wfn.org | F&V Changes Its Name

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3015 notes).

Note 3014 by UMNS on June 17, 1996 at 15:05 Eastern (2745 characters).

SEARCH: F&V, faith, cable, television, network, Odyssey, religion,
ecumenical, interfaith

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CONTACT: Linda Green                              300(10-71){3014}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             June 17, 1996

Faith and Values Channel
to change name in October
                                 

                 by United Methodist News Service 

     
     NASHVILLE -- Faith and Values (F&V), the ecumenical cable
television network that has broadcast stories about religion,
values and faith for the past eight years, will change its name on
Oct 1.
     The channel will become "Odyssey" and its focus will be on
"Exploring Life's Journey." Odyssey will carry public discussions
and a variety of programming to showcase diversity, differences
and commonalities in the faith perspective.
     According to Jeff Weber, acting chief executive officer of
F&V, the name was chosen because "it invites viewers to a special
place, a place where they can find nourishment for their own
spiritual journey."
     According to definition, an Odyssey is a long wandering
journey or voyage usually marked by many changes of venue; an
intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest -- two accurate
descriptions of the mission of the television channel. 
     "Our mission is religious ... making genuine faith-and-values
messages entertaining, audience attracting and commercially
successful ... The name we go by is an upfront indicator of
[those] intentions and ... [our] environment ... a secular term
open to spiritual meaning -- Odyssey," said Bob Bonnot, F&V's
senior vice president for religious affairs.
     The change on Oct. 1 will be the second transformation for
the television network. The network was launched in 1988 as VISN
(Vision Interfaith Satellite Network). 
     Since 1994, it has been known as F&V. Its goal has been to
help keep the religious community relevant and aware of people's
needs and passions and to help religion offer values and stability
to television viewers. 
     The F&V Channel, which reaches 30 million households on
nearly 1,500 cable systems nationwide, is jointly owned by
subsidiaries of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition Inc.
(NICC) and of Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI).  NICC is a
consortium of 64 Protestant, Jewish, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
faith groups, and evangelical traditions, including the United
Methodist Church. 
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