Post on 31-Mar-2015
Bringing Wisdom into your home
The Montfort Missionaries, a religious Congregation, working under the auspices of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, seeks to complement in Jesus’ efforts of proclaiming the Good News about the Kingdom of God. In the footsteps of Saint Louis of Montfort, as inspired by the Wisdom Spirituality (1 Corinthians 1:23-24) these efforts are realized through a Catholic television station that is called Luntha TV.
VisionA Christian television station committed to
bringing Good News to all people for their practical life and holistic development.
MissionTo broadcast about the Kingdom of God;
professionally inform; educate and entertain; while providing inspirational contents
MottoBringing Wisdom into your home
Justification: Malawi was under a dictatorial government from 1964 to 1992: the
Catholic bishops’ 1992 pastoral letter ‘Living our Faith’ became a catalyst for democracy
With the 1995 Constitutional Reform, the liberalization of the broadcasting industry started so much that by 2005, there were already 26 private radio broadcasters but one public television station (TV Malawi), which operated as the propaganda tool for the government.
According to National Statistics (NSO, 2008), viewership of television contents in the democratic environment is rapidly growing - from 5-17% in 2005 to 15-35% in 2008.
There are now 20 licensed TV broadcasters, and the TV broadcast landscape is steadily expanding from the current 56% to approximately 85% by 2018.
There is also the paid for digital satellite TV (Multichoice) who are too expensive for most of the people
LTV Identity: A Christian television station that broadcasts contents that are social,
educational, religious, for the holistic development of people. Licensed, in 2005, Luntha TV started beaming on 7 May, 2007
LTV landscape: Using the terrestrial analogue system, LTV now reaches out to 2/3 of the
country of a population of 14,000,000. The expansion has stalled because we are waiting for the rolling up of
the Government’s Digital Migration project which will result in the government investing more in the expansion of terrestrial broadcasting but digital.
We have an inclusive and holistic approach to human needs We target Catholics and Christian TV viewers, who
are approximately 60% of the country-s population Broadcasting 24 hours, 7 per week, our
programming has inspirational content that include: Information:
news, features, documentaries etc Education: languages, sciences, social issues such as rights,
environment and health Entertainment; Relaxation:
soaps, music, films compatible with Catholic values Religious:
Liturgies, weddings, testimonies, religious functions and events of various associations
Board of Trustees: 5 members
Board Directors: 7 professions plus two e-officio members
(from ECM Catholic Secretariat and Mangochi Diocese secretary for Communications).
Staff: Permanent: 20Volunteers: 2Interns; Sub-contracted; marketing agents
From Episcopal Conference and dioceses: Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace Catholic Development Commission Catholic Health Commission Catholic Secretariat - Communications Department Other religious congregations:
Carmelite Fathers (OCD) Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary (SBVM)
Catholic media houses in AMECEA region: Ukweli - Nairobi BEAMS - Nairobi Paulines - Nairobi New People - Nairobi Loyola Productions - Lusaka
Catholic TV stations outside Africa EWTN - US Salt and Light - Canada
Secular TV broadcasters/ production houses: VOA DW TV IRIN
NGOs: Concern Universal esp. on environment World Vision esp. on various social issues Village Reach: esp. on HIV/AIDS WALA on various social issues Pakachere: on TB & HIV/AIDS. Sue Ryder Foundation: on disabilities
Governments: MoH & MoLG:
National Aids Commission: Ulalo Project, on HIV/AIDS MoEA:
GIZ on democracy and rights issues (ASPTSU) OPC & MoIA: Malawi Electoral Commission US embassy:
On democracy, rights and social development through USAID Ecumenical partnership :
Adventists Relief Agency: on HIV&AIDS Bible Society
Capacity: Delivery of 60% local content and 40% foreign :
Equipment and skills given the short history of TV industry in Malawi Changing the ‘church’ operational mindset:
HR, Finance, M&E, marketing etc Technical:
How to get technicians How to achieve a hybrid solution - digital and satellite - so as to address
the problems of terrestrial broadcasting Replacing the analogue equipment with digital/ digital compatible equip.
Finance: How to be self reliant
Collaboration of local Church especially diocesan priests Many bishops and diocesan priests assume that, unlike the diocesan radio
stations/ print houses, the Missionaries have money and so do not need the local support of Christians in the parishes
Marketing: Most advertisers find it difficult to do commercial business with Church
media institutions due to its prophetic stance especially when it comes to giving and receiving kickbacks.
Most people in rural areas are still radio based due to electricity challenges
We are the only Catholic TV station in the country.
Although there are 20 licensed TV broadcasters, there are only 3 other Christian TV stations (AFJ, ABC & Calvary) but operating only in the two major cities, and also in typical Pentecostal and televangelism setup:Luntha TV is the only Christian TV station that is
reaching out to most of the country, with diverse content other than the others who are regional and devotional.
People in rural areas are fast migrating from radio to TV: cfr National Statistics Office on people
owning TV sets and using them – 5% (in 1998) to 17% (in 2008) - thanks to the proliferation of use of solar energy.
We are the only private, operational TV station that gives a platform to political parties, hence giving the population alternative views to the ruling party which solely uses the public broadcaster, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation TV.
PATHWAY & FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
GOAL: TELEVISION VIEWERS PRACTICALLY GROWING IN WISDOM AND HOLISTICALLY DEVELOPING
Output 1: # of analogue equipment replaced with digital equipment Indicator: see output
Strategy: Involvement of MARPs in HIV prevention and care support programs increased.
Strategy: Strengthening capacity of national and regional civil society organizations and networks
Alliance Indicator: # of advocacy activities implemented
Alliance Indicator: # of decision makers or leaders reached through advocacy
Alliance Indicator: # of key populations represented at international, national, regional, and district level events on HIV/AIDS
ADD AS 2- Indicator: # of workshops and consultations designed to discuss and address assessment findings, discuss policies & programming recommendations
Outcome 1: Increased Number of Accessing quality Signal
Indicator(s): % age of TV viewers demanding our programmes and giving feedback
Activity: Procure digital equip and install it
Indicator: # of digital equip procured and installed
Indicator: see output above
Strategic Objective: TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY TELEVISION PROGRAMMES IN MALAWI .
Output 3: # of specific resources and activities mobilized and available e.g. income, tapes cameras vehicles, adverts, proposals
Indicator: all departments having necessary resources
Output 2: # of staff trained in digital equipment and # of qualified staff recruited
Indicator: # of staff trained and able to use digital equipment
Output 4: # of programmes produced for airing are previewed and monitored
Indicator: # of aired programmes previewed
Activity: Bring Luntha TV signal to digital service provider( digital migration)
Indicator: %age of viewers accessing LTV programmes in digital signal
Activity: Recruit qualified staff Indicator: # of qualified staff recruited
Activity: Train staff in digital equipment handling and skilled usage
Indicator: # of staff trained and demonstrating ability to use digital equipment
Activity: mobilize financial and material resources e.g. advertise, proposal writing, marketing Indicator: # of necessary equip resourced, # of successful proposals,
Activity: develop and put in place quality control & feedback data management mechanism
Indicator: # of mechanisms in place for quality control and data management
Outcome 3: Increased quality of programmes produced and aired
Indicator(s): # of viewers reporting positive feedback
Outcome 2: Increased # of Staff demonstrating skills relevant for their positions
Indicator(s): # of viewers reporting improved programmes