UCB International Blog

(CEO Ian Mackie speaks to the UCB U.K. staff as they celebrate the milestone of broadcasting nationwide on DAB radio.)

On December 1st the global UCB family rejoiced with UCB U.K. when they launched their national DAB radio service throughout the United Kingdom.

“This is an extraordinary dream come true,” says Ian Mackie, CEO and founder of UCB UK. “We’ve had a 23-year-old dream and vision to broadcast nationally across the UK and it’s an overwhelming and humbling day to finally see that dream come to fruition. We not only fulfill our goal but also add contemporary Christian music to the variety of stations available to the ever expanding digital audience.”

In the U.K. digital radio is fast becoming the listeners’ choice in how they absorb the greater variety of programming and stations that digital radio now offers. DAB network company Digital One recently reported

“we have now passed 10 million sets in the UK….took five years for the first 5 million….30 months for the next 5……….watch this space for ‘how many’ in the next 12 months!!!!!!!!”

(UCB UK staff & supporters celebrating the radio ministry milestone)

UCB listeners have already shown that they find the idea of UCB UK becoming a national station exciting, inspiring and motivating. The response to the recent radiothon and appeal which raised more than £750,000, was amazing.

(Directors, Peggy and Perry Atkinson (back right) keep The Dove team supplied with plenty of health food so they can meet the challenge of establishing TV while continuing to broadcast the very popular Dove radio broadcasts.)

UCB’s first TV venture in the USA is about to launch in Medford, Oregon.  The Dove CEO Perry Atkinson has completed negotiations for cable channel space and the broadcast team are all set to go. Perry says “The enthusiasm and commitment of our Dove Radio supporters has played a significant role in financing this venture. We really appreciate the great help from our UCB family through Shine TV in New Zealand and UCB TV in the U.K. I don’t see how we could have managed it without them”

(TV Manager Michael Brown & Broadcast Director Steve Johnson, ponder the complexities of the TV broadcast process.)

This is the 3rd TV channel build in the UCB group for TV manager Michael Brown who moved with his family from New Zealand to join The Dove team. “It has been interesting to see how people have responded to our test broadcasts here. They really enjoy the variety of programmes we offer from many different parts of the world”

(Steve Johnson (right) and IT specialist Rhondee Businger breeze their way through the TV broadcast software.)

(UCB Indonesia Board (R-L) Daniel Runtewene, Controller; Dr Jimmy Orentoro, Co Founder; Herman Soegeng, U Channel Director; Matthew Budiman, U Channel Manager; Chuck Quinley UCBI Regional Director & Denis Delaney, Co Founder. )

UCB Indonesia has signed a 5 year TV satellite contract for 24/7 free to view satellite coverage over Indonesia, much of South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

This decisive move was taken in faith by the UCB Indonesia board after U Channel’s 12 hour slot on Indonesia’s pay satellite service was cancelled by the provider. While U Channel would have preferred to retain the pay TV option, it was restricted to 12 hours a day and programmes placed around the 12 hr block were reflecting adversely on the U channel image. Many viewers incorrectly thought U channel was responsible for scheduling these other programmes.

Another benefit, not available on the previous pay service, is that other channels can rebroadcast UCB Indonesia’s TV channel provided they have approval from UCB. There are small regional Christian broadcasters who are keen to take the U channel feed so they can concentrate on producing and inserting local content.

This step of faith will increase the ministry’s costs significantly. While satellite fees are substantial, there will be additional costs to increase the percentage of Indonesian originated and subtitled programmes for a wider, non English speaking population.

(Graham Carter shares a healthy Island lunch with the UCB Papua New Guinea team. (From left) Tony, Vetus, Graham, Board members Francis & Balim Sumanope and Patrick)

Between August and December Graham Carter & Denis Delaney undertook visits to Tonga, The Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to review radio ministries affiliated to UCB Pacific Partners.

Graham has steered radio missions in the Pacific for twenty two years. This was Denis’ first visit. They arrived in Tonga three weeks after the shipping disaster which saw 72 lives lost at sea. This tragedy struck deeply in a small community where family ties are very close. It was encouraging to hear first hand testimonies of the role the radio station played in supporting people through the broadcasts and one on one pastoral care.

(Denis and Graham with Station Manager Tina Lemazi (front right) and the Solomon’s team. )

While Graham is like one of the family to these ministries, for Denis it was a special experience being warmly welcomed there for the first time. “In each visit the one stand out feature for me was the dedication of people who have a huge heart for reaching their people with the love of Jesus, yet with very few resources.” said Denis.

Despite the era of modern technology, these nations are still quite isolated when it comes to travel and the availability of resources to support Christian broadcasting. The visits were valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships and explore ways of improving support for these important missions.

(Neil, (left) Denis & Graeme in one of the IBC exhibition halls.)

In September Neil Elliott, Graeme Wilson and Denis Delaney caught up with the latest technology at the International Broadcasters Convention in Amsterdam. Of particular note was the absence of some traditional technology suppliers like Sony, but a growing contribution from computer giants like Microsoft and Apple.

Neil Elliott said, “This year at IBC we saw and continue to explore an IPTV product that offers close to HD picture quality using the internet. It offers a bundled package of channels similar to BSkyB or Foxtel but does it globally for minimal cost to the consumer. It was also encouraging to see TV finally catching up with radio by offering some user friendly, reliable and affordable automation products”.

(Neil & Graeme look at some sound options. )

Graeme Wilson was very impressed with the Autonomy relational database, “I thought this had great potential for the group as a whole and even for the worldwide church” said Graeme.

Other items were large capacity centralised storage for media file transfers between the group members and the possibility of broadcasting the TV channel(s) worldwide to mobile phone handsets using all-inclusive cross-platform video streaming.

(Ian Ness, (UCBA’s volunteer installer) and friends at Darnley Island QLD. This was station number 402 and UCBA’s most northern station.)

Ten years after the first Vision Radio station came on-air in the rural Queensland town of Beaudesert, there’s even more reason to celebrate. UCB Australia installed the 400th Vision station in October 09 and new stations currently average more than 1 per week. In fact 67 new FM stations have begun broadcasting already this year and the arrival of a major AM station to cover most of South Australia’s state capital, Adelaide, is imminent.

Past and Future Tours

(Chuck Missler meeting in Brisbane)

Chuck Missler’s tour to Australia/NZ in July 2009 covered 40 sessions in 20 cities. Speaking to packed houses and enthusiastic participants, Chuck was impressed by the visible commitment to God’s Word and his listeners were impressed by his insight into God’s plans for this season of history in which we live.

Visionathon

(CEO Ian Worby (right) and Broadcast Director Phil Edwards pray on air during the Visionathon.)

The target of our bi-annual Visionathon was $500, 000. For four days in mid-November, appeals were broadcast through the Vision Radio Network to fundraise sufficient money to cover operating costs. At present, UCB Australia sends complimentary copies of The Word for Today and word4U2day to over 100, 000 people, maintains 400+ radio stations, coordinates the PrayForMe network which receives over 1000 calls per month and runs a resource arm, UCB Direct. Both Visionathons are important components of UCB’s budgeted income but this was a time of unusual struggle. Nearly $300,000 was raised, even though the number of responses was down on previous years.  We thank God for His provision in this challenging time.

UCB Alizes is a new UCB Affiliate in Madagascar. The name “Alizes” refers to the “soft winds”, or “sea breeze” blowing in Madagascar and the surrounding islands.

UCB Alizes will function under the UCB African region, with Dr Roelf Petersen as the Regional Director for Africa. Chris-Johan Fourie will be the COO of UCB Alizes. He is already managing Radio Andrea in Antsohihy, Madagascar with the assistance of his wife Jeanette and a Malagasy team.

A new project is under investigation by UCB Alizes, namely the possible establishment of a radio station on St Marie, a small island due east of Madagascar. The viability study is currently being conducted with the assistance of the Church in St Marie. In the above photo is the cell-phone tower of Zain on the island, which will be available for housing the antenna and transmitter, should the station become a reality. The idea with this station is to cover not only St Marie but transmit the signal into the eastern coastal region of Madagascar

(UCB Africa Associate to build a rescue house for abandoned children in Botswana)

Our UCB Africa associate in Maun, Botswana is Jerry Lackey and his lovely wife Jana. They are the founders of Love Botswana Outreach Mission.

Years ago, they adopted an abandoned, newborn baby girl that was left on the banks of the nearby river to die. Mapula (rain) is now eight years old and a blessing to all who know her.

Ever since, Jana has a heart for abandoned and vulnerable children, especially because of the high mortality rate of young Botswana mothers in that nation, who die of HIV/Aids. She tried for the past 5 years to register a safe house for these children, but was tripped every time by government red tape and politics.

But at last, when she was virtually on the brink of giving up, she succeeded. They registered, with government approval “Lerato House” which will be a rescue house for vulnerable children. In the photo are some of the Love Botswana Trustees with Jerry and Jana, breaking the ground.

Jana is not someone with a small vision – the rescue house is planned for 800 square meters and will house 50 babies! They have also found a suitable financial sponsor.

(The Media Development team meets in Auckland. (From left) Skip Parker, Development Engineer; Andrew Pitchford, Group Training & Integration; Andrew Fraser, Operations Manager; and Denis Delaney, Team Leader. )

One small but significant step was taken recently when IT Engineer, Skip Parker, became the first employee of the new UCB Media Development Unit. The Development Unit is a joint initiative coordinated by UCB International, to foster collaboration for the development of IT and new media technology and skills amongst UCB Affiliates.

The Development Unit concept grew out of Affiliate consultations in 2008 which identified the need to develop technologies to serve the long term needs of larger Affiliates, and provide services smaller affiliates would be unable to resource on their own. An example is the growing requirement for storing and managing digital media for Radio, TV and the Internet. One of the development unit’s first projects is to develop proof of concept technology for the establishment of a web based, centralised media repository. The goal is to provide a valuable resource of managed content which all affiliates contribute to, or draw from, for their individual broadcast and content on demand requirements.

(UCB Africa and Associates at convention - from left to right Jerry Lackey Love Botswana, Hal Short, Friedrich Swart,( Gurue, Mozambique), Roelf Petersen, and Chris Johan Fourie (Madagascar) )

In September UCB Africa joined Christian broadcasters from across the continent for the Africa by Radio conference in Johannesburg. Ninety five broadcasters attended this first ever and very successful convention. UCB Africa sponsored representatives of their 5 associates in Africa (Madagascar, Nigeria, Mozambique, Botswana and Radio Alpha in SA.). UCB’s partner organization, Radio Pulpit, also participated.

(The Africa by Radio Steering Committee, who organized the Continental Convention 2009 for African broadcasters. )

Africa by Radio is a network of the mainstream international or continental broadcasters in Africa who work together to promote Christian radio, with the main focus being the so-called unreached nations of Africa.

(Delegates at the convention)

Hal Short, president of UCB International was the speaker at the gala evening, which was sponsored by UCB Africa.

Appropriately dressed (and in their right mind?), Neil Elliot and Gary Hoogvliet of UCB U.K. study the map on how to get to the Christian Visual Media conference. Held in September each year, the conference is a good opportunity for our TV programmers to network with Christian producers and suppliers based in Europe.  Can you guess where the conference was held this year ???