Cooperation among international broadcasters and with local churches and stations is on the rise. Two of the largest Christian broadcasters, HCJB and TWR, signed a partnership agreement to cooperate in African radio ministry. Initial hopes include establishing a transmitting site in Burkina Faso. Lee Sonius, HCJB's sub-Saharan Africa regional director, expresses optimism for the alliance. Doing together what each one of us does best will be strategic for proclaiming the gospel.
Local partners produce programs, run stations and handle operating costs.
The strategy recognizes the importance of local broadcasts in reaching nationals. HCJB says cooperative radio-planting ministries took root in nearly 40 nations during the 1990s. In addition to traditional programming in Africa including Bible studies, sermons, and spiritual guidance, some media partnerships also are breaking new ground on social and cultural issues. Some African nations may lose 20 percent of their populations to the disease in the coming decades. CBN says research surveys suggest an estimated 6.5 million viewers watched the related weeklong block of family-oriented Christian programming in Zambia and Zimbabwe.