7th September, 2005

GAVIN BOX

In Australia, Christian content on TV is usually nil, or confined to the time of night when most of us are asleep.

PICTURE: Jose Tejo (www.sxc.hu)

There is, of course, the highly regarded Australian Christian Channel on pay TV, which offers quality Christian content with an Australian flavour, but not everyone can afford the monthly subscription.

But there is another choice and it has to be one of the best-kept secrets in Christian circles: free-to-air satellite television.

It's relatively cheap - after the one-off set-up cost of about $450 (standard installation) there are no further charges, it's available just about anywhere and there is an abundance of Christian content to choose from.

Now I must declare at the outset I have no commercial interest in this whatsoever. I am simply so convinced of the benefits of this - and also probably more than a little sick of the content on the commercial networks - that I want others to know about it too.

So, how does it work? Well, the programs are accessed from the Optus B3 satellite, which transmits free-to-air, 24 hours a day, the following seven channels (see weblinks for content):

The God Channel - www.god.tv/Australasia/index.asp

Trinity Broadcasting Network - www.tbn-southpacific.org.nz

The Church Channel - www.churchchannel.tv

Daystar TV - ww2.daystar.com/Daystar

The Hope Channel - www.hopetv.org

3ABN - www.3abn.org

JC-TV - www.jc-tv.net/flashindex.php

Since having the service installed about three months ago, our family has enjoyed easy access to world's best teaching and preaching programs, including Joyce Meyer and segments from international Christian conferences, interviews with Christian leaders including (Heavenly Man) Brother Yun, Tony Campolo and R.T. Kendall, world news from a Christian perspective, and reality TV Survivor-style programs including one on young American missionaries and another on sharing your faith.

There's also some quality, but unfortunately limited, children's programming, as well as a 24-hour a day channel for teens, devoted almost entirely to contemporary Christian music.

And it's all free.

To find out more, contact a satellite installer in your area.