BY JONATHAN GALLAGHER, United Nations liaison director for the General Conference

he Seventh-day Adventist church took a new step in broadcasting as the "Hope Channel" was officially launched during the opening session of Annual Council. In the words of General Conference vice president Ted N. C. Wilson who introduced the ceremony, "this is a historic day as we officially launch direct-to-home satellite broadcasting, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year."

Wilson told the members and invitees of the General Conference Executive Committee that the church's satellite broadcasting program developed a network of 15,000 downlink sites, mostly based in churches, as a result of the "Net" evangelistic series. The current initiative was a new phase as Adventist Television Network (ATN) committed itself to "Bringing the Truth Home," -the slogan for the new Hope Channel.

"It's a real privilege to be part of this exciting new broadcast that goes direct to the homes of men and women," commented Brad Thorp, executive director of ATN. He recalled that in his conversations with Jan Paulsen, GC president, he was asked, "what about the homes?" Now the church has a direct-to-home broadcasting system, he said, and invited Paulsen to inaugurate the Hope Channel by throwing the switch on a large digital switcher, the heart of the production center.

As he threw the switch Paulsen announced he was "delighted we have this new instrument, this new channel." Noting that "there is much still to do," he was "pleased to be able to start," and offered a prayer of dedication for the new channel.

The 24-hours-a-day Hope Channel will present programming like Adventist Newsline, Sabbath School University, and evangelistic meetings along with new programs on religious freedom, personal stories of faith, and health presentations. The programming will also include material from other Adventist entities such as Outpost Centers Inc, Maranatha Volunteers International, Amazing Facts, and It is Written, and other ministries.

Hope Channel is primarily aimed at a North American audience, with a Latin American station for Portuguese and Spanish transmissions to Central and South America. Its sister channel, Hope Channel International, will broadcast on a more limited schedule to the Pacific Rim, Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and Europe.