Worldwide audience — Programs of 'value' originate at BYU facility
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PROVO, UTAH
Everyone has a favorite. Whether it is sports, reality shows, a documentary, cooking and gardening shows, or General Conference rebroadcasts, most people like sitting down to watch something they enjoy on television.
With recent changes and an entirely new building just east of the Marriott Center on BYU's campus in Provo, BYU Broadcasting is prepared to offer all of those television offerings, and more, to a worldwide audience.
A new focus of BYU Broadcasting is to broadcast material that reveals the Church's shared values with the rest of the world. Their new tagline, "See the good in the world," is a theme for the work they do in trying to find good and share it.
"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy, we not only seek after these things, but these are the things that we like to share with audiences around the world," said Derek Marquis, managing director of BYU Broadcasting.
BYU Broadcasting is working to showcase these values with shows currently being broadcast, as well as with some new programs coming in April.
The new building is an asset that is largely responsible for some of the changes and expansion of BYU Broadcasting channels.
"The construction and ultimate quality of the television content that will be produced from the new BYU Broadcasting building really is a tribute to the vision of BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson and the board of trustees of BYU," said Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Seventy and chairman of the content committee for BYUtv.
Elder Maynes, along with the members of the content committee, assists in developing the strategic direction of BYUtv, which is to provide family-friendly, value based programming content that reveals the university, strengthens Church members and also appeals to those who are not members of the Church.
"We want BYUtv content to reflect the values of the Church and be entertaining for the entire family," he said. "Programming that the entire family can sit down to watch and enjoy together."
Elder Maynes also mentioned that this new value-based programming emphasis will not only be a benefit to the members of the Church world-wide but will also be a blessing to everyone who shares LDS values.
"As BYU television has become more widely available, we have more people who tune in for sports, cooking shows, or how-to series," Brother Marquis said. "More and more, people all over are tuning in to view these 'gateway' programs."
An example of a gateway program reality show currently on the air is the "Food Nanny," which is a reality show makeover program for dinner-time.
In each episode the host, Liz Edmunds, goes into a home and rescues the family's dinner-time.
This show can help families answer the question, "How do I fix my dinner-time disasters, and make it a priority for my family?"
A second reality show, "A Generations Project," features participants who have something in their background or family history that they are yearning to know.
Because it is an unscripted show, the viewer will discover at the same time what the participant discovers, and help to inspire people across the world to get in touch with their own ancestors.
For those not interested in watching a dramatic series, reality, or cooking show, BYU Broadcasting will carry sporting events.
Last September, BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe announced that BYU football is going independent, effective next season, and that the capabilities of BYU Broadcasting were a key factor in that decision.
He explained this connection at a press conference in September announcing the independence decision.
"Knowing we had a state-of-the-art broadcast facility that was online and nearing completion, as well as an incredible HD truck to assist us, that with the courtesy of our brother at BYU Broadcasting, we knew we could not let this window of opportunity pass us by," he said to the media.
Coach Holmoe emphasized in the press conference that BYUtv now has the capacity to broadcast live BYU sports to millions of viewers around the world.
Starting next season, BYU's national fan base will be able to watch every home football and men's basketball game live on national television. For those in different time zones or with schedule conflicts, there will also be same day re-broadcasts available as well as on-demand access, free of charge on the Internet.
While weekdays will have a broad schedule of programs, Sunday broadcasts will continue to be a day reserved for "Music and the Spoken Word," general conference rebroadcasts, CES firesides, scripture roundtables and other religious genre material.
"It is important to remember that BYU television is not a channel aimed at just members of the Church," Brother Marquis said. "It is aimed at good people of values, people who share our values, no matter what faith they might subscribe to."
He talked of President Thomas S. Monson's outreach to friends of other faiths and also quoted President Gordon B. Hinckley when he said to those not of the LDS faith, "Bring all the good that you have, and let us add to it."
Brother Marquis told the Church News that he and others at BYU Broadcasting hear from viewers on a regular basis, who say, "Thank you, for providing an alternative from what has otherwise become a pretty dark media landscape."
With the new initiatives and theme statement, BYU Broadcasting plans to continue to do that as an example to the rest of the world.
"We hope that this new building is not only on this hill, but will be a light on a hill," Brother Marquis said.
