Christian Broadcasters Thrive While Trust in Mainstream Media Continues to Plunge
Thousands to gather at National Religious Broadcasters convention this week in Nashville
Mark A. Kellner from The Higher Ground section of The Washington Times reported: “The quest for a wider audience — and concern about a media ‘cancel culture’ aiming at Christian voices — is what motivated Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, California, to start Real Life Network, described as ‘a digital media platform that features Biblical Worldview programming to fast forward the faith of viewers across the globe.’ His daily sermons air on Bott Radio Network stations as well as the broadcast and satellite outlets of Salem Radio Network, but his goal is to get Christian messages out to as many people as possible.”
Available on iPhones, Android devices as well as Amazon’s FireTV, Apple TV and Roku devices, the network includes Mr. Hibbs’ sermons, programming from other ministries, as well as legacy sermons from Billy Graham, Adrian Rogers and Chuck Smith, Christian speakers who’ve passed away in recent years.
Mr. Hibbs said his own “Real Life” video messages were dropped from social media when his church defied pandemic-era shutdown orders they believed violated their right to the free exercise of religion.
“When COVID came we were just simply being canceled on YouTube and Facebook and streaming platforms that we actually paid to be on these streaming platforms,” he said. ”Some of them canceled us, because we were open during COVID. And that didn’t play into their narrative, so they got upset.”
The streaming app is free to users and “completely free to all broadcasters” such as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he said.
“These guys are all on for free because God provided so much for us to get the word out, that we created the Real Life Network completely free on both ends,” Mr. Hibbs said. He said that after 8 1/2 months of operation, “we have hundreds of thousands of subscribers.”
READ FULL STORY: Amid mainstream media meltdown, Christian broadcasters thrive and innovate to share message – Higher Ground Times
