CURRENTLY IN TELEVISION: One Can Make A Difference

JAMES MACKINTOSH

The ad campaign was on the air--late night TV commercials promoting 1-900 numbers for phone sex. The commercials were running several times an hour, displaying attractive, scantily clad women enticing viewers to call at a cost of five dollars a minute.

As a long-time employee of one of the largest television stations on Canada's west coast, I had great turmoil inside about the negative effects this was bound to have on our viewers. The issue was of great concern to me as I had witnessed the destruction of our friends' marriage some years ago when it was revealed that the husband was addicted to this type of phone sex.

But what could I do as one technical employee? Could I approach our management team on moral grounds and request that we drop a lucrative client, whose yearly account was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?

I prayed for God's leading and strength, and the courage to approach our programming manager to raise the issue. The response was surprising to me. She didn't think men in our company cared about such issues.

The following morning, the management team met and reviewed the commercials and my letter of concern. After discussion, everyone in the boardroom concluded that this was a product that corporately we did not wish to be associated with. Our company president took a bold step and cancelled the ad campaign, with instructions that we would not negotiate future contracts of this material. The psychic network infomercials that we had been running were simultaneously taken off our station--a further affirmation that the Lord can and does touch hearts deep within the corporate circle.

Often as Christians we feel discouraged and alone in a world of secular values, facing what appear to be hopeless odds. Yet, we are called to take a stand against issues that we know are destructive in God's eyes. This is not easy when the task may be complex and the risks are real.

We should remember that our redemption at the cross was also costly to God. And when we take steps of faith away from our comfort zones to challenge the synthetic views of the world, we know that God will honour the work that we attempt for Him. Through prayer and an openness to allow the Holy Spirit to control our hearts and actions, one can make a difference.

JAMES MACKINTOSH IS AN ON-AIR TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR AT BCTV IN VANCOUVER.

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