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The Asia Region-World Association for Christian Communication-sponsored Radio Producers' Seminar took place in the Singapore YMCA November 18-22, 1998. Seventeen participants, including four resource persons, gathered for the meetings. There was also a visitation program where they could see and talk with the staff of local radio and TV stations in Singapore. One of the most advanced technological cities in Asia, Singapore has spawned an environment where digital networking in radio and TV stations has flourished, keeping her one step ahead of her Asian counterpart, Hong Kong. It was encouraging and motivating for the participants to have the chance to see stations with some of the most advanced studio facilities in the world.
There were local and international resource persons: from the BBC and the Australia Broadcasting Cooperation, from Christian Broadcasting Systems, Korea, TWR and a media educator from India.
 Dr. Keval Kumar |
Dr. Keval Kumar, originally from India but now teaching in a middle eastern country, talked about "Broadcasting Policies" in Asia and also shared research conducted on listeners of Radio Varitas, Asia and India. His topological approach to various radio systems in Asia led listeners to consider the present situation of radio, its problem and the direction of religious programs in Asia.
As a whole, Kumar noted that in the 1990s in Asia, most governments, both democratic and non-democratic, were forced to react to the ever-increasing threats from cross-border satellite television channels. Some countries reacted by restricting the import and purchase of satellite dishes or other receiving equipment, while others adopted an "open skies" policy to this new terrestrial program. He predicted that new media might change broadcasting policies drastically in the region
Kumar presented radio broadcasting models in Asia over the past 50 years; the public service model, the commercial model, the public service-cum-commercial model, and the public relations model.
He gave examples of each model: the first one being the BBC, and the second one, the American model, and also models from the Philippines, Taiwan, and other countries. The most common model in Asia, Kumar said, is the third one, public service-cum-commercial model. This model of broadcasting is owned and run by the federal government but allows for commercial use.
All these models have been affected by cross-border satellite television springing up in early 1990s. Its affects were not only a decrease in revenues taken in by traditional media, but also the loss of feasible govern-mental control. "Open Sky Policy" forced governments not to use traditional "jamming," but to choose one of two ways: enforce a complete ban on receiving equipment, or allow free access. Kumar has seen the banning of satellite access not to have been very successful, especially in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
The final model, Kumar presented was the public relations model, which was adapted into short-wave broadcasting. Voice of America and BBC World Service fall into this group. He remarked that, unlike drama-tic changes in national policies on cable and satellite television, radio policy in Asia has remained unchanged, because governments in Asia assumed the impact of radio was minimal compared to that of television.
He also talked about religious broadcasting in South Asia and South East Asia where governments seldom permit private religious groups to own and run radio or television stations. The majority Muslim community dominate the programs even if there are religious programs in the country. The Christian Broadcasting Service (CBS) of South Korea and the two units of Radio Veritas-Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) and Radio Veritas Philippines (RVP)-are exceptions. But in the national battle for listenership, "the Church radio stations are usually weak in frequency modulation," because of outdated equipment and because they are manned by amateur technicians, he said.
He also shared his empirical survey carried out in India about religious programming preference on RVA. The largest majority favored "songs/ hymns," and "worship oriented programs" in preference over "drama" and "talk/ discussions." He said the first three categories were listed by listeners much more than the final "talk/ discussions."
Kumar talked about the future of Radio in Asia, "the most remarkable development has been the growth in the number of minority language channels. Languages which were totally neglected by both commercial and national broadcasting organizations have now found their legitimate place of pride in the regions."
Kumar is cautious about the use of the airwaves for evangelization. "Outright propagandist strategies which pay little respect to the sensitivities of people of other faiths which aim to proselytize are bound to turn off many religious groups." Moreover "church language" might even lead to a misunderstanding of the Christian message. He pointed out that the best use of radio was for believers rather than non-believers. As an example, for the "electronic churches" in the US, surveys show their main audience is made up of evangelical believers, which is also the same for radio and TV programs in the Gulf region. There they speak directly to the Islamic faithful. "Thus, preaching to the already converted and evangelized makes far better sense than making desperate attempts to convert people of other faiths." Kumar said the success of "Jesus Calls," of RVA, in South Asia, comes from their strategy of talking to the faithful in language that they understand. "I believe this approach ought to be the primary thrust of Christian broadcasting in Asia," Kumar concluded.
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