Sat-7: Christian Satellite TV in the Middle East
August 28, 2008 – 11:41 am
Mission Network News posted this news segment on their website this morning, highlighting SAT-7 Kids TV network, aimed at children in the Middle East:
Pre-school-aged children are the focus of a new program that began airing this week on SAT-7 Kids. The program producer whom we’ll call ‘Rita’ describes it this way: “It’s a bit interactive, very interesting, educational, spiritual; and it’s teaching basic truths of Christianity that they can comprehend at that age.”
Entitled “Colors,” children will learn basic words, concepts and Bible lessons through songs. It begins with a blank coloring book on screen. Colors are added, and soon, children appear. According to SAT-7, the show doesn’t have any physical sets. Instead, they use TV green screen technology so that each new “location” appears as a drawing filled with colorful animated cartoons. Every beautifully-produced episode includes three songs and a story.
It’s appealing because “it’s aiming to children that are at home. They love SAT-7 Kids, and we’re producing something for them. But also, this program is broadcast on a unique channel–it’s a Christian channel for the Arab world.” The goal is to plant Biblical truths in the minds of children. “Pray that this program will have series two and three and four. It’s very strategic for our young viewers, since age two.”
“Colors” could be considered an investment in the future of ministry. As children grow, SAT-7 KIDS hopes to grow with them. It’s the first and only Arabic Christian channel exclusively for children, launched in December 2007. This channel aims to make the Gospel of Christ available to an entire generation of young Arabs in a way meaningful to them.
SAT-7 broadcasts in several different languages. From their website:
SAT-7 has two Arabic channels: SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS. Most of SAT-7’s Arabic programs are in either Lebanese or Egyptian colloquial Arabic (Egyptian colloquial is considered the mostly widely understood form of Arabic in the region because Egypt has long been the “Hollywood” of the region). SAT-7 also occasionally broadcasts programs in other dialects including Moroccan, Jordanian, Iraqi, Syrian and others being broadcast [sic]. SAT-7 also has a Farsi (Persian) language channel called SAT-7 PARS [page includes a video sampling of broadcasted programs.] Four hours of programming each day on the PARS frequency are donated to an outside Turkish ministry called TURK-7.
SAT-7 is a unique TV network in that nearly all programming is produced and filmed in the Middle East. The ministry’s goal is to help create a Christian culture in the Middle East; i.e. they want to shatter the stereotype that “to be Middle Eastern is to be Muslim.” Satellite usage in the Middle East has exploded since the early nineties. SAT-7 reports that, “at the time [1992] satellite TV was just becoming popular, sparked by the first Gulf War when local citizens wanted access to CNN’s uncensored coverage of the conflict. The research study concluded that satellite TV, despite its cost, was the most effective way to reach a large number of people in the region.” In regards to viewership, “scientific research conducted by an independent audience research firm in 2007 has determined that SAT-7 ARABIC has a total audience of 8.5 million viewers.”
While MM does not agree with SAT-7’s stance on fellowship and cooperation (see about us page and “Why is SAT-7 Interdenominational?” in the FAQ section), it is encouraging to see ministries displaying a biblical worldview in the realm of Middle Eastern pop culture via satellite TV.
