• EUROPEAN UNION – “Decentralised Communication Reinforces Central Core Messages”
  Discussing the “Citizens Initiative” Programme, Constitutional Committee Representatives recognised that if Citizens from the EU’s 27 Countries are to be drawn in to future Strategy and Planning – the EU needs to understand that each Member State has a separate Culture – and in many cases its own Language.
  “The Core Messages from the EU stay the same” - one Participant said – “but the ways and language in which they are communicated must vary according to the culture and custom of the different nations.” Receiving core messages in the appropriate context, style and language, results in much greater response and involvement, than imposed standardised formats.
• EUROPEAN UNION – Parents have key role in Child Internet Protection
  In a meeting attended by FEB Chairman, Harvey Thomas, the European Parliament’s Culture Committee focussed on developing acceptable ways of protecting children from harmful content on the Internet. Sabine Verheyen, an MEP from Germany, emphasised the need to focus Education and Training not only on Children – but also on Parents. Many Parents of young children are themselves little-informed about the use and content of the Internet.
  Supporting this view, Harvey Thomas commented, “All of us are pleased that the European Parliament is fighting to reduce illegal and harmful content on the Internet – and to educate and train Parents, Children and Teachers on how to avoid dangerous behaviour.”
  Mr Thomas said, “It is also encouraging that FEB Member, Oystein Samnoen, the Executive Director of ‘Kids and Media’ was recently able to take part in a Parliamentary Hearing in Brussels.” “Kids and Media” has networks and contacts in Norway and all over Europe. It offers Courses on good Internet useage for Parents, Schools and Professionals. ”Kids and Media” is rooted in the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, which include both their rights to use Media and to have protection from harmful content.
  Contact: Oystein Samnoen oystein@barnevakten.no
• FEB IN SLOVENIA - “GETTING CONNECTED?”
  The latest Speaker to be confirmed for the FEB Conference 2010 at the City Hotel, Ljubljana, is Chris Cole, UK Director of GOD TV.
  Renowned Pianist Adriana Magdovski will perform at the Opening Plenary on the evening of Thursday 11th November. Click on this link: http://www.feb.org/conference/2010-conference-registration/ and complete a Registration Form now. FEB Members have a special reduced Conference Rate.
  Visit www.feb.org
• UK
  The Radio Industry supports the UK Government’s commitment for the Digital Radio switchover to commence in 2015. Ed Vaizey, the Culture Minister, has unveiled a Digital Radio Action Plan to prepare consumers and the industry for the switch to digital. BBC Director of Audio and Music, Tim Davie said,  ”We welcome the government’s commitment to radio’s digital future and the importance they have placed on the listener in any future switchover.” After national and regional stations have switched to digital-only platforms, the remaining FM signal would most likely be used for ultra-local radio services. The decision to turn off analogue signals will make 100 million radios obsolete, and more than 30 million cars will need their radios replaced.
  Source: Broadcast
• BALKANS
  NRB Vice-President Ron Harris reports that over 175 Participants have now signed up for the Broadcast Training Seminars from 2-6 November 2010 at the Buzias Resort near Timisoara, Romania. Study areas to be covered include “Connecting with your Audience“; “Branding“; “Measuring Ministry Effectiveness” and “Christian News – gathering, writing and producing“. Visiting Trainers from the United States, together with European Colleagues, will lead the four-day series of Workshops.
  Contact: Lucian Despa rvesc@yahoo.com
• EUROPEAN UNION
  Bishop Laszlo Tokes, an MEP representing Romania, has been elected as a Vice-President of the European Parliament. Tokes is the first Vice-President from a country that only joined the EU in 2007. He makes strong references to Christian values in Parliament and through his initiative “Europe and Christianity“.
  Contact: Laszlo Tokes laszlo.tokes@europarl.europa.eu
• UK
  ITV is set to become the first major UK Broadcaster to launch a mobile application. The ITV Player allows viewers to catch up on its programmes at any time or place from September using their smartphones.
  Source: Broadcast
• ROMANIA
  TWR Romania has distributed over 2,000 solar panel Radios, produced by Galcom Canada, to Roma people living in remote areas of the country. This allows them to listen to “Thru the Bible” programmes and Christian music in their own language, five days a week.
  Visit: www.twr.ro
• UK
  The UK moved closer to allowing Product Placement on TV after media regulator OFCOM outlined proposals for liberalising regulations to be introduced by the end of 2010. It lists which types of shows can carry Product Placement, and rules regarding types of products and the ways in which they can be featured. Product Placement will still be banned on children’s, news and UK-produced current affairs, consumer affairs and Religious Programmes.
  Source: C21Media.net
• GERMANY
  Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) has launched a free new iPhone/iPod application in German. Listeners can hear BBN Live and on the move. They can also view BBN Facebook and Twitter updates.
  Visit: www.bbnradio.org/wcm4/german/iPhoneApp/tabid/3319/Default.aspx
• UK
  United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) has launched a live Christian Mobile TV Channel. The UCB TV Channel is available to mobile phones using a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. Viewers will be able to tune in to watch shows such as Adventures in Odyssey, Living Truth, Hillsong, Abundant Life and others. UCB is partnering with Yamgo, a global mobile TV network which provides mobile streaming technology.
  Visit www.ucbmedia.co.uk
• ROMANIA
  The Alfa Omega ministry has moved into its new AOCC (Alfa Omega Communications Centre) building in Timisoara, Romania. Operations currently take place on one floor but eventually all three floors will be functional. The building will become home to “Alfa Omega TV Channel”, a 24-hour daily Christian Channel, as well as other projects and media initiatives in Romania and the surrounding Balkan area. Alfa Omega TV is seen on many Cable TV networks in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. As well as Romanian, it has weekly programmes in Hungarian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, German and Slovakian.
  Contact: Tudor Petan tudor.petan@alfaomega.tv
• UK
  A Church in Deddington, Oxfordshire has been expanding its ministry using broadband. It began by recording services and adding podcasts to the church website and then streaming services for local care homes and the hospital radio station. Using a webcam moved them from audio to audio-visual and they plan to conduct joint services with their partner Parishes in South Africa and Sweden, as well as linking to the Oxford Diocese Internet Church. Future plans include a Community Radio Station.
  Visit www.deddingtonchurch.org

_________________________________________________________________________

AFRICA

• GHANA
  Wayne Pederson, President of HCJB Global, recently dedicated two partner Radio Stations in Assin Fosu and Asamankese, Ghana. The venture combines Radio Stations run by HCJB Global Voice (Media) with Mobile Medical Clinics run by HCJB Global Hands (healthcare). “It was great to see how media and healthcare ministries are working together,” Pederson said. “In the markets you could hear the programmes playing on radios everywhere. In Assin Fosu, it was the only local Community Radio Station and the signal was reaching nearly 80 miles!”
  Visit: www.hcjbglobal.org
• ZIMBABWE
  “Love Zim” is a network of Churches and Organisations established to mobilise the Global Church to support Zimbabwe actively. It runs a partnership between the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and “Foundations for Farming” which helps Zimbabwean farmers to improve their crops through careful use of natural weather patterns.
  Visit: www.lovezim.org
• CAPE TOWN 2010
  People who are unable to attend “Cape Town 2010“, the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation in October, will be able to help shape discussions on major issues by interacting in “The Global Conversation” on the Congress Website. John Stott’s Study Guide on the Lausanne Covenant is available to work through and Churches can register to join in the Congress through the Cape Town GlobaLink sites in many countries.
  Visit: www.lausanne.org
• SENEGAL
  3xM reports that the first 13 episodes of the ”New Generation” TV Programme will be broadcast via 2STV in Senegal and Canal 3 in Burkina Faso from July 2010. The programme shows young people overcoming hopeless situations with God’s help. The programme will be shown alternately with another youth programme, “Miel Mortel” (Deadly Honey) which has already been running in Senegal.
  Visit www.3xm-online.org

_________________________________________________________________________

ASIA

• CAMBODIA
  During 2009, FEBC distributed over 1,000 radios to people living in remote areas of Cambodia and to many who are unable to read or write. Early in 2010, FEBC staff distributed another 175, encouraging people to tune into FEBC Cambodia’s “Voice of Love” broadcast from Saipan.
  Visit www.febc.org
• INDIA
  TWR-India is broadcasting programmes online in 25 different Indian languages, as well as over 60 languages on air, to reach Indian nationals living abroad and enabling them to hear Christian programmes in their native language. Each year about 5 million Indian nationals emigrate to other Countries.
  Visit www.twr.asia
• THAILAND

  Official Country Name	Kingdom of Thailand
  Region	Southeast Asia
  Population	66,797,751
  Languages	Thai, English
  Literacy Rate	93.8%
  Size	514,000 sq. km
  GDP	122,166 (US$ millions)
  Number of TV Stations	5
  Number of TV sets	15,190,000
  TV Sets per 1,000	245.8
  Number of Radio Stations	544
  Number of Radio receivers	13,960,000
  Radio Receivers per 1,000	225.9
  Number of individuals with computers	1,471,000
  Number of individuals with Internet access	2,300,000
  Internet access per 1,000	37.2

  _________________________________________________________________________

AUSTRALIA

• CHRISTIAN MEDIA AUSTRALIA
  

  Phil Edwards, Operations Manager of Vision Radio Network, has been elected as President of the Board of Christian Media Australia (CMA), with Nathan Brown as Vice-President. Andrew Baartz was also elected to the Board.
  Source: Squawk

_________________________________________________________________________

GLOBAL

• GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER AND ACTION
  Micah Challenge launched the “MICAH 2010“ Campaign on 30th June, counting down 100 days to a Global Day of Prayer and Action in support of the UN’s Millennium Sustainable Development Goals. It will be on 10th October 2010 (10.10.10). They aim to remind the political leaders of 189 nations of their promises to halve extreme poverty by 2015. The Campaign is being backed by key church movements including the Baptist World Alliance, Assemblies of God, Salvation Army, YWAM and YFC Europe.
  Visit www.micah2010.org Email: tmalinowska@hotmail.com

_________________________________________________________________________

LATIN AMERICA

• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  COICOM’s annual Congress will be held in the Caribbean this year, at the Hotel Barcelo and Convention Centre of Bavaro, from September 7-11, 2010. COICOM is FEB’s Latin American Global Media Partner. The Sessions will include an “Evangelical Leadership Summit” to create a national transformational strategy for the Dominican Republic, as well as a Dominican/Haitian Summit where the island’s evangelical leaders can discuss strategy to help Haiti in addition to humanitarian relief efforts.
  Visit: www.coicom.com

  _________________________________________________________________________

MIDDLE EAST

• WHY JESUS.NET
  Agape Media is launching the Turkish WhyJesus? Course this summer. Other versions being worked on include Chinese, Hebrew, Russian and Japanese, including finding the right local partners to provide follow-up and e-coaches.
  Visit www.jesus.net
• TURKEY
  SAT-7 Turk has almost completed dubbing one of SAT-7’s Arabic dramas into Turkish. “The Road” or “Yol” in Turkish is a series containing more than 50 35-minute episodes about a family with many problems. The first season has just begun airing, and is designed to answer questions from Turkish people about Christianity and the Bible.
  Visit www.sat7.org
• OMAN; UNITED ARAB EMIRATES; KUWAIT
  Four new Bible Resource Centres have recently been opened by the Bible Society: one in Salalah, Oman; one in Sharjah, U.A.E,  in Al Ain, U.A.E and in Ahmadi, Kuwait, which was inaugurated on 23rd June 2010. At the opening ceremony, Mr Hrayr Jebejian, General Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf said, “We have the challenge and the mandate in the Gulf to work with all the different churches. It is important that we all work together to make the Scriptures more available in our communities.”
  Source: The Bible Society

_________________________________________________________________________

NORTH AMERICA

• LUIS PALAU
  Luis Palau is holding a one-day City Festival at the Mission Bay Park, San Diego, California on September 11th 2010. Admission is free. Luis and Pat Palau celebrated 50 years of evangelism earlier this year.
  Visit www.palau.org
• CBN
  CBN produces “Christian World News“, a half-hour weekly news programme, updated each Friday at 5.00pm Eastern Time. Drawing on a network of news sources, Christian World News reports on the work of the church around the world. It also reports on the American Church, focusing on major evangelism outreaches and prayer movements. Its aim is to call Christians to pray for the needs of God’s people around the world.
  Contact: Stan Jeter stan.jeter@cbn.org

• NIGERIA
  A Christian has been inaugurated as President after the death of Umaru Yar’Adua, a Muslim who was elected as leader of Africa’s most populous country in 2007. Mr Goodluck Jonathan, who was Vice-President, had been acting leader since February when Mr Yar’Adua went to Saudi Arabia for treatment for heart and kidney disease. The country of 150 million is a mixture of Christian and Muslim states. Hundreds have recently died in fighting between Christians and Muslims. As Olusegun Obasanjo, the President from 1999-2007 was a Christian, leading Muslim politicians have said one of their own religion should be the Country’s leader until 2015. The United States depends on Nigerian oil and the industry is the bedrock of of Britain’s interests in its former colony. Nigeria’s size and wealth means the country is a key state for Western policy-makers. The new EU foreign service has identified it as a priority state.
  Source: Daily Telegraph
• SOUTH AFRICA
  Christian Sports Media Agency, 2K Plus International Sports Media says that their major partner, TWR, is providing office and studio accommodation and production staff to help 2K Plus in their World Cup project, which provides services, including scripts and programmes featuring analysis and Christian comment, during the current World Cup in South Africa.
  Contact: Adrian Barnard office@2kplus.org.uk

  _________________________________________________________________________

ASIA

• NEPAL
  Nepal faces political unrest after the two-year term of its Constituent Assembly expired at the end of May – and with it the interim Constitution. A permanent Constitution is not finalised and there is a political standoff between the Government and the Maoists, who hold the largest number of seats. Religious freedom is the heart of the differences as the Hindu monarchy was abolished in 2006 and Nepal declared a secular state. The interim Constitution stated that every person had the right to profess, practise and preserve his own religion as handed down to him, but that no person shall be entitled to convert another person from one religion to another.
  Source: Lapido Media
• PAKISTAN
  Christian Solidarity Worldwide has welcomed a recent resolution on freedom of religion in Pakistan, passed by the European Parliament, which held an EU-Pakistan Summit last week. While supporting the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to improve the situation for religious minorities, the resolution also called for the review of, and amendments of the blasphemy laws, expressing concern that they “are often used to justify censorship, criminalisation, persecution and … the murder of members of political, racial and religious minorities“.
  Source: Christian Today Australia

• NORTH KOREA
  According to Charisma News, 200 Brazilian Christians will share the Gospel with North Koreans attending the FIFA World Cup. Brazil and North Korea are in the same group and will play in the same city. The Christian Team is led by Pastor Marcos Grava Vasconcelos.
  Source: AC Press

_________________________________________________________________________

AUSTRALIA

• CMA CONFERENCE 2010
  150 Media Professionals attended Christian Media Australia’s annual conference. Highlights included sessions by Phil Cooke and Rick Dunham. Stephen Lungu told his story of being an active terrorist as a youth. He was converted to Christianity in a meeting he had intended to bomb and is now CEO of African Enterprise and a leading African Evangelist. His Testimony is told in the book “Out of the Black Shadows” which is about to be made into a feature Film. Visit www.christianmedia.org.au
• CANBERRA TO TRY DIGITAL RADIO Canberra will start trials of Digital Radio in July, following the five other State Capital Cities who have been using it since August 2009. Source: Squawk, CMA

_________________________________________________________________________

EUROPE

• SLOVENIA - “The Sunny Side of the Alps“
  A special rate is being offered to Slovenian Delegates to the FEB Conference, being held from 11-14 NOVEMBER 2010 at the City Hotel, Ljubljana, Slovenia – a beautiful city just south of the Alps. The FEB Board is grateful to Chris Scobie and Todd Hunnicutt who have been advising on the Programme for Ljubljana. Click on this link: http://www.feb.org/conference/2010-conference-registration/ and complete a Registration Form now.Visit www.feb.org

  Official Country Name	Republic of Slovenia
  Region	Europe
  Population	1,930,132
  Languages	Slovene, Serbo-Croatian
  Literacy Rate	99.0%
  Size	20,253 sq. km
  GDP	18,129 (US$ millions)
  Number of TV Stations	48
  Number of TV sets	710,000
  TV Sets per 1,000	367.9
  Number of Radio Stations	177
  Number of Radio receivers	805,000
  Radio Receivers per 1,000	417.1
  Number of individuals with computers	548,000
  Number of individuals with Internet access	300,000
  Internet access per 1,000	155.4

• EUROPEAN COMMISSION
  The European Commission is to set regulatory rules for the roll-out of super-high-speed Broadband networks, in an effort to boost Europe’s investment in the technology. The new networks, using fibre-optic cables rather than traditional copper, would increase connection speeds tenfold for the average European home. The Commission believes that new networks suitable for internet TV are essential to stimulate economic growth. The Commission says that Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) have driven half of the productivity growth in Europe over the past 15 years.
  Source: European Voice
• FRANCE
  French speaking TV show “Ze Mag” has reached its 100th airing. This weekly TV show is aired via satellite throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East via TBN Europe – and via TV stations in French speaking Africa. It is also available on www.zebuzztv.com . It is a magazine type show, designed to reach a secular audience and includes Christian guests from sport, literature, music, politics and mission. The Audio Channel is aired on radio stations in Africa and on Phare FM radio, the French Christian Radio Network.
  Visit: www.zebuzztv.com
• UK
  UK commercial broadcaster ITV has joined Red Bee Media to launch an iPhone application allowing live streaming of ITV1 and ITV2 during the FIFA World Cup. The free, ad-funded web application, will stream all of the two channels’ content via 3G and Wifi. ITV will be the only UK Broadcaster to screen the World Cup on mobile.
  Source: C21Media.net
• TWR-EUROPE
  TWR Europe has opened a new interactive Website: www.twreurope.org It provides a “Listen Now” section that allows visitors to hear programming from Germany, Albania and other Countries; an Interactive Map showing TWR-E Ministry Partners and a “Watch Now” section that features on-demand Videos, including programmes for the Roma people in Eastern Europe.
  Visit www.twreurope.org
• TURKEY
  Radio Shema has completed a street survey of Ankara and will use the information to help develop their programmes. Soner Tufan, General Manager of Radio Shema, also recently had the opportunity of speaking about Radio Shema with Government officials, including the Turkish President and Prime Minister Erdogan.
  Visit www.radioshema.com
• UK
  Premier Christian Radio is launching a campaign “Igniting Faith” which includes a “Radiothon” from 22-25 June to promote their National DAB service.
  Visit www.premier.org.uk
• POLAND
  CCM Media have held their annual “Looking for God” Conference for e-coaches, prospective e-coaches and their families. Rico Tice from Christianity Explored, David Nolent from Jesus.net and Peter Scheele from “Why Jesus?” were Keynote Speakers. Decisions for Christ recorded on the “Looking for God” Website now exceed 100,000.
  Visit www.ccm.pl
• AUSTRIA: Bible & Culture 2010 is a seven week course at Schloss Mittersill, Austria, from 4th July to 21st August 2010, in partnership with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). It’s aim is to increase Biblical literacy and engagement in society.
  Visit www.bibleandculture.org
• ITALY: The CEVMA Film Festival 2010 is at Hotel Castagnola, Lago Maggiore, Verbania, Italy from 15-19 September 2010. Speakers include Mal Fletcher (Australia), Jay Moussa (Turkey), Liliana Oliveri (Italy) and Sven Wichmann (Denmark).
  To register, please email cevma@erf.de
• SWEDEN: The Pentecostal European Fellowship (PEF) is organising “IMPACT STOCKHOLM 2010“, a city-wide outreach in the Swedish capital, in co-operation with the Pentecostal Movement of Sweden from August 24-27.
  Visit www.pwc2010.se

_________________________________________________________________________

GLOBAL

• EUROPEAN JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP
  10 to 15 Scholarships are being awarded by The European Journalism Fellowship for a programme being offered by Freie Universitaet in Berlin, Germany, to mid-career Journalists. Participants can take a two-semester leave from their jobs to work on a major Research Project. Journalists from all European countries and the USA may apply.
  Visit www.ejf.fu-berlin.de
• INTERNET-ENABLING TV
  Efforts are being made to converge two of the biggest media distribution platorms – the Internet and TV. A growing number of next-generation TVs are being launched, with integrated broadband connections and with pre-loaded TV widgets. Next-generation personal video recorders (PVRs) and set-top boxes will come with standard internet accessibility. According to Andrew Haughton, of Deloitte Consulting, a recent survey indicated that almost two-thirds of respondents from the US and UK want to connect their TV to the Internet, to view videos or download content. The survey found that in the UK, 43% of consumers are surfing the web while watching TV; 29% are texting friends and 22% using social networks.
  Source: C21Media.net
• MEDIA ASSET MANAGEMENT (MAM)
  TWR will shortly unveil a digital technology platform known as Media Asset Management (MAM) that will allow access to a global, electronic storehouse of biblical content. MAM eliminates the fragmentation currently hindering mission efforts, by creating a single integrated platform, which will increase capacity to store and retrieve content. The target date for completion is the first quarter of 2011 at a cost of US$590,000.
  Visit www.twr.org

_________________________________________________________________________

MIDDLE EAST

• IRAN
  SAT-7 PARS, the Christian Farsi language satellite TV channel, recently upgraded its Website. It includes samples of SAT-7 programmes and a complete Bible in Farsi that viewers can read or download. Basic questions about the Christian faith are answered. In 2009, there were 83,000 visitors to the old website.
  Visit: www.sat7Pars.com or www.sat7trust.org
• ARAB WEBSITES
  IRR-TV has developed seven Arabic Websites which help readers towards a living faith in God: www.callforall.net; www.callforlife.net; www.lifestorytv.com; www.hayajadeda.com; www.tareekalnoor.com; www.callforlife.org and www.globalmediagate.net. IRR-TV also has two websites in the Somali and Amharic languages.
  Visit www.dugsiganolosha.net and www.yemedanken.net
• KUWAIT
  The National Evangelical Church – Arabic speaking Congregations in Kuwait held Bible Teaching meetings in May attended by over 800 people. Dr Shadi George and Mr Nasef Sobhy from Egypt led the Sessions. The Bible Society provided Literature and Bibles.
  Source: The Bible Society
• EUROPEAN TELEVISION FESTIVAL
  SAT-7’s documentary, “Buthayna” was selected for screening at last week’s European TV Festival of Religious Programmes, organised by SIGNIS every three years. “Buthayna” illustrates some of the struggles confronting female heads of household in the Arab world. The producer of the documentary is Juliana Sfeir, SAT-7 Lebanon.
  Visit www.sat7trust.org

_________________________________________________________________________

NORTH AMERICA

• USA
  Grizzly Adams Productions has signed an agreement to convert 500 of its 700 feature films, television series and documentaries to 3D. Charles E. Sellier, founder and CEO of Grizzly Adams, claims that the estimated seven-year, US$200 million project “will create the largest 3D library in the entertaiment industry.”
  Visit www.grizzlyadams.com
• USA
  AMG Europe, daughter company of Animated Family Films USA, has produced a family film “The Lion of Judah” which will be showing in movie theatres in the United States in September 2010.
  Contact Wim Post: wim@animatedmediagroup.eu

Harvey attended a two-day Radio Spectrum Summit at the European Parliament. The Summit looked at how Spectrum will be allocated as more becomes available due to digitalisation.  Harvey spoke twice on behalf of small Community and faith-based Organisations.

FEB CONFERENCE 2010

Sign up for the FEB Conference at the City Hotel, Ljubljana, Slovenia from 11-14 November 2010. Go to the Conference page to book now.

• FRANCE
  Christian Radio is now heard across France on a unique network of Christian Radio Stations known collectively as “PHARE FM“. Co-operating with Local Churches and National and International Partners, PHARE Stations are in Normandy, Mulhouse, Grenoble, Montauban, Cornouaille and Portes du Dauphine – with the seventh Partner Station in Mons in Belgium.
  Local identity is maintained as each Station has a Community FM Licence – but major sections of music and speech programming are networked to all seven Stations. A representative of PHARE FM said, “We work with Local Churches as much as possible and by networking programmes, we are also able to share productions costs and provide financial stability that would not be possible for a single station on its own.”
  Contact: portesdudauphine@pharefm.com

  
  

• UK
  To celebrate the launch of its new DAB Digital Radio Service to the North West of England, TWR-UK held a special event for leaders of churches and ministries. TWR-UK Chairman, Harvey Thomas, spoke of the shift in the UK towards digital services and highlighted the role that Christian Radio had to play in the digital marketplace. CEO Dr Russell Farnworth said that the DAB Broadcast was the result of years of faithful prayer by TWR-UK supporters. Trans World Radio is now available to DAB listeners in the North West of England in an area stretching from Stoke northwards through Windermere in the Lake District. It also broadcasts on satellite channel 0138, Freesat channel 790, online at twr.org.uk and at selected times on Shortwave and Mediumwave.
  Contact Hannah Combe hcombe@twr.org.uk

• EUROPEAN COMMISSION
  The European Commission has adopted a new Block Exempt Regulation for agreements between manufacturers and distributors, taking into account the development in the last ten years of the Internet as a force for online sales and cross-border commerce. The Commission believes it increases consumer choice and price competition. Companies are still free to decide how their products are distributed, provided their agreements do not contain price-fixing or other restrictions. Approved distributors are free to sell on the Internet without limitation on quantities.
  Source: European Commission

• NETHERLANDS
  The European Evangelical Alliance has appointed Rev. Niek Tramper as its new General Secretary, succeeding Gordon Showell-Rogers, who moves to the World Evangelical Alliance. Tramper is Pastor of the Evangelical Protestant Church in Vlaardingen, Netherlands and was a lecturer in Missiology at Ede Christian University. He takes up his role in September 2010.
  Visit eeaoffice@aol.com

• UK
  West Yorkshire Radio Station Pulse 2 has shelved one of the longest running shows on UK Commercial Radio. “The Full Breakfast” started on Easter Sunday 1997 and was produced by Whistling Frog Productions. During its 13 year run, it picked up 28 radio awards and outlived 6 programme managers and several station re-brands. Producer Colin Lowther commented, “We’ve had a good run and enjoyed every minute of it. We’ll miss the listeners – they really are like family to us. Most of them don’t go to church but they still tuned in every week. We’ve got a long list of people to keep praying for!” Whistling Frog Productions is a ministry of HCJB Global and continues to produce creative Christian material for mainstream stations.
  Contact: clowther@hcjb.org.uk
• NEW TWR INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE
  Felix Widmer has been appointed as the new TWR International Director for Europe and will begin his role immediately. Widmer succeeds Werner Kroemer, who was appointed TWR Vice President for Global Operations in December 2009. Felix and his wife Siny started serving with TWR partner ministry ERF in Germany in 1975 and have also worked in South Africa. He is currently based in Switzerland.
  Contact: fwidmer@cttw.at
• UK
  New Christian Music (NCM) is offering a free NCM promotional CD or Download each month for DJs, Journalists and Broadcasters of Music Media around UK and Europe. Provision of the NCM discs is subject to regular return of a Response Form from which the NCM Euro Chart is compiled weekly. NCM launched in 2003 and has encouraged airplay and promotion for many Christian Music artists.
  Visit www.newchristianmusic.co.uk

• EUROPEAN UNION
  The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has called on the EU administration to become more transparent and citizen-friendly. In 2009, more than one third of complaints that led to inquiries (36%) concerned alleged lack of transparency, including refusal to release documents or information. Other types of alleged maladministration concerned late payments for EU projects, unfairness, abuse of power and discrimination. Diamandouros said, “The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is now legally binding and contains the citizens’ right to good administration.” In 2009, the Ombudsman opened 339 inquiries, closed 318 inquiries and handled more than 5,000 complaints and information requests.
  Contact: eo-news@ombudsman.europa.eu

• FRANCE
  France Television has reorganised its Children’s Programmes in an effort to move with digital competition, rebranding all programme blocks under the name “Ludo” but allowing each to retain something of its old character. France Television does not have a dedicated children’s digital outlet, but most children’s programmes are broadcast on France 3 and France 5. New programmes have also been broadcast on France 4 in the morning and after school, making a total of 60 hours per week, increasing to 85 in the holidays.
  Source: C21Media.net

• ICELAND
  Lindin Ministries Radio Station is continuing to encourage Icelandic people during the difficulties still being experienced due to the ongoing volcanic eruption. The volcano is about 80 miles from Reykjavik but ash is falling nearby and is causing damage to farmland and the coastal areas. Lindin recently celebrated their 15th Anniversary and have launched Internet TV on their new website.
  Visit www.lindin.is

• UK
  Online video viewing in the UK continues to grow rapidly, with Facebook the fastest growing destination, and a clear demographic split emerging between the main terrestrial broadcasters’ internet audiences. A total of 5.5 billion online videos were viewed in the UK in February, a 37% increase on last year, according to the latest figures from research firm ComScore. Facebook experienced the most rapid growth, surging 205% in the past year to achieve 43 million videos viewed. Blinkx saw the second fastest, up 204% to nearly 29 million. YouTube still dominates – up 17% to 2.47 billion. The BBC scored best amongst terrestrial broadcasters with almost 140 million, up 143% from last year. ITV was up 134% to 28.2 million and Channel 4 grew 26% to 39.4 million. The BBC iPlayer audience tends to be males between 25-54; C4 an even split between male and female and mainly 15-24s; ITV had the largest proportion of female viewers.
  Source: C21Media.net

• RUSSIA
  The Fellowship of European Broadcasters was sorry to learn of the recent death of Earl Samuel Poysti, whose real name was Yarl Nikolaiyevich Peisti. Poysti had been on FEB’s International Board of Reference for many years and had blessed thousands of people during his life through his preaching on Russian Christian Radio. An American citizen of Swedish-Finnish-Russian background who suffered at the hands of the communists, he also established the Dom Pirkko Rehabilitation Centres created in the former Soviet Union after 1990.
  Source: Russian Union of Evangelical Christians
  

AFRICA

• SOUTH AFRICA
  According to the Association of Christian Broadcasters of Southern Africa (ACB), the RSA Department of Communications wants broadcasters to consider Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard as an option for use in digital terrestrial television. However, South Africa has already committed itself to using the European Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial standard (DVB-T), and broadcasters are already running extensive trials using DVB-T. Moving to a different standard will cost millions of rands and will put the country at odds with neighbouring states which have already committed to DVB-T. It could set back the move from analogue to digital by up to three years.
  Contact: Dave Hotchkiss at ACB: info@acb.org.za

• SOUTH AFRICA
  Christian Sports Media Agency, 2K Plus International Sports Media, will be reporting from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa for radio stations around the world. With a team based in Johannesburg, and working with international partners HCJB World Radio and FEBA South Africa, they will offer a range of services in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. Services include 12 one-minute programmes featuring top footballers including Brazil’s Lucio and Kaka talking about their sport and faith, and 20 scripts for 3-minute items exploring ethical and spiritual issues with well-known footballers. From 9 June to 12 July they will produce a 30 minute English Programme called “Up for the Corner” featuring reports from fans at matches, analysis and Christian comment.
  Visit www.2kplusgateway.org

• SUDAN
  African Enterprise says its major Mission in 2010 will be in Juba in Southern Sudan. In preparation, AE will focus on Reconciliation and Training Programmes.
  Contact: info@africanenterprise.co.uk

• SOUTH AFRICA
  The Creation Science Information Service is offering free programmes to Radio Stations in South Africa. Programmes include messages by Josh McDowell; Evolution on Trial; The Stones Cry Out by Dr Clifford Wilson and Back to Genesis.
  Contact Joshua Gilbert: gilbertjoshua@telkomsa.net
  

ASIA

• PHILIPPINES
  The Asian Centre for Missions (ACM), CBN’s Asian cross-cultural missionary training arm has appointed a new National Director, Nathaniel Ramos. He will take responsibility for mobilising, training and facilitating the sending of missionaries from the Philippines through a plan of expansion, including pioneering in new terrorities.
  Visit www.acmnet.org

• KAZAKHSTAN
  Kazakhstan is a “Country of the Future“. Its Oil and Gas reserves are expected to be close to those of Saudi Arabia and Iraq – but Internet Access is only 6 People per 1000.

AUSTRALIA

• CHRISTIAN CHANNEL
  The Australian Christian Channel has launched a new website. Viewers can personalise it with “My Australian Christian Channel” by registering and logging in. Visitors can also watch programmes online through the new homepage.
  Visit www.acctv.com.au

• DIGITAL DELAYS
  A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald commented on the absence of hourly time signals when they tune in to a digital simulcast of an AM or FM station. The reason for this is that digital broadcast technology has a delay of about 3 seconds. According to Mark Collier, Director of Radio at the Australian Film, TV and Radio School, all Radio manufacturers are working on the problem to try to minimise the delay. It is most noticeable when listeners tune in to live commentary of a sporting event while watching an analogue TV broadcast of the same event as the Commentatory is behind the action.
  Source: Christian Media Australia
  

LATIN AMERICA

• BRAZIL
  TWR-Brazil celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Americas Region’s largest Partner Ministry. TWR President, Lauren Libby, was the guest of honour and was joined by 150 other attendees in the city of Sao Paulo. TWR-Brazil airs programmes 24/7 via satellite to local AM and FM stations, by shortwave transmitters in South Brazil and from Bonaire. It is increasing the power to 50,000 watts on Station 1540 AM in Sao Paulo and expanding its airtime from 3 to 11 hours per day.
  Visit www.twr.org

• PUERTO RICO
  Michael Luttrell is the third generation Luttrell to serve with Calvary Evangelistic Mission in Puerto Rico and “The Rock” Radio Network. Michael is the grandson of CEM’s co-founder (in 1955) Ruth Luttrell. Ruth’s daughter Janet leads the Radio Ministry on WBMJ, WCGB and WIVV AM radios. Janet Luttrell is also active in the FEB’s “Global Media Partner – COICOM” representing Christian Communicators throughout Latin America.
  Contact: jluttrell@therockradio.org
  

MIDDLE EAST

• IRAQ
  Arab Vision is preparing a second series of Kurdish programmes in North Iraq. The first 13 programmes will be broadcast on LifeTV in June and contain testimonies, music and meetings of former Kurdish Muslims who now follow Christ. Arab Vision has also completed 365 programmes with a Woman Arab presenter.
  Contact: office@arabvision.org

• ARABIC WEBSITES
  In 2009, IRR-TV produced and aired 500 Arabic language programmes in the studios in Kerava, Finland, with nationals from the 10/40 window travelling to the studios for the productions. In addition, they are currently operating 6 Arabic websites, directing the reader to a living faith in the God of the Bible. IRR-TV has also launched some programming in Amharic, aimed at Eritreans and Ethiopians and are now working on television programmes in the Somali language.
  Contact: Hannu Haukka hannu.haukka@suomitv.fi

• IRAN
  IBRA broadcast its first Radio Programme in Persian using short wave, at the end of March. They are currently recording both Radio and TV programmes in Persian and will go on air in the next few weeks.
  Contact: info@ibra.se
  

NORTH AMERICA

• USA
  Dr Ted Baehr is holding a Scriptwriting Class for Writers and Producers from 14-16 July 2010 at the Christian Film & Television Commission Office in Camarillo, California.
  Email ted@movieguide.org

• USA
  The USA version of Kids and Media, www.kidsandmedia.org was launched on 4th May, following a successful launch of the UK site. Plans are underway for versions in Denmark and Holland. The Kids and Media Websites give advice on “How to guard and guide your child in a digital world“.
  Contact: Oystein Samnoen oystein@barnevakten.no

• USA
  Previews for more than a dozen feature films and television specials from Grizzly Adams Productions are now available on YouTube, using the keywords “Grizzly Adams“. These include a 4 minute trailer for the film “Friends for LIfe” and a brief look at the documentary “The Fabric of Time” about the Shroud of Turin.
  Contact: michelle@grizzlyadams.tv
  

DIARY DATES

• SLOVENIA: Renowned Slovenian Pianist Adriana Magdovski will perform at the FEB Conference from 11-14 November 2010 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Registration Forms are available on the FEB Website www.feb.org
• SOUTH AFRICA: A Global Day of Prayer Event takes place on Sunday 23rd May 2010 at the Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town. For more information visit www.gdop2010.com
  
• UK: The Global Day of Prayer Event in London has changed from 30th May to Sunday 13th June at West Ham Stadium. Tickets are available from www.gdoplondon.com
  

• FEB CHAIRMAN AT EU RADIO SPECTRUM SUMMIT
  FEB Chairman, Harvey Thomas CBE, took part in the recent European Union “Radio Spectrum Summit“, to assess potential usage for spare Radio Spectrum in Europe as Television switches to digital.
  Mr Thomas told the Panel, including EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes, “There are thousands of small local groups, both Faith-Based and other Non-Profit – who currently own or contribute to local Community Radio Stations. They are valuable parts of National and European Social Structure and deserve the opportunity to continue broadcasting. I urge the Commission and Parliament to set aside an appropriate area of new Radio Spectrum for these Organisations who contribute enormously to the cohesion and well-being of their Communities.”
  Mr Thomas concluded, “Of course there is need for pan-European Public and Private Sector Organisations, Emergency Services and so on – but the EU is in danger of flooding the Radio Spectrum with the rich and powerful groups and disenfranchising Faith, Charity and other Community Organisations. They should not be swept aside by the European Tsunami“.
  Contact feb@feb.org

• SWITZERLAND
  In recognition of “Fenster zum Sonntag’s” 15th Anniversary, Alphavision is inviting friends to an Open Day in Wangen on 11th and 12th September 2010, for a look “behind the scenes”. How do programme makers get new ideas? How does the production of a piece work? How long does it take to make a broadcast? Visitors will be able to ask questions to Producers and Moderators.
  Contact: juergen.single@sonntag.ch

• UK
  OFCOM, the UK Telecoms Regulator, has announced plans to promote super-fast Broadband in the UK. They propose to allow competitors such as TalkTalk and Sky to have access to BT’s Fibre Lines, currently being developed. OFCOM also suggests that BT should give other providers physical access to its underground ducts and overhead telegraph poles to lay their own fibre lines, as there is a significant amount of unused space in the network. OFCOM will also put price controls on BT for broadband access in areas where it is the only provider, to protect households from uncompetitive pricing.
  Source: Broadcast

• UK SUPPORTS TURKEY FOR EU
  UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has expressed his support for Turkey joining the European Union in a recent meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. Brown said that Europe will benefit from the cultural, economic and political strengths that Turkey will bring.
  Source: www.number10.gov.uk

• UK
  The UK Churches’ 2012 “More than Gold” Organisation have hosted a meeting in London to see how the Games can leave a Social Legacy. Over 200 representatives of different churches met with charities to discuss four issues: Homelessness, Human Trafficking / Prostitution; Fairtrade and Climate Change. Talks were given by The Catholic Climate Covenant Campaign, Stephen Timms MP (Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Labour’s Vice Chair for Faith Groups), Commissioner Betty Matear (Moderator of the Free Churches Group of England and Wales) and “More Than Gold” CEO David Willson.
  Source: Independent Catholic News www.indcatholicnews.com Contact David Willson: dwillson@gegonline.org

• GERMANY
  A Eurasia Media and Distribution Consultation on “Applied Media and Technology in a Multi-lingual Market” will take place in Muecke, near Frankfurt, from 27 September to 1 October 2010. Specialists in Media, Communications and Linguistics will be presenting ideas and providing Training. Workshop Facilitators will include Dr Viggo Sogaard, Denmark, Dr Wayne Dye, Ziden Nutt and Dr Peter Mead.
  Visit: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2oryexr9cf02d0a

• UK
  A report by Quilliam (an independent Organisation described as a “Counter- extremism Think Tank“) claims that the Islam TV Channel, the UK’s most watched Muslim TV Channel, is sowing suspicion between religious communities and promoting intolerance and prejudice.  The report, based on Quilliam’s recording and monitoring of the channel’s output over a 3 month period claims that there were three key problematic trends in its output:
  • Promotion of backward attitudes to Women
  • Intolerance towards other Sects and Religions
  • Promotion of Extremism.
    Quilliam called on Ofcom, the UK Broadcasting Regulator, to hold a full investigation into the Islam Channel’s recent output.
    The full report is available at: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/images/stories/islamchannelreport.pdf

• TURKEY
  Radio Shema, a Christian Station, is producing an iPhone application, to be available from iTunes, that allows people to listen to Radio Shema on their iPhones. Shema is also developing new programmes for Women.
  Contact: Soner Tufan sonertufan@gmail.com

• UK
  More than a million additional people will be able to receive BBC DAB Radio when the BBC builds 60 new transmitters, as part of its commitment to reach 90% of the UK population during the current Charter period. The first transmitter comes on-air this summer and the BBC hopes to complete all installations by the end of 2011.
  Source: Broadcast

• EUROPEAN COMMISSION
  The European Commission has adopted new Procedures to make it easier for passengers and crew on ships in EU territorial waters to make mobile phone calls and receive and send text messages, when they are out of range of land-based mobile phone networks. The new process harmonises technical conditions for on-board communication services and also prepares the way for innovative applications, such as remote monitoring of containers on-board.
  Source: Press Release European Union

• TURKEY
  Turkey’s satellite communications company, Turksat, is preparing to sign two contracts for two new satellites by June. The satellites are scheduled to be completed within 26 months and will be launched in the last quarter of 2012. They will have a lifespan of 20 years and will cover Africa and Asia. One will be used for Satellite TV broadcasts and the other for Internet services, Data transfer and live Broadcasts.
  Source: Anatolia News Agency

• GERMANY
  The BBN German Bible Institute Online was launched on March 30th. It offers 25 free courses including Bible Doctrine, Practical Christian Living and Bible Book Studies to help individuals with in-depth Bible Study.
  Visit www.bbnbi.org

• SPAIN
  Jose Manuel Contreras, Director of the Department of Relations with Religious Groups has outlined a new Law of Religious Freedom. Some of the reforms proposed include the removal of Religious Symbols from public places, a new legal status for Ministers of Religion and the regulation of the collective rights of different faiths.
  Visit www.protestantedigital.com

• TURKEY
  Turkey’s state-run Radio and Television Corporation TRT has launched its new Arabic language satellite TV channel. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said that the channel’s launch marked “a historic day for Turkish-Arab friendship“. “TRT al Turkiye” will broadcast in Arabic around the clock and will be accessible to 350 million people throughout the Arab world. Most programmes will be presented by native Arabic speakers, and will include topics such as politics, sports, documentaries, news, movies and TV series, as well as women’s and children’s programmes. The Istanbul-based channel will also broadcast live from Cairo, Beirut, Damascus and Ankara.
  Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com

• UK
  According to C21Media.net, Independent Television ITV’s Chairman Archie Norman has given a strong indication that the UK Broadcaster will move to re-introduce pay-TV operations over the course of the next few years. He said, “As people consume their television off different platforms – internet-enabled TV or off iPads – for some of the content that ITV or others own, people will pay“. ITV is in the middle of a comprehensive Strategic Review.
  Source: C21Media.net
  

AFRICA

• SOUTH AFRICA
  As the international clock counts down the days to the start of the Football World Cup, Go-Tell Communications and CBN Africa are both keeping interest in the game alive and impacting the lives of children. A multi-coloured Football explains the message of salvation in a simple form. 50 Footballs have been given to township children. Before any Township game begins, the kids explain the meaning of the colours to their friends. Go-Tell and CBN are kitting out some of the Media Ministry Centres with Television sets and aerials to broadcast live World Cup matches in many of South Africa’s Townships. In the half-time breaks, local Pastors will show a CBN story on the big screen and give a Gospel message.
  Contact: keith.strugnell@go-tell.org

• ZIMBABWE
  “Foundations for Farming” is an initiative in Zimbabwe to bring transformation to Individuals, Communities and Nations through productive use of the land. Working with local farmers, Foundations for Farming focuses on maximum use of known rain periods and reduces soil erosion by doing no ploughing and using mulch cover from fallen leaves and plant materials. Led by Christian professionals, Foundations for Farming illustrates its methods with the Biblical principle of being “faithful with a little“. The next Foundations for Farming Conference in Zimbabwe will be September 7-9, 2010.
  Email Brian Oldreive admin@foundationsforfarming.org

• AFRICA
  Telecommunication Technology is growing rapidly across Africa but is rarely used by Christian or Religious Organisations – who find regular Radio and Television “more convenient“. The international Telecommunications Union (ITU) reports that Africa’s Mobile Phone subscriptions have now passed 300 million subscribers – more than the total numbers in Europe or in North America. At the current rate of growth in Africa, Mobile Phone subscriptions are expected to double in the next four years to reach 790 million. In light of this huge growth, the BBC News has decided to offer Phone News Updates dedicated to Africa.
  Source: www.yesumulungi.com

• SOUTH AFRICA

  Official Country Name	Republic of South Africa
  Region	Africa
  Population	43,586,097
  Languages	Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
  Literacy Rate	81.8%
  Size	1,219,912 sq. km
  GDP	125,887 (US$ millions)
  Number of TV Stations	556
  Number of TV sets	5,200,000
  TV Sets per 1,000	119.3
  Number of Radio Stations	362
  Number of Radio receivers	13,750,000
  Radio Receivers per 1,000	315.5
  Number of individuals with computers	2,700,000
  Number of individuals with Internet access	2,400,000
  Internet access per 1,000	55.1

ASIA

• OPERATION MOBILISATION
  Operation Mobilisation (OM) reports that their ocean-going ship “Doulos” has been “retired“. Doulos was officially the world’s oldest ocean-going ship, but a recent dry dock examination in Singapore indicated that continuing upkeep and necessary repairs would run into millions of dollars. OM is working with the 320 Members of Doulos crew to make use of their skills and services in other areas of OM Ministry. Doulos served OM for 32 years, during which time more than 20 million people visited the ship in over 100 countries – many recording that their lives had been dramatically transformed by its Ministry.
  Visit www.omships.org

• INDONESIA
  NRB’s Strategic Partnership Director, Ron Harris, reports that during his recent visit to Indonesia, Indonesian Broadcasters came together to form a new Association of Christian Broadcasters. The new Association will be led by Paulus Wiratno of Disciple Makers Ministries. It will draw together both local Broadcasters and International Partners such as HCJB Global, TWR and Far East Broadcasting. The Global Media Partnership has warmly welcomed the new Association in Indonesia.
  Contact: Paulus Wiratno paulusw@imercy.org

• FEBA
  FEBA’s International Ministry Director Mark Taylor said that in order to reach the hard-to-reach – FEBA programmes address real-life issues. And by getting out of the studio and connecting with the listeners, producers are able to make programmes relevant and true-to-life. “The idea is simple. The more we can get the listener involved with the programme, the more they will want to tune in.” By providing a small, lightweight hand-held recorder, FEBA engineers enable producers to record interviews on the streets, gathering material to create programmes that are interesting to listeners. They also enable the producers to integrate this portable technology with equipment back in the studio, which makes production easier.
  Contact: Jonathan Frank lifechange@feba.org.uk

• MONGOLIA
  Graham Aylett reports that following the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1990, Mongolia has seen a steadily growing Christian Church from virtually zero, to around 50,000 believers today. Mongolia is a landlocked country, three times the size of France and with a population of 59,551,227. TEE Courses (Theological Education by Extension) led by New Zealander Hugh Kemp, with assistance from World Vision, are being held by SEAN International to contribute to Pastoral Development.
  Contact Terrick Barratt: admin@sean.uk.net

AUSTRALIA

• VISION 2015:
  Christian Media Australia, together with other community bodies, has been developing a bid to increase funding from the federal government. The result is a campaign called: “Vision 2015: A Five Year Plan to create the world’s most innovative, accessible Community Media”, which aims to increase funding in four areas: Content Development; Infrastructure Investment; Volunteer Co-ordination and Training.
  To download the Vision 2015 Brochure and Budget Submission, visit www.cbaa.org.au
  
  
• CHRISTIAN MEDIA CONFERENCE
  CMA has announced that Stephen Lungu, Chief Executive of African Enterprise International, will be a Keynote Speaker at their Conference from 12-14 May 2010 at the Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise, Queensland. Other Speakers include Phil Cooke, Rick Dunham, Mike Novak and Craig Rispin.
  Contact: renee@christianmedia.org.au

GLOBAL

• INNOVATION
  “Through the Roof“, a Ministry for helping families affected by disability, has found a novel way of fund-raising. Friends of the Charity held a “Chocoholics” party to raise money to send Wheelchairs to Haiti. The January earthquake caused hundreds of leg injuries and created an urgent need for wheelchairs. The day was very successful – but “Through the Roof” said that they could not be held responsible for increasing waistlines !
  Contact: info@throughtheroof.org or Jacky Oliver +44 1372 749955

• POVERTY – PRIME GLOBAL ISSUE
  In a Poll conducted by BBC Global News, “Extreme Poverty” was the problem deemed most serious in the world today. Countries with the maximum concern included Brazil, Spain, Philippines, Chile and Costa Rica. The country that had the least concern for poverty was China – in which only 38% of those polled selected it as the primary issue, compared to 94% in Brazil. Other issues at the top of the list in the BBC Poll were Environment and Pollution, the rising cost of Food and Energy, the spread of Human Disease and Terrorism.
  Source: BBC World Agenda. Visit www.bbcworldservice.com/worldagenda

• TV VIEWING IS A “SOCIAL EXPERIENCE”
  Social TV, where people exchange opinions about the content they are watching, is a fast-growing trend, as focus shifts away from Television sets to other Technologies. Now, anyone with a Web connection can share comments live during a Broadcast. This instant communication is adding an interactive element to the viewing experience. According to Andy Gower from British Telecom, “Social TV has the potential to change TV viewing from a passive experience to one that’s more personal, and potentially to become a way to meet people and share experiences.”
  Source: BBC News

MIDDLE EAST

• IRAN
  IBRA has started broadcasting Radio and TV programmes in Farsi / Persian for Iran. The programmes utilise the Egyptian idea of “Church in my Home“, a drama about a House Church. The goal is to encourage existing House Churches in Iran and inspire new ones.
  Contact: info@ibra.se

• SATELLITE
  Even in the poorest neighbourhoods of cities like Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus, rooftops jammed with satellite dishes are a common sight. Many people have three dishes aimed at Hotbird (European owned), Nilesat (Egyptian owned) and Arabsat (Saudi and Gulf States owned). SAT-7 has been broadcasting on Hotbird since 2000, but has recently begun broadcasting its two Arabic channels on Nilesat 104. to reach a wider audience. Executive Director for SAT-7 Arabic and SAT-7 Kids, Rita Elmounayer said, “Unfortunately, Hotbird does have some immoral European channels, so some Middle Easterners choose not to tune in for the sake of their children. They feel safer with the Nilesat system, so we are really happy that SAT-7 Kids is now also on Nilesat.”
  Visit: www.sat7.org

• EGYPT
  BBC News reports that Egypt has banned Mobile Calls made through services such as Skype. Skype and other operators offering VoIP (Voiceover Internet Protocol) services bypass telephone networks in favour of offering free calls via the internet. Egyptian law states that all international calls must pass through state-owned Egypt Telecom. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority has issued a decision to stop VoIP. The ban applies to Egypt’s three Mobile Operators, Vodafone, Mobinil and Etisalat. In March, United Arab Emirates also said it would not give VoIP licences to international companies such as Skype.
  Source: BBC News
  

NORTH AMERICA

• USA – KENTUCKY CHURCHES TOGETHER FOR WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES MINISTRY
  Some 4,000 Churches and other Organisations are joining together in Kentucky as “Affiliated International Ministries – AIM” – to plan extensive activities at the time of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 to October 10, 2010.
  In addition to providing Home and Church Accommodation for hundreds of Volunteers coming to the Games – AIM will hold Concerts and Events featuring international artists. Among them will be the Blue Flamingo Jazz Big Band from England; Australia’s leading Didgeridoo player, Adrian Ross; Randy and Heidi Gunn of Gunnpoint Ministries – World Champions at Cowboy Mounted Shooting and Kentucky’s own Hall of Fame jockey, Pat Day.
  The Alltech World Equestrian Games will have competitors from 70+ Countries and are likely to draw 700,000 visitors to Kentucky including many “Royals” from around the world. The Games will be the largest single Event in the United States in 2010.
  Visit: www.aimky.org Contact: Marilyn Johnson aimky.office@gmail.com
  

• USA
  The FCC has produced its National Broadband Plan, entitled “Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan“, which aims to get Internet broadband to almost 100 million Americans who are not currently connected. This figure however includes approximately 14 million who cannot connect because there is no broadband infrastructure, and 86 million others who could connect to the web but have not yet chosen to do so. The Plan recommends that Full Power TV Licence Holders can voluntarily “share spectrum” with other stations, giving back unused portions for use by wireless companies. This would require Broadcasters to give back up to one third of their total spectrum. It also calls for increased funding to public broadcasting for broadband distribution of its content. It estimates it will cost up to US$15.5 billion to implement the plan, and implies that federal taxes may be used to pay for it.
  Source: NRB Today

DIARY DATES

SLOVENIA: Bookings are now being received for the FEB Conference, from 11-14 November 2010 at the City Hotel, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Terry Ascott, CEO of SAT-7 will speak on the subject, “How to reach people and cultures with new technology”. Bible Teacher will be David Shearman, Senior Minister at Nottingham Christian Centre, UK. Book online or download a Registration Form.
Visit www.feb.org
• UK MEDIA BREAKFAST: Book the date for a Joint Christian Broadcasting Council and FEB Media Breakfast which will be held in London on Thursday 3rd June 2010 from 7.45 – 9.15am at a Venue to be confirmed. The Speaker will be Dr Ted Baehr, Founder and Publisher of Movieguide and Chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission.
  Contact: feb@feb.org

• UK CHURCH & MEDIA CONFERENCE: 7-9 June 2010, including the BBC’s Head of Religion and Ethics, Mr Aaqil Ahmed, who will give an extended interview about his role, his plans and the issues he has faced in his first year in the role.
  Visit www.churchandmediaconference.info
  

• SOUTH AFRICA
  Angus Buchan will be the opening Keynote Speaker at the Association of Christian Broadcasters’ Conference from 9-11 March 2010 at the Ocean View Hotel, Strand, South Africa. The theme is “Raising your Game“.
  Contact: Dave Hotchkiss djhotchkiss@telkomsa.net
  

• SOMALIA
  “Thru the Bible” is now  heard on TWR shortwave in the Somali language from Monday to Friday. A recent survey suggests that “Thru the Bible” is the most popular radio programme among Somalis. It is a 30 minute weekday Bible Study that covers the entire Bible in five years. Since the civil war in Somalia, it is estimated that over a million people are living in refugee camps and Christians face strong opposition to their faith.
  Visit www.twr.org
  

ASIA

• EUROPEAN UNION
  The new EU Telecoms “Better Regulation Directive” and the “Citizens’ Rights Directive” must be absorbed into national laws of the 27 EU Member States by June 2011. The new European Telecoms Authority, called “Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), will provide consistent regulation across Europe to strengthen the single telecoms market. “The establishment of BEREC is a visible sign that we are serious when we say that Europe’s telecoms operators and consumers should no longer feel national borders in network access and the delivery of communication services,” said Viviane Reding, the EU’s Telecoms Commissioner. “From spring 2010 onwards, BEREC will help national telecoms regulators and the European Commission to ensure that telecoms services can be delivered under consistent and competitive conditions across the EU”.
  Source: EU

• UK
  The BBC iPlayer “Catch-up service” is averaging more than five million unique users a week – registering more than 88 million video requests a month. The service’s most watched programme of the year was “Top Gear“. The iPlayer is available on 20 devices and viewing differs on each platform. Mobile phone viewing peaks after 21.00 and again on Saturday and Sunday mornings. However, Computers still dominate iPlayer use, accounting for 86% of requests.
  Source: C21Media.net

• GERMANY
  FEB Chairman, Harvey Thomas was a Speaker at the Christliche Medienkongress in Schwabisch Gmund in southern Germany in December, on the subject “Touching the World – the Art of Communication.” Reflecting the active Evangelical Movement, the Congress had over 200 Delegates from a wide variety of Media across Germany, from Church News Letters to the Evangelical Alliance’s “IDEA“, ERF and BibelTV.

• EUROPEAN COMMISSION
  The European Commission has ruled that commitments offered by Microsoft to boost competition on the web browser market are legally binding. Microsoft will now offer European users of Windows a choice among different web browsers and allow computer manufacturers and users the possibility to turn Internet Explorer off. Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said, “Millions of European consumers will benefit from this decision by having a free choice about which web browser they use. Such choice will not only serve to improve people’s experience of the Internet now but also act as an incentive for web browser companies to innovate and offer people better browsers in the future.”
  Source: European Commission

• HUNGARY
  The European Leadership Forum (ELF) will be held from 22-27 May 2010 in Eger, Hungary. Last year, the Forum was the catalyst for 200 seminars, leadership training events and public lectures throughout Europe. It aims to stir the intellectual momentum of European Evangelicals and to inspire a new generation of Leaders both from Eastern and Western Europe to face today’s challenges.
  Visit www.euroleadership.org

• FINLAND
  The SuomiTV Family Channel was launched in December. It is a new free-of-charge commercial TV channel which promotes family values and “responsible” broadcasting. It is a digital TV Channel broadcasting on Channel 33 on cable networks all over Finland. Although not overtly a religious channel, it will carry strategically placed Christian programming.
  Visit www.suomitv.fi

• UK
  MGM Studios launched a linear high-definition (HD) channel in the UK in December as part of a 50/50 joint venture with BSkyB, with a selection from the MGM Film library. It airs 24/7 and is the 37th HD Channel now on the Sky platform. MGM is anticipating the popularity of HD and will re-master many MGM movies in HD. The MGM brand is on 20 channels in 130 countries.
  Source: C21Media.net

• HUNGARY (Member of the European Union)
  

  Official Country Name	Republic of Hungary
  Region	Europe
  Population	10,106,017
  Languages	Hungarian
  Literacy Rate	99%
  Size	93,030 sq. km
  GDP	45,633 (US$ millions)
  Number of TV Stations	35
  Number of TV sets	4,420,000
  TV Sets per 1,000	437.4
  Number of Radio Stations	77
  Number of Radio receivers	7,010,000
  Radio Receivers per 1,000	693.6
  Number of individuals with computers	870,000
  Number of individuals with Internet access	1,480,000
  Internet access per 1,000	146.4

• UK
  Bullying in churches is “rife” across the UK. A report has revealed that 150 Clergy and Ministers seek protection from Trade Union “Unite” every year. The Union, which has set up a helpline for Priests intimidated by their Bishops or Congregations, is calling for full employment rights for Clergy and greater protection in the law. Rachel Maskell, from Unite, said that bullying and sexual harassment of Clergy were serious problems that were not being adequately addressed. “It’s endemic throughout different denominations and different churches. Where there is an openness and willingness to address the situation we are able to resolve the case,” she said, “but when there is a denial that there is a problem, as in some denominations, then we are not able to get the solutions in place and the Clergy are very vulnerable.” Most of those who have turned to the Union for help are in the Church of England, but Roman Catholic Priests, Rabbis and Imams have also joined Unite, according to Ms Maskell. The Archbishop of Canterbury admitted that there is a problem with bullying in the Church when he spoke at a TUC Conference last year. He said, “I have good reason to know from pastoral contacts with people how much of an issue it can be.”
  Contact: news@email.premier.org.uk

AFRICA

• SOUTH AFRICA
  The “Lausanne Global Conversation” – a public Forum - has been set up by the Lausanne Movement in preparation for “Cape Town 2010“. The Lausanne Global Conversation will focus on topics to be discussed at the Event and includes a series of 12 Articles, blogs and podcasts, discussion forums, interaction on Twitter and Facebook, advance copies of Presentations from CT2010 Speakers and in-person interaction at Bible Colleges, Mission Agencies, Churches and Theological Institutions. Discussions currently in progress are: Muslim-Background Believers; Poverty, Prosperity and the Gospel; and Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World.
  Visit www.lausanne.org/global-conversation/about.html

• MOROCCO
  Fourteen dramatised testimonies of Moroccans coming to faith are being broadcast on two Christian satellite stations covering North Africa. Each episode features dramatised scenes to visualise the testimony, with the voice-over of a Moroccan narrating it. A local Moroccan telephone number is used to invite feedback and questions from viewers.
  Visit www.shehada.org

• SOUTH AFRICA
  Martin Frische, of the Evangelical Stadtmission of South Africa (ESSA) will run special screenings of the 2010 FIFA World Cup along with the Alpha Course and the Alpha Marriage Course. ESSA currently run a Day Care Creche in Zandspruit and have just built a youth centre. Contact: Martin Frische martin.frische@stadtmission.org.za
  

ASIA