In Southern California, the use of electronic media for preaching the good news of the kingdom started about 1930 when Bro. Edgar Round began giving regular radio addresses. He was soon joined in this effort by other brethren from Southern California ecclesias and a joint committee, the Light bearers League, was charged with overseeing the radio preaching endeavor.
The Southern California Radio Committee (now known as the Radio-TV Committee) was formed about 1940 and assumed the responsibility for the radio work. While serving on the committee in the 1950’s, Bro. Les Clarke suggested the title, “This is Your Bible” for our broadcasts, and it has been used ever since.
First use of TV
The first Southern California use of television was during the 1961 “Crisis in Christendom” campaign. In addition to TV, other advertising was used including signs on the front lawns of brethren and sisters. Nightly attendance at the Embassy Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles averaged about 500. The highlight of the campaign was a television interview of Bro. H.P. Mansfield conducted by Bro. Richard Stone.
A few years later, Bro. Morrie Stewart began a weekly television “This is Your Bible” series in the Santa Maria area (three hours north of Los Angeles). The committee later used some of these programs, along with others produced in Santa Barbara, for several 13-week series on commercial stations in the Los Angeles area.
Major 6-month effort
About 1970, we contracted for six months of weekly programming at a cost of $1,000 per week with the programs to be aired at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Selected ecclesias had telephone banks installed in their halls which were manned after each broadcast. It was not unusual to receive a hundred calls at each location. Dramatically increasing costs for air time in the Los Angeles area have precluded any further effort of this scope.
Some time later, Bro. Tom Graham produced two Christadelphian television “commercials.” These, and others which followed, were aired at less cost than the half-hour programs and realized considerable success. Once again, however, increasing costs drove us off the commercial stations. We shifted our emphasis back to radio broadcasting both for programs and commercial length announcements.
Public access TV
After a few years, Bro. Graham developed another new concept for us. Having adapted Bro. Stewart’s programs to our area, he arranged for these to be shown on the public access channel of a local cable TV station at no cost. Sis. Betty Lou Lewis then energetically joined the effort and succeeded in getting the programs on a number of other cable stations. We are currently supplying programs to about 15 stations and are anxious to obtain programming time on more.
Many cable stations want “fresh” programs for their broadcasts so it was evident we needed to supplement our inventory of programs. We thus adapted Bro. Frank Abel’s “Great News for the World” series for our area. In addition, we have recently produced over 50 new programs. This has involved renting studio time, equipment and technicians and building sets. Using local brethren as speakers, we can produce about five programs per production day.
The video leaflet
The “video leaflet” is another preaching aid that has been used in Southern California. Brethren and sisters have found these 5-10 minute tapes a wonderful tool in creating interest among their acquaintances. We have modified the “Promise of Paradise” video, produced in Australia, for Southern California use.
In the past, brethren and sisters were able to view “This is Your Bible” programs when they were broadcast on major stations. Unfortunately, public access cable TV has limited availability and the video leaflet is the only electronic preaching which is readily visible to the brethren. This has made it more difficult, though not impossible, to secure financial support and willing workers.
A continuing work
We are confident God is still calling out some for His Name and that electronic technology is useful in this work. Through the years, Southern California radio and television efforts have resulted in thousands of interested responses and a significant number of baptisms. Those baptized have often then spread the Truth in their circle of family and friends. Though of a lower profile than in the past, the work continues and some continue to respond.
In large metropolitan areas, television and video tapes are becoming an increasingly important factor in our ability to reach the public. As television preaching continues in Southern California, the need for production facilities is also growing. Programs that are no longer timely must be reworked or replaced with new programs; subject matter must be expanded to include items of current interest and usable materials produced elsewhere must be modified for local use.
We are enthusiastic about the Christadelphian Outreach program. Christadelphian-owned equipment will permit us to produce programs at night and on weekends, allowing us to select speakers from a much wider group of brethren. Production costs will be lowered as we will be able, for example, to modify programs without rushing to minimize expensive studio time. And we will be able to produce special video material for one-time situations.
While equipment purchase costs may seem high, this will be more than offset by savings in studio time. Over the life of the equipment, these savings should far exceed the capital outlay thereby allowing us to do more for less.
We believe this endeavor merits the support of the brotherhood.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One