The Christian Channel
Today at lunch a friend brought up the idea of “quality Christian television programming”. What if you could have a target audience cable channel that actually had intiguing programming? Forget about TBN, PAX, The 700 Club, or whatever. The purpose would not be evangelism but to have shows that edified the church body. What would be some of the issues?
While everyone brought up great points, my thoughts are that the Christian market would SAY that they would want it but would actually be turned off by shows that actually dealt with real life issues that don’t always end on a happy note. As large as the niche market is, I don’t think you would have enough “Christians” to support shows that leave you with the resolve of something like the autobiography of Jim Elliot. I can read the review now, “The Christian Channel brings you the Jim Elliot Story : Watch some idiot knowingly walk into his own slaughter and not even defend himself - he should have read the Purpose Driven Life.”
Another problem I see in Christian drama is that everyone would bring their own personal convictions into the show. Again, as small as the niche is, you would inevitably in some way tick off every group of people that feel you are misrepresenting them as Christians. Imagine the baptists’ reaction when a fictional Christian has a beer with his dinner or someone baptizes their baby.
The idea of a Christian talk show like Oprah or Dr. Phil was mentioned. Again, not a big enough target audience. Imagine a show on divorce and the expert offers this advice to a battered wife: “Well, the Bible only mentions sexual infidelity as the only justifiable reason for divorce. If divorce was an option for physical abuse then you would think that He would have mentioned it.” I just get the feeling that not that many people would want to watch people die to themselves and take up their cross to follow Jesus.
This blog post is brought to you by “Hard To Believe” by John MacArthur.
April 6th, 2005 at 1:38 pm
Well now that I think about it, you could make it the Elliot Family Story and start by leading into Jim’s death and then focus on his wife and daughter’s relationship and ministry after. Hmmmmm.
April 6th, 2005 at 3:05 pm
At first I sort of dismiss the idea for a couple reasons. I slip way too easily into cynicism about TV, but I think TV does tend to numb your brain and shorten your attention span - much more than, say, radio or books (or even the web!) - and I cringe to think what would become of that. Seems to me we need deeper Christian thought - not shallower.
On the other hand, there’s a TV network for just about everything - don’t lots of sports teams even have their own channels now? It would be pretty sad if Christians didn’t have anything to say in the televised arena of ideas.
Still, if the medium itself is indictable, that sort of negates the second point… hmmmmmmmm…..
April 7th, 2005 at 7:17 am
I’m with you Hugh. I have never turned on the TV to edify my trust in Christ. Now that think about it, my purpose is to avoid my resonsibilities. Lately I turn on the tube to watch/listen to the latest CMT music because VH1 has became a soft porn channel. That’s a shame. I loved the Behind the Music series. Especially the one on Blue Oyster Cult. More Cowbell!!
April 7th, 2005 at 7:53 am
Just make sure the channel has at least 5 big gold chairs, 2ft tall multi-colored hairdos, and ads offering cheesy little trinkets with your donation of $100/month or more
April 7th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
To my mind, while I’m a very visual person with an “artsy” background, this strikes me as unwise. We already do a quite good job of distracting ourselves with consumer-oriented activities, so it seems risky to me to think about providing something else to consume (even given “deep” content) when we really need to focus on making our faith active. For example, take the money and use it to support - REALLY support - pregnant teens who might be willing to actually become mothers had they any confidence of a real, long-term support system within the Body of Christ.
We are very good at not putting our money where our mouths are. One need only look — and believe me the world does look — at where Christians spend money to discover where our hearts really are. Truth is, we spend millions to shamelessly edify ourselves at the expense of the people he leaves us here to love. I say that to my shame.
Our example is the one who took on himself the form of a servant, and I wonder more every day if I even know what it means to do that.
April 7th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
Kind of like offering a “Christian” brand of saturated fat.
April 7th, 2005 at 3:20 pm
Dan, how would you redirect the hypothetical money not “spent” on such a network into other causes? That money is currently being channeled by advertisers into other networks.
It seems to me, if we are going to watch TV anyways (news and/or entertainment), why not have an alternative that appeals to Christians? My biggest concern is that all the attempt up to now have been really bad. Ever seen ‚ÄúLeft Behind‚Äù the movie–gag!
April 7th, 2005 at 4:10 pm
So you’re saying that the network would be supported by advertising? That’s interesting. I assumed it would be a ministry.
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April 8th, 2005 at 12:06 am
dunno what they are saying… but the whole post the other day was about advertising… heh
there are always 4 hour phoneathons
April 8th, 2005 at 8:51 am
Okay, I am that friend who posed this idea. I work in the marketing /advertising industry. Another christian and myself were pondering this concept and it has grown into an idea.
All your previous points are valid but let me first make a view comments about what this network would and would not be:
It would not be a public company. It would be private governed by a board of advisors whose sole mission would be to make sure everything that goes on the air is biblically accurate.
It would not be a watered down version of christian programming. It would unashamedly preach and teach God’s word in every format.
It would stress quality programming. Some ideas (fire away with your snide comments) … a “mission adventures” reality program that follows a mission team as they preach the gospel and help people all over the world; A “Grace Talk” kind of talk show; A friday night concert series that would broadcast a christian concert live; and there is an obvious need for quality and biblical christian children’s programming.
This network would be advertiser sponsored although you would have to be careful on whom and how they advertised. But wouldn’t Campbell’s soup want to reach this niche market just like they would advertise on BET?
It would also solicit (although not over the air) private donations.
Bottom line … I cannot see how someone would oppose this idea if it was held to certain concrete standards.
Sorry for the scattered stream of consciousness and grammatical weaknesses … I am a virgin blogger and have not taken the required training course from the guiroo.
April 8th, 2005 at 12:33 pm
(Resisting the urge to have fun with the “virgin blogger” thing!!)
Anyway, my random thoughts coming back to the question…
1. I *HATE* commercials. Not only is the content of the commercials too often objectionable, but it interrupts the program and makes it difficult-to-impossible to follow with any kind of sustained interest. When I think of programming that makes me think - whether it be Monty Python’s humor or the in-depth treatment of some documentaries - I realize that those are often commercial-free programs (BBC, PBS).
2. It need not be serious all the time! A redeeming sense of humor would be sooooo refreshing.
3. I would be concerned that it would create a sort of “spectator Christianity” that’s even worse than where it is today…
4. Random thought: if C.S. Lewis had a TV show dealing with just about anything I’d watch it. What would that look like? Don’t know.
Just some more fuel for the discussion… I admit it’s intriguing…
April 8th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
Is christian comedy an oxymoron? I personally know many funny christians yet I have never seen a worthwhile christian comedy portrayed on TV, movies, standup etc. If there were ever one created, I would hope that it would appear on this format.
With the invention of Tevo etc., tv advertising as we know it, will be changing dramatically in the near future. So take heart Hugh.
In re to “spectator christianity,” could the same be said when referring to “The Passion of the Christ?” Hopefully, this content inspires the christian Body to act. Hopefully, if this venture is was truly annointed, it would have more of an impact than say “Survivor.”
April 8th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
I guess the “spectator” thing comes to mind when I think of a “Christian reality show.”
P.S. As I re-read my last post I’ve got to clarify: yes, I know C.S. Lewis died over 40 years ago. I was just wondering aloud… or “ablog…”
April 8th, 2005 at 1:46 pm
Hugh - dang I was gonna get you back. Oh well.
One lesson to learn from the Christian music industry is to make a clear directive to innovate in the industry - not just follow it. Sure, start with the talk shows and reality shows but be willing to find the next level of television.
April 8th, 2005 at 2:07 pm
Another thing to learn from the christian music industry is not to sell your soul. By christian labels taking the money and running by selling to the Sony’s of the world, the true message has been diluted.
I agree also that if you do this, you try to move the paradigm. Why not try a true drama or sit-com but with the main characters being christian. Instead of humanistic solutions to their problems, they go to the Lord in prayer and go to His Word for answers. And just like life, things don’t always end happily ever after.
This all sounds crazy but if God wants this to happen, it will happen. Just like we did with Grace Fellowship, if one were considering taking this leap, they should be in constant prayer that God lets them know if this is not His will.
April 8th, 2005 at 2:51 pm
I note what you say about “the main characters being Christian.”
Here’s another angle: think about the pro-gay interests that subtly and incrementally introduced homosexuality into the medium: from Jack Tripper on “Three’s Company,” who wasn’t gay, but pretended to be; all the way to today’s “Queer Eye” and “Will and Grace.”
A better tactic (from a media-savvy standpoint) might be to tell the story from a quasi-humanistic point of view, but create a mystique around the Christian characters and their message…
You’ve got to be careful with that - you don’t want to slide into the “style over substance” game. Still, it could be a powerful approach.
April 8th, 2005 at 4:11 pm
Hollywood Christians are typecast as either the evil villain (a child molesting priest or the tele-evangelist in Fletch 2), the naive idiot (Daryl Hannah in Steel Magnolias), or just a very moral people (Highway to Heaven, 7th Heaven). On shows like Night Line, Dateline or a Peter Jennings Special they always seem find the most liberal “expert in the field of Christianity” possible - usually making statements like, “The myth of the resurrection isn’t important to our faith.”
All that to say, there are plenty of Christians represented in Hollywood but the “mystique” about them isn’t exactly bringing God fame.
On another note: In honor of the late Pope, I offer a paraphrase of a quote from him that I heard on Night Line last night, “In this day and age, if it doesn’t happen on television then it hasn’t really happened.”
April 8th, 2005 at 6:15 pm
ya… Tivo users are now going to start getting popup ads.
Regular TV will be replaced with internet TV in the future also… just wait till bellsouth runs fiber to the curb in every home and you have a couple hundred Mbps connection… heck you can get it up north already from verizon 30Mbps service for around $90/month.
April 14th, 2005 at 12:15 pm
To Brad (on April 8th),
I appreciate your thoughts, but I do not think you have really plunged what a station like this would really need to do in order to fulfill your objectives. One example flows from a statement you made: “It [the company producing the show or owning the station] would be private governed by a board of advisors whose sole mission would be to make sure everything that goes on the air is biblically accurate. ” Who would determine if it is Biblically accurate? Is Left Behind accurate or is Benny Hinn accurate? Would the Board as a group determine this or a person? Would it be a weekly meeting that would require “approval and disapproval” votes or how would this be done?
My point is that these things are much more complicated than originally thought. The dynamic nature of T.V. makes easy answers in this area difficult, but very necessary if Biblical truth is to be guarded.