wfn.org | UMCom radio and TV spots win laurels at film festival

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 11, 1998     Contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{290}

By Nancye M. Willis*
  
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Radio and TV resources produced by United
Methodist Communications (UMCom) received top honors at the recent 30th
Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.

"Move On," a series of seven 30-second public-service announcements
(PSAs) for radio,
received a Gold Award in the competition's best radio advertisement
category; and "News Odyssey," a weekly TV news series, won a Silver
Award in news programming direction.

A total of more than 4,000 entries from around the world were judged at
the 10-day 1998 Texas event, which WorldFest officials claim is the
largest and oldest continuous film, video and radio competition in the
world.

The WorldFest awards mark the third consecutive year in which
Nashville-based UMCom productions have taken top awards.  The agency's
"take 5" series of radio PSAs received a 1997 Gold Award, and its
"Passages" 90-second radio series won the 1996 Grand Award, the only
religious production among the winners.

"Move On," which has been heard in the nation's top five markets, sends
messages of everyday concern to touch the general public as well as
unchurched people who may be searching for a congregational home.

"The fact that our productions have been honored three years in a row
is, of course, gratifying," said Bill Wolfe, director of UMCom's radio
ministries unit. "Our best rewards, however, come from the people who
are influenced by our messages to change their lives for the better."

"News Odyssey" airs on Odyssey at 9 p.m. Thursdays, and it is repeated
at midnight Thursdays, 9 p.m. Sundays and 12:30 a.m. Mondays (all times
ET), as well as on cable stations nationwide.  The show focuses on news
and current events from a spiritual perspective. 

# # #

*Willis is marketing specialist for United Methodist Communications in
Nashville, Tenn.