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New Life Radio-Moscow Back on Air
MOSCOW, RUSSIA (October 25, 2006) – The New Life Radio-Moscow satellite radio has begun broadcasting on Europe’s most popular satellite after being forced off another satellite earlier this year by the Russian government, says Dan Johnson, president of Christian Radio for Russia (CRFR), the umbrella corporation that operates the station.
The move comes amid several ongoing changes that have dramatically affected the operations of CRFR.
New Life sends its audio signal to Tel Aviv via an Internet connection and it is then beamed to the HOTBIRD satellite. RRSat, the company that owns the satellite, says 110 million people receive its transmissions. Funds to cover the initial cost of the new satellite access - $6,600 – remain to be raised, Johnson says.
The new satellite will not cover all of Russia, so CRFR also is negotiating with a Moscow telecom company to broadcast on another satellite that would enable the company to cover the EuroAsian landmass from France to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East, Johnson says.
In August, the Russian Federal Space Communication took control of the right to uplink to the European-owned Eutestat W4 satellite used by New Life. The agency then forced all non-governmental stations off the satellite.
Johnson said CRFR also plans to expand its reach through new Internet audio programming. Any Christian radio station in the world will be able to transmit the programming, he added.
While the corporation is looking to expand operations from Moscow, officials have decided that the Magadan operation will remain closed. CRFR has decided against filing a lawsuit against the government for its decision to deny re-licensure of the New Life-Magadan radio station, Johnson says. Chances of a lawsuit being successful are remote given the current political climate in Russia, he notes.
“We celebrate the 10 years of ministry that New Life Radio gave to the people of Magadan and it is our hope that the seeds planted by our first station will result in many souls coming into the Kingdom of God,” Johnson said in a press release. “CRFR thanks the people of the Covenant denomination who have played such an important role in the development and ongoing support of this pioneering Christian radio station.”
Although CRFR now operates independently, the Evangelical Covenant Church provided startup assistance, and several Covenant churches across the country continue to provide support. To learn more about CRFR, visit New Life Radio.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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