“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And God said let there be light.
Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, Specially invited guests. In my topic today ICT’S – Facilitating Religious Broadcasts in the Caribbean, I will be focusing on Christianity specifically, and not on other religious beliefs. I want to begin by laying the foundation of our Christian faith
The first broadcast took place at creation. Out of the dark silent nothingness, Jehovah God spoke the world into being, climaxing with the pinnacle of his love and creativity, the human race
To be a human being is to be a communicator. We were created to communicate with God and with each other. Jesus Christ the ultimate leader and communicator influenced 12 men to abandon their personal dreams, their priorities and occupation to follow him, and when he left the earth two thousand years ago, he gave to man an assignment that was very clear and specific he said “Go and evangelize the world”
In that day and season his disciples accomplished, what would have been a lengthy task, but the creator in his all knowing wisdom would have foreseen today’s technology, to facilitate the work he has commanded us to do.
Through the ages, after hundreds of trials and errors and myriad failures and successes, we finally were able to hit upon a significant scientific advancement that has drastically changed Man’s concept of the meaning of TELECOMMUNICATION and the Christian’s mandate to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
In the wake of Christ’s commandment to evangelize the entire world, we became quickened to find those avenues, those methods, and those means of technology whereby we could successfully fulfill that edict. During the different ages in history, we have made brave attempts at experimentation. We sought to communicate over distances via drumbeats, smoke signals, horn and trumpet blasts, flashing lights and every other kind of technology that our minds enabled us to conceive
It is of paramount importance to note here that in the written histories of broadcasting, there is virtually no mention of religion or transmission of the religious voice. But Christian broadcasters know differently and I am convinced that MY topic today ICT’s Facilitating Religious Broadcasts is a title that can be traced back, in a fundamental way, to the early beginnings of electronic communications.
It was in 1844 that the first successful telegraphic line was installed connecting Washington to Baltimore. The man behind this invention was Samuel F. B. Morse, INVENTOR OF “THE MORSE CODE” and it is important to note that the code he sent across in his very first transmission comprised a simple four-worded exclamation: “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!”
The first successful transmission of the human voice occurred in 1906, ten years after Guglielmo Marconi discovered the phenomenon of wireless communication.
Broadcast historian, J. Harold Ellens in commenting on this event stated, “ …It is not without significance that the first voice broadcast was a Christian religious celebration.”
From then to now, the purpose of CHRISTIAN religious broadcasts has not changed. We are still in the business of reaching all mankind with the gospel message and we are still concerned with addressing people’s social and spiritual needs as they occur within the zeitgeist of our times.
Right here in the Caribbean we have some eighteen (18) English-speaking nations with a gross population of some 6 million, with numerous challenges including persistent poverty poor health care, abortion, increasing crime, substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual promiscuity, teenage pregnancy, incest, and of course HIV/AIDS.
In all of this, another major challenge facing us is the EFFECTIVE communication of information that caters to our spiritual, emotional and physical needs.
Over the past couple of decades the Caribbean has experienced tremendous leaps and bounds in the advance of Information and Communications Technologies: The advent of the world-wide web, internet cafes, digital telephony, the proliferation of mobile communication devices with links to the internet, access to streaming audio and video, have all been working in tandem to decrease the divide between rural and urban communities, between low and upper income earners and among the geographic boundaries of our island states.
Religious broadcasters throughout the Caribbean have come to realize that the onus is on us to utilize all the ways and means available to transcend our geographic and national barriers and to recognize that we need to employ all of today’s advances in ICTs to get our message across. Already existing within the Caribbean is the Caribbean Gospel Network that links the major Radio Stations within the region.
Let me share a bit of my own story as it relates to ICT in Trinidad & Tobago. Fifteen years ago, I founded the Family Focus Broadcasting Network, the first full gospel media network in the country. It began with a weekly two-hour Gospel Music Radio Programme, called Sounds Glorious. This programme became a lifeline to many in the nation, a source of comfort and spiritual connection. It was new, it was effective, and it filled a void and satisfied a need that then demanded expansion. Within one year there was exponential increase to daily and weekend programming totaling some 25 hours per week. Four years later in 1995, we ventured into the world of television with a TV programme called Fresh Fire which at that time was aired on national television, a broadcast, that encompassed three hours a day seven days a week. This strong consistent gospel message and presence impacted the nation dramatically and positively. We were accomplishing purpose, and fulfilling the mandate to evangelize our nation, using the technology available to us.
FOUR years later in JUNE 1999 the Government of Trinidad and Tobago granted to the Family Focus Broadcasting Network a Radio Licence, to operate a 24-hour Gospel Radio Station, and on August 31st 2002, on the nation’s 40th anniversary of independence the Family Focus Broadcasting Network launched ISAAC 98.1FM, the first Christian Radio Station in the nation. What started out as a two hour Radio Program, in 1991, had evolved into a 24 hr Gospel Radio station, fully owned and operated by a Christian Media Network. This network is family-oriented with a focus on every age group. Kingdom Kids – Building a Kingdom Generation from the foundation Youth In Focus – Downloading the power to impact their Generation for Christ. It’s not just a youth program, it’s an experience. For our senior citizens, Forever Young-Changing the face of the elderly, with a new concept of aging. All these arms come under the FBN Club a network of believers committed to the prayerful and financial support of this media organization. The name I.S.A.A.C. is in fact an acronym that identifies the character of the Radio station. It is Inspirational, Spirit-led, Anointed, Appointed, and Christ-centered.
The journey to the present place has not been an easy one, but it has been very rewarding and fulfilling. We moved from being a small player on a major Media Conglomerate, to owning our own.
At every step of the way we took full advantage of the technology that was available to us. Originally our station covered only Trinidad, but with additional technology and infrastructure, we were able to repeat in our sister isle Tobago on the same frequency 98.1fm
We source, produce and network our news with another frequency in Trinidad & Tobago, and also facilitate other radio frequencies on our transmitter, providing space for internet providers and information support services on our site. We have a vibrant management and support staff base, comprising both female and male
Today ISAAC is a strong voice in the land. A growing evolving organism, providing inspiration, information, entertainment and ministry that glorifies God through professional media and communication technology. The latest National Media survey has placed ISAAC 98.1FM in position no 2 of 36 Radio Stations, in just 3 years of operation.
Our present audience comprises between 100,000- 300,000 listeners nationally, but we are not satisfied with that. There are still 60 million souls living in the entire Caribbean to be reached. The Great Commission demands that we go beyond the boundaries of geography to reach those who are living beyond the reach of our transmission. / Click
Today we are linked with the world via the Internet and streaming live via the World Wide Web. Our website address is www.isaac981.com and you can also access us at www.familyfocusbroadcasting.com.
Making use of ICT in this way presents us with a tremendous opportunity to connect with listeners not only locally but also regionally and Globally.
We are in a highly competitive market, with rapid advances in Science and technology, and in telecommunications and communications technology. We now live in a global environment, and as Christian Broadcasters in the Caribbean, we have to take hold of the opportunities available for us to expand and influence our environment. The domain of the Airwaves is a powerful one, which we need to infiltrate with the positive message of the Kingdom of God. With the onset of the CSME, providing new access to markets across the region, we have to be proactive and aggressively use the opportunity to also proclaim the gospel.
As I end my presentation this afternoon, I remind you of our commitment to facilitate religious broadcasts not only in Trinidad and Tobago but also in the Caribbean and the rest of the world, using Information Communication Technology.
I THANK YOU
I THANK YOU