Media ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
There are a number of Media ministries associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. These come in print, radio and television forms and reach countries all around the globe. The Adventist church has a long history of media-based communication, having grown out of the Millerite movement of the 1840s which heavily used the print media. Some of the media ministries are directly funded by the church, while others are self-supporting organizations that rely on donations.
All the main Adventist broadcast ministries have engaged in worldwide outreach via numerous crusades and rallies. Worldwide outreach is also conducted by Adventist World Radio mostly via shortwave radio transmissions, but also via AM, FM, satellite, Internet, and direct-to-home satellite radio transmissions. Broadcasting is currently done from 10 transmitter sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Radio
The Voice of Prophecy was founded in 1929 by H.M.S. Richards, Sr. on a single radio station in Los Angeles, but has since spread to stations throughout the nation and has recently begun television and video production. Richards' son, H.M.S. Richards, Jr., succeeded him in the late 1970s, and today is hosted by Pastor Lonnie Meleshenko and Connie Jeffery (daughter of It Is Written founder George Vandeman).
The Quiet Hour (website) was founded in 1937 by J.L. Tucker as a radio program. Succeeding members of the Tucker family have run the ministry since then, and it too has expanded into television.
Amazing Facts was founded in 1965 by Joe Crews in Baltimore, Maryland. Inspired by the success of the Voice of Prophecy, Crews' original objective was to reach out to both Christian and non-Christian listeners via daily 15-minute programs by opening with a catchy historic fact, and how it applies to the overall Biblical messages. Later, the program offered accompanying home Bible study courses, as well as books written by Crews himself. In 1987, Amazing Facts initiated a television ministry. In 1993, after Joe Crews' passing, Doug Batchelor assumed the position as Director/Speaker, and has held that position ever since. Today, Amazing Facts broadcasts mainly out of Sacramento, California.
Daniel Lubega is an Omaha, Nebraska Seventh-day Adventist pastor with a radio show on KCRO and a TV show on Omaha Cox Channel 23.
Adventist World Radio was founded in 1971 (website) and is the "radio mission arm" of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It utilizes AM, FM, Shortwave, satellite, podcasting, and the Internet ... broadcasting in 74 major language groups of the world with a potential coverage of 80% of the world's population. AWR's headquarters is in Silver Spring, Maryland with studios throughout the world. A large portion of the ministries income is derived from membership gifts.[1]
3ABN Radio was founded in 2000. A Radio Network has programming similar to television. 3ABN Radio broadcasts programming from 3ABN Television to listeners at home, work, car, and the Internet. Also based in West Frankfort, Illinois. ([1])
Television
The Hope Channel is the church's official TV channel. It started to operate in 2003 and can be watched via satellite on every inhabited continent. ([2])
It Is Written was founded in 1956 by George Vandeman and was the first religious program to air in color, and the first to take advantage of satellite technology. Mark Finley succeeded Vandeman in 1992. He left the show in 2004 and was replaced by Shawn Boonstra. ([3])
Breath of Life is one of the most recent Adventist broadcast ministries to hit the airwaves. Although its main audience is African American, the message is similar to the other broadcast ministries.
Loma Linda Broadcasting Network (LLBN) began in 1997 is based in Loma Linda, California, and features programming from the Loma Linda University Church of Seventh-day Adventists as well as original programming and other Seventh-day Adventist produced programming.
Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) began in 1984 is based in West Frankfort, Illinois, featuring talk/interviews, music, sermons, cooking/health, documentaries including Seventh-day Adventist produced programming. 3ABN is broadcasting and be watched via satellite on every inhabited continent. ([4])
The Carter Report is produced by John Carter.