National broadcasting company recently received this letter from an old sheepherder in the hills of Idaho:
"I enjoy your programs every week, and I want to ask a favor of you. It is rather lonely up here in the hills, and I have not much to amuse me except my radio. I used to play my old violin, but now it is badly out of tune. I wonder whether you would be kind enough to pause on your next program to strike A so that I might tune my violin and enjoy its music again?"
At first the radio station laughed at such a suggestion. But after all, it was different. So on the next program they told the story of the old sheepherder, and paused in the midst of a nationwide broadcast to strike A to give him his pitch.
We need to catch a new pitch in our broadcasting plans for the future. In the broadcasting world they consider their poorest productions of the past to ke that of religious groups. It is because of this fact that the various networks have established departments of religious activities. The primary purpose of these is to give counsel, to help organizations anywhere, and also to protect the interests of the industry.
And because the industry has demanded an awakening, religious organizations have established radio commissions and councils with secretaries who direct the affairs of radio within their churches. In New York City they have had several such, and through their influence a place has been given to religious broadcasting at the various institutes for radio education. (We are charter members of the National Association of Religious Broadcasters, formed in Columbus, Ohio, three years ago.)
Through the influence of these various organizations radio workshops have been created in universities for religious broadcasting, and they are conducted in almost every center of the United States each summer. These courses are about ten weeks in length. The Chicago University particularly pioneered this venture.
The most outstanding achievement as far as production of religious broadcasts is concerned has not been by the Protestant groups, but the Catholic and Jewish groups. As a result, the Protestants created a Protestant Radio Commission more than a year ago in New York. We were invited to participate, and are at present members of this group. This group will endeavor to control the broadcasting of all Protestant denominations. So where do we find ourselves ? In a network of ardent and intelligent planning on the part of executives charged with the responsibility of broadcasting. They in turn gather about themselves specialists in every field of radio.
Should not Seventh-day Adventist broadcasters, who are charged with a definite mission to a world, seek to master the instrument that perhaps is the most potent influence in the world, and becoming more so with the advent of television ? As a denomination we are leaders in the field of evangelistic radio ministry. Our method of financing programs is the envy of every other church body. But we are in a rut.' We have our formats for broadcasting, which we feel we cannot afford to change. As one drives across the country and listens to the religious programs, he can almost with certainty pick out the Seventh-day Adventist broadcasters after listening a minute or two. We are getting the same stamp as did our evangelists a few years ago when a tent was pitched in a certain manner, and a certain title was always used for the first night, the second night, et cetera. Every series had the same imprint that could be detected by all.
Our conservative witnessing must be improved. The last five years have seen a marvelous transformation, but we must do more. I think we should improve along four major lines :
Music.—In the music of most religious broadcasts we do not give evidence of careful preparation and practice. The great names in radio, even after ten and fifteen years of broadcasting, spend hours in rehearsing for a thirty-minute show. This means perfect timing, un-hurried presentation. Our musical talent must pay this price. This must be done for the Master's sake.
MESSAGE.—We cannot win a listening audience of any size without a positive, carefully thought-out, simply presented message. Most messages on our gospel broadcasts are beamed to attract our own kind. They have no interest appeal for the masses. The message must be brief. It must fulfill the requirements of a good gospel presentation as laid down by the great Presbyterian minister of my boyhood church, Dr. William Evans : "To the casual listener it must answer quickly, What? When? How? And what then?"
MANNER.—The manner of presentation must be improved. No radio time ought to be spent in criticism of other churches. The voice and manner, must convey what cannot be seen. If in love we speak for Christ, the listener will feel it. A kind word is readily understood by all.
PREPARATION.—Careless preparation has no place in gospel broadcasting. We need to do more than read from books. I commented once to a certain broadcaster that it must be easy to prepare radio sermons when all he had to do is read a book.
"No," he retorted, "it's not so easy as you may think. I have a very difficult time discovering a book my predecessor hasn't already read over the air.'
Too many take for granted that as long as a program is sound in doctrine, it ought to suffice. This is not true in this day of great competition. The world goes the limit in spending time and money to create programs that attract and hold attention. The dial on the radio can be turned in a second's time if the soloist or other musical portions of the program grates on one's ears. To reach the world, we must present quality, as well as truth.
It is hoped that this radio workshop will do the following:
1.Demonstrate the needs of each broadcaster.
2. Stimulate the desire to do something about it.
3. Coordinate our colleges and field in more efficient service.
4. Eventually establish a permanent workshop for some weeks' duration where men can go for concentrated training in radio.
5. Assist our leaders and administrators to determine the amount of effort they should put forth to develop this important field.
6. Show the need of training men for radio by beginning in the church schools, not waiting until they reach the Seminary.
7. See the untouched realm of free time available to every community that has a church school and some activity.
Eventually we must have trained men in the technique of radio who can step into foreign posts as technicians, broadcasters, and producers. Others are doing it. At least three mission societies are using their own radio transmitters in the foreign field at present. Radio station HCJB, Quito, Ecuador, has six transmitters and one mobile station, all operated by the World Radio Missionary Fellowship, Inc. It broadcasts in twelve languages, sending out more than ten thousand gospel programs annually, besides hundreds of other cultural and educational releases.
Recently HC JR had its original twenty-five-year license extended another twenty-five years by the government of Ecuador. A staff of one hundred radio technicians, program specialists, and executives is divided about equally between foreign and national workers. This demonstrates what can be done, and shows the possibilities of radio today.
"A preliminary survey reveals that there are thirty-eight key points from which a world-covering umbrella of gospel testimony could be set up through properly equipped shortwave stations. In time these strategically located stations could form a world-missionary network reaching into the densest population areas with all major languages.
"Some critics say—what about receivers ? When HCJB began broadcasting in Ecuador in 1931 there were only six known radios in the entire country. Today it is believed there are over 5o,000, and in all Latin America between eight and ten million radios await the gospel.
"The United States' State Department's 'Voice of America' indicates that there are nearly 300,000,000 shortwave listeners around the globe today ! This is what Russia is shooting at with her many transmitters rated at over two and one half million watts of power."
The goal of the 108 foreign mission boards of the United States and Canada for the first five years is $15o,000,000, a doubling of present contributions. One proposal designed to introduce new techniques into the Protestant missionary enterprise is a cooperative radio and mass communications committee, under the auspices of the Foreign Missions Council. Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, has established a new missionary course in air travel, direct radio communications, and photography.
Seventh-day Adventists are using 750 stations throughout the world today. Radio work has grown steadily, especially the past four years. But our greatest days should be yet to come.
Millions of dollars worth of free time is available to us in the United States and the world each year if we know how to use it. Every church school, every educational institution, every church, every activity of our organization—Missionary Volunteer, home missionary, medical—are all missing an opportunity.
With the advent of television, and it is rapidly developing, our radio future and our thinking will naturally pass through a transition. Our programs are going to pass through some very serious stages, and critical ones. A few martyrs to the cause of radio may be necessary in order to pioneer many ideas now questioned because of false interpretations of what constitutes a divine-appointed means of presentation. Men must be forgiven for trying and for experimenting. We must cooperate with one another. Mistakes are bound to occur. Coordination of the experience of all will bring about the desired results.
When television arrives throughout America, and the eyestrain is removed, your pulpit and your church are then brought into the home. Your tabernacle campaign and your In-gathering campaign are then broadcast right into the family circle. What a challenge ! But this carries with it a new responsibility, the reality that the usual conventional preaching service and radio broadcast are a thing of the past. You will be auditioned on television as you would be for a screen test in Hollywood. What Then? Shall we not endeavor to accept the challenge by studying our position and preparing to catch the ear of the generation who are at home awaiting our entry, willing to examine our wares?
