wfn.org | Radio spots on forgiveness

[BethAH@mbm.org]

November 29, 2000
Beth Hawn
Communications Coordinator
Mennonite Board of Missions
phone (219) 294-7523
fax (219) 294-8669
<www.MBM.org>

November 29, 2000

Radio spots on forgiveness to be released to 8,000 stations

HARRISONBURG, Va. (MBM) – A new CD with 13 radio public service
announcements (PSAs) promoting forgiveness is scheduled for
release to 8,000 U.S. radio stations in early January.  The spots
are currently being mailed to Mennonite Church pastors for their
awareness and possible contact of stations.

The public service campaign is titled “Forgiveness: It’s Your
Choice,” and includes spots in Spanish as well as English.  The
spots were produced on behalf of the Mennonite Church by
Mennonite Media, a department of Mennonite Board of Missions, in
cooperation with mbc/Family Life Network in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“We’re trying to get a message into the marketplace that we hope
will have at least a small influence on the attitudes of people,”
said producer Melodie Davis.  “While any time seems to be an
opportune time to be sharing a message of forgiveness, after this
fall’s U.S. elections, January seems to be a particularly
appropriate time for this message.”

The spots use radio, TV or video interviews of persons telling
their own stories of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.
There are nine 30-second spots in English and four longer 1 ½ -
to 2-minute spots in Spanish.  The English 30-second spots
include stories regarding murder, malpractice, sexual abuse,
racial profiling by police, and family pain. Interviewees include
Naomi Lederach, Basil Marin, Carolyn Holderread Heggen, Marietta
Yaeger and four persons whose stories were originally told on
Dave Balzer’s “Connecting Points” radio program produced by
mbc/Family Life Network.

The Spanish spots, narrated by Ernesto Pinto of mbc/Family Life
Network, include stories of incest, infidelity, wrongs against
indigenous peoples, and an abusive father. The spots are timed to
fit the more flexible programming of Spanish stations. Pinto’s
Encuentro radio program is aired by nearly 500 stations.

English listeners can request a free booklet about forgiveness
from an 800 number, or visit pages on forgiveness at Third Way
Café at www.thirdway.com.  Davis said the web component allows
“listeners to go as far as they want in exploring concepts
introduced in the spots, and go on to explore Mennonite
beliefs.”  Scripts and audio files of the radio spots are also
available at the web site at www.thirdway.com/rad.

Spanish listeners can also request a free booklet from a
different 800 number, and the spots and information on Mennonites
are available in Spanish on the Third Way Café web site.

Mennonite Media has been producing radio spots for the last 35
years, and lately has released a new campaign about every 18
months.  “PSAs are a tremendous way to get a lot of mileage for
the money invested,” said Burton Buller, director of Mennonite
Media.  “Donated airtime by stations for this campaign should
easily exceed a million dollars.”  As an example, he cited a
small 1,000-watt station in Norfolk, Neb., which reported the
value of its airtime given to a Mennonite PSA campaign on “Stop
the Violence” at $2,778.  Using that amount as an average, with
586 stations using those spots, a total of $1.6 million would be
donated.  However, Buller said, stations in larger cities charge
much more for airtime.  Larger cities using the most recent
campaign included Birmingham, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Fort
Wayne, Baltimore, Kansas City and Nashville, among others.

“The spots have earned Mennonites a reputation with radio
stations, that we produce quality spots on current topics,” said
Lois Hertzler, coordinator of distribution at Mennonite Media.
“Frequently, stations say, ‘Send us more spots.’  With the last
two campaigns, stations with Spanish programming blocks have
asked for Spanish spots, so we are excited to release these spots
in Spanish and English.”  While Mennonite Media has experimented
with other Spanish spots in the past, this will be the first time
they will be distributed to such a large number of stations.

Mennonite Church Canada is also working at release of the spots
in Canada through Mennonite Media’s new office in Winnipeg.

Subjects are chosen after consulting Mennonite leaders for
ideas.  The two most recent campaigns dealt with peacemaking and
racism.

While no longer required to schedule PSAs, many radio stations
still allot time for them due to their interests in the community
and the positive effects on their own image.  Hertzler says some
stations respond best to local community needs and would welcome
churches or individuals contacting them about the spots.  For a
free CD to use in contacting stations in your own area about
airing these radio spots, call Mennonite Media at 1-800-999-3534.

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Stephen Janzen