1996 Budget Sharpens MBC Focus
Winnipeg, Man.

When the Manitoba MB Conference passed the 1996 budget, a budget the administration and the Board of MBC hammered out together, it meant a reduction of nearly 20% in income and expenses from the 1995 budget. It meant program reductions, program shifts and staff reductions. It also allowed MBC to rethink its approach to ministry.

"In photography, when the lens is dirty or unfocussed, the film outdated, or the chemicals weak, an unclear picture results," continues Buller. "It is time we update and refocus our mission, set aside outdated ways of thinking and strengthen our resolve to serve the Lord and the church through the media. That is what 1996 is about for MBC."

To this end, MBC has made several changes to its program schedule. The English language Connecting Points is now two separate programs. A 15-minute version targets MBC's traditional supporters. The other, a one-minute spot, reaches deep into the unchurched community.

"There has been a growing concern that MBC has lost its connection with its own support base, members of the Mennonite Brethren churches across Canada," observes Buller. "In our emphasis to reach the unchurched, our own people began to hear less and less of us. Programs designed for one purpose were left to serve both audiences. Now we are sharpening the focus of our English language broadcasts, recognizing that we need to serve both the churched and unchurched."

Connecting Points, in a revised 15-minute version, is heard in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The one-minute spot airs on one of the largest stations in the Vancouver area.

"This project aligns us more directly with the mission of the local church," comments Delbert Enns, MBC associate director, who has been working directly with these churches. "When KISS FM offered MBC a time slot for these spots, we immediately contacted the churches. The churches were excited about this opportunity because they saw an opportunity to reach an audience impossible to reach before." Currently many of the Vancouver MB churches are tagging the end of these spots with their names.

"We now also have the opportunity to rethink our role in providing media services to the church and to the community," continues Buller. "We are seeking a completely new way of providing these services from our facility. It will take some time to be at full capacity, for we are seeking a new organizational structure that allows what was formerly called custom services to thrive in the marketplace. Along with this will be additional equipment requirements. My hope is that in the next 12 months, we will have this issue resolved and be at full capacity. Along with this change, we hope to resurrect our television ministry."

Since the new year, MBC's Spanish-language program, Encuentro, has moved from airing on one station in Winnipeg to airing on 16 stations in the US, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. One New York station, Radio Vision Cristiana with a 50,000 watt transmitter, reaches the Dominican Republic, Cuba, the coast of Venezuela, Puerto Rico, five counties in New York and all of New Jersey every Saturday at 8:00 a.m. The station reports a tremendous response to the program. Ernesto Pinto, program producer, has appeared as a guest of the station for a special live call-in program where Pinto dialogues with listeners to his program.. He also reports several phone calls from New York on the MBC toll-free phone number.

Spin 180, MBC's syndicated Christian rock program, was discontinued. "Regulations that control radio stations' programming made it difficult to find airtime in Canada," said Buller. "We were committed to making this program available to stations that wanted to air it, but we were not ready to pay large sums for airtime."

At times, the program aired on the US Armed Forces Network, and was heard in more than 130 countries. During 1995, this network bumped the program in favour of a country music offering. "Since we did not have the budget to put a producer on staff and to place the program in markets where Canadian teens would hear it, we decided to clear the decks to see if something new could emerge," says Buller.

The new budget also points MBC in the direction of increased use of volunteers. The Gospel Light Singers, a volunteer group engaged in presenting programs and recording music for MBC, has assembled. Additional musical groups would be welcomed. Volunteers regularly help prepare MBC mailings. Significant volunteer help went into preparing a series of videos for the Board of Resource Ministries. Other areas of activity where MBC may use volunteers in the future include computer and graphic design, administrative assistance and program creation.

The MBC Board, too, is involved in the reordering of priorities. Members have begun setting aside a large portion of their meetings for the next months to re-examine the MBC mandate and to plan for the future.

"It is clear that an agency of the church must live within its means," emphasizes Leroy Unrau, MBC Board chair. "We are taking serious steps to ensure that this happens. At the same time, we know we must make some changes to allow MBC to be the vibrant, visionary agency it deserves to be. MBC has served the church well for the past five decades. I can think of no better time than our 50th anniversary next year to launch MBC into a renewed ministry that is consistent with its experience and the opportunities of the future."

MB Communications news release

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