No. 17, August 11, 2003

ATN-Latin America Begins Daily TV Show

August 1 marked a historic day for Adventist television in Brazil. The first one-hour daily TV program was uplinked from the media centre in Nova Friburgo. "Encontro com a Vida" ("Encounter with Life") is an excellent collaboration of talent and vision from various leadership, production and media personnel in Brazil. With financial subsidies from the South American Division, this daily program was the dream of lay leaders, church leaders and media staff.

With vibrant Adventist music and bright new graphics designed by talented young artists, "Encontro com a Vida" begins with a two-minute daily news segment featuring a spiritual application and hosted by Pr Milton Souza, Director of SISAC [Sistema Adventista de Comunicação]. Next comes "Among Friends," a short devotional hosted by Women's Ministry leaders in Brazil. "Encounter of Praise" features beautiful music videos produced by individual artists and music groups in Brazil. Pr Williams Costa, Jr, Associate Director of ATN-Latin America, provides commentary between songs. The music segment is followed by a feature entitled "Communicating Hope," spiritual meditations hosted by union presidents in Brazil. And on Sabbath, Pr Ruy Nagel, South American Division President, presents this devotional. The fast-moving 30-minute program concludes with "Made for You," featuring various authors and singers with suggestions for spiritual growth. Throughout the program, short spot advertisements showcase Adventist institutions, including hospitals, publishing houses, and food companies.

The second half hour of the program focuses on three IIW speakers--Pr Mark Finley (dubbed in Portuguese), Pr Alejandro Bullon, and new IIW Brazilian speaker Pr Fernando Iglesias--three days a week. A documentary on Creation airs Tuesdays, and Westbrook Hospital on Thursdays.

"Encontro com a Vida" airs every day from 7am to 8am on CNT, which reaches approximately 40% of Brazil's population of 152 million. "Encontro com a Vida" is also transmitted on major cable networks including Direct TV, Sky and Globo TV Cable. In addition CNT offers open TV in UHF and VHF. Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba receive excellent coverage of the new Adventist program. In the first four days of broadcast, SISAC received nearly 500 emails, faxes and phone calls responding to offers on the show. The whole SISAC staff actively supports this new venture, with up to 15 of the staff fully involved for several hours during and after the broadcast answering phone calls and providing email responses.

The ATN-Latin America staff has grown to 23 employees, including eight producer/ editors working on this new program. The editing bays are well-utilized, with editors working in two shifts from 5:00 am to 11:30 pm five days a week. Every piece prepared for this one hour show is also repackaged and utilized in the 24/7 satellite programming of ATN-Latin America on NSS 806.

Pr Williams Costa Jr reports, "The attitude of the media staff is very good; morale is high, and even with the late hours, everyone has remained fully supportive of this new TV program." Creating seven days of new programmes in a five-day work week is a monumental task. "It is challenging," Pr Williams continues, "to do your best for one show and then to realize you have a whole new program to prepare for the next day!"

The success of this new venture is best summed up in one of the first phone calls that came from a viewer right in Nova Friburgo watching the premier on August 1. "Please, can you arrange a visit from a pastor today? I need God in my home!" During the second program, after Pr Bullon's appeal for baptism, 75 decisions for Christ and His church were registered by phone, email and fax. "Encontro com a Vida" is God's program. Under His guidance it has made an excellent beginning.