LDS Church launches new radio network
With The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints introducing its new 24/7 radio service on Monday, potential listeners who think they can tune in with traditional transistors and car radios are going to need a little more modern thinking in order to find "Mormon Channel."
Billed as originating from "Temple Square" (more specifically, broadcast studios located inside the LDS Conference Center on the church's headquarters campus), the Mormon Channel is accessible via the Internet and eight select HD radio affiliates across the country — radio stations of the church's Bonneville International, in Salt Lake City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Phoenix, St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati and Washington, D.C.
The HD signal is transmitted at KSL FM 102.7 channel 2; Internet access is available either at radio.lds.org or mormonchannel.org.
Calling Monday "a historic day," with a radio-type broadcast originating from Salt Lake City and being available across the globe, Elder John B. Dickson of the church's Quorums of the Seventy and executive director of its audiovisual department said "this is an opportunity for the church to put out positive, compelling content."
And it's an opportunity to do so at modest expenses at best for both production by the church and for the listener, the latter needing only a computer or mobile phone with Internet access or a HD-capable radio receiver to access the free signal and programming.
David C. Nielson, the audiovisual departments's managing director, cited recent Arbitron statistics showing 42 million Internet radio listeners and said the Mormon Channel "is a throwback to radio," as well as "an audio source with many distribution channels, including the most cutting-edge of technology."
Elder Dickson said content can be categorized in three different areas — news, archives and partner material.
The "new" element includes 20 new weekly series, ranging from interviews with church leaders and prominent church members to informational packages on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the church's doctrine, history and news. Also, the Mormon Channel looks to provide live audio feeds from LDS General Conference, firesides, Mormon Tabernacle Choir performances and other special events, as well as interactive pieces for youth and children.
The "archive" element involves the use of audio materials from church archives and past audiovisual materials.
And the "partner" element allows the use of audio feeds from church-sponsored universities or entities such as Deseret Book.
"We have the opportunity to extend the messages of the church in yet another way with the new station," said Chris Twitty, the church's director of digital media. "We have access to all the resources of the church in creating program content. Though it seems a daunting task to fill the air time, we have a wealth of information that will be of interest to listeners, much of it new and never before heard or seen."
Future development includes plans for some Spanish and Portuguese blocks of programming to be available on the Internet site and possible agreements with satellite and/or cable providers.
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com
Recent comments
I hope they do an mp3 stream, otherwise it cuts out people who don't...
Sam Liddicott | May 24, 2009 at 9:17 a.m.
The Mormon Channel is a great blessing. We need more church media in...
WA state | May 23, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.
Re: To LDS church members - Please stay where you are. Or, maybe you...
Sister Utah LDS | May 22, 2009 at 1:49 p.m.
- 4 U.S. teens arrested at in Japan 12:36 a.m.
- Blast near KFC in Pakistan 12:36 a.m.
- N.J. nears gay marriage vote 12:33 a.m.
- Women's basketball roundup 12:32 a.m.
- U.S. gets favorable World Cup draw 12:31 a.m.
- Editorial: Iran up to old tricks 12:18 a.m.
- Editorial: Sen. Paula Hawkins 12:18 a.m.
- The winners and the losers 12:16 a.m.
- UVU campus briefs 12:16 a.m.
- Kind words better than card 12:16 a.m.
- Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
- Mr. Football 2009: Tuni Kanuch
- 5A high school football All-State
- Miller predicted Tiger's rough road
- Utah Jazz going green with unis
- 4A high school football: All-State
- Harpring's NBA career is over
- Nutty Putty Cave to be sealed today
- MVPs wrap up stellar prep careers
- Jazz: Miles, Kirilenko to play Friday
- Hall reprimanded by MWC
410 - Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
294 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
247 - Letters: Liberal because LDS
237 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
189 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
184 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
118 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
118 - Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
104
Trolley Square's annual Holiday Open House will feature visits with...
That does it — I'm having an affair! Thanks to Tiger Woods, David...
First, a big thank you to all who posted questions here for me to ask...
and they are correct. Good grief.
In the wake of a great, competitive game all people can talk about is Max...
For those who keep saying there are other places where you can go "to...
Boozer is just doing and showing what he has always had, Talent! As long as...
Condolences to the LeBaron family! He was the mission Pres in South Africa...
I've enjoyed reading Dick Harmon's articles through the years. An enduring...
I think we have found our stride. But we need to bring in one more player to...
to make a move until nearer the deadline. You can't get the best player until...
"If this team had an interior Defense for 48 minutes they would contend. "...
What have you done for me lately, Boozer? Well, lately Boozer has been...


