Love Visible". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "The rise of "Islamic" broadcasting in Turkey". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  10. ↑ Ofcom: Public Service Broadcasting, 2011
  11. ↑ "Public Service Broadcasting: Annual Reports". 20 March 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "ITV will broadcast just one hour of religious programming this year". Telegraph.co.uk. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "Islam Channel breaches broadcasting code". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  14. ↑ "Islamic Broadcasting Network - The Voice of American Muslims". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "New York Jewish Radio". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  16. ↑ JSM Web Dept. "SonLife Broadcasting Network - Christian Television - SBN - Jimmy Swaggart Ministries". Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Broadcasting Act 1990". Retrieved 23 August 2015.

External links

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