national shortwave services as that of the Voice of America enabling broadcasters of one country to communicate directly with the people of another. There are more than 325,000,000 radio receiv ers outside of the United States today. Riding the crest of the worldwide distribution of transistor radios, this figure is expected to increase to 700,- 000,000 within the next decade. Of the existing radios, it is estimated that one out o f every three is equipped to receive shortwave, affording a potential listening audience for short wave broadcasters in excess of 500,000,000 people. Equally significant is the fact that an impor tant percentage (estimates range from 65% up ward) of the world’s population lives in areas not serviced by local broadcast stations. Clearly, most of these people are dependent almost entirely on information, entertainment and inspiration re ceived from shortwave stations. Three factors are on the horizon which will tend slowly to modify this situation. One is the movement of rural populations to urban areas. A second factor is the proliferation o f local stations in various areas of the world. The third factor is the possibility of direct broadcasts from satellites. In commenting upon the prognosis for such direct satellite communication, the same authors, after an exhaustive study on behalf o f the Voice of America stated, “ The more optimistic experts fa miliar with all of the problems associated with satellite broadcasting claim that, except perhaps for experimental transmissions, such a satellite is at least ten years away. THE PESSIMISTS SAY THAT IT MAY NEVER BE PRACTICAL.”3 On the basis of economics alone, shortwave broadcasting will afford the more effective means of communication available for at least the next twenty years. On balance then, it would appear that for the next quarter of a century, should our Lord permit, shortwave broadcasting should pro vide one of the most economical and potentially productive instruments for making the claims of Jesus Christ known to the world’s millions. If 90 o f the world’s governments value the effectiveness of shortwave broadcasting enough to install and maintain more than 689 transmitters for daily communication o f their political image to peoples of every land, certainly the Church of Jesus Christ should place increasing importance on this media as a powerful tool in fulfilling our Lord’s commission to preach the Gospel to every creature. The Church of Jesus Christ should place increasing importance on this media. Political and geographical barriers are restrict ing traditional missionary methods. Language and cultural barriers require huge investments and sev- 2*
An aerial view of the HCJB studio and office complex on the north end of Quito — Ecuador’s capital.
Rev. Leonard Booker directs the programming and follow up for HCJB’s English Language Division. Currently more than 18 hours daily of English programs are transmitted to various target areas with a special ministry to the one out of every six people of the world who now speak English.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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