Adventist Media Center : History

History

Although the Adventist Media Center did not become a nonprofit corporation until 1972, there were some rather significant historical events that occurred many years before that eventually led to the need for a place to house the various ministries involved with media production. We believe that God’s men and women were inspired to pioneer an evangelical ministry in the areas of radio, television, film, and now the internet – sometimes way before any one else had even thought about doing evangelism with that particular media. As we are so often reminded,

In reviewing our past history,

having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing,

I can say, Praise God! As I see what the Lord has wrought,

I am filled with astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as leader.

We have nothing to fear for the future,

except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us,

and His teaching in our past history.

-Ellen White, Life Sketches, page 196

The following events demonstrate to us that God has led in our past history and will continue to do so until the Greatest Media Event in history will take place in the clouds and sounds of the Second Coming of Jesus someday very soon:

	1929 On October 19, H.M.S. Richards began his radio ministry called “Family Ministry” with other Adventist ministers on KNX in Los Angeles.

	1937 First broadcast of the Voice of Prophecy radio program and the second religious program on the radio

	1942 On January 4, the Voice of Prophecy radio program became the first religious coast-to-coast broadcast on 89 stations of the Mutual Broadcasting Network

	1942 In February, the Voice of Prophecy launched the first national Adventist Bible Correspondence School

	1942 Dr. Braulio Pérez Marcio started La Voz de La Esperanza (The Voice of Hope in Spanish)

	1950 On May 21, William Fagal started broadcasting the Faith for Today television program in New York.

	1950 In December, the Faith for Today became the first national religious telecast.

	1956 In the spring, George Vandeman launched, It Is Written, in Fresno, California, to 13 stations. It was the first Seventh-day Adventist religious television program in color.

	1969 H.M.S. Richards, Jr. was now the Speaker/Director of the Voice of Prophecy.

	1972 General Conference established the Seventh-day Adventist Radio, Television and Film Center, a nonprofit corporation, in Newbury Park, CA. The first president of the center was Alvin Munson. It is Written and Faith for Today moved to the Adventist Media Center this year also.

	1974 While serving as the Director of Public Affairs during 1973 at KHOF in Glendale, California, in 1973, Walter Arties developed the Breath of Life telecast.

	1975 In January, Milton Peverini Garcia became Speaker/Director of La Voz de la Esperanza. He is now the speaker emeritus.

	1975 Faith for Today developed Westbrook Hospital, a weekly dramatic series.

	1975 With Walter Arties as the director, the Breath of Life joined the media center with C. D. Brooks as the speaker.

	1975 Faith for Today created a one hour dramatic film on John Hus.

	1978 The Voice of Prophecy moved to the Media Center, located in Newbury Park.

	1980 Dan Matthews was the Speaker/Director for Faith for Today, and started the Lifestyle Magazine program.

	1991 Mark Finley became the Speaker/Director for It is Writtten.

	1993 January 1, Lonnie Melashenko took over as the Speaker/Director of the Voice of Prophecy.

	1993 The name of the media complex was changed to Adventist Media Center.

	1995 It is Written launched Net’95, the first satellite evangelistic series.

	1995 The property in Newbury Park was sold and the media center was moved to its present location in Simi Valley, California

	1996 The Adventist Media Center was transferred from the General Conference to the North American Division.

	1997 Marshall Chase, became the Manager of the Adventist Media Center.

	1998 Walter Pearson became the Speaker/Director for Breath of Life. He continues in this position.

	1998 Frank Gonzalez became, and continues to be, the Speaker/Director for La Voz de la Esperanza.

	1999 Dwight Nelson became the host of The Evidence for Faith for Today.

	1999 Acts2000 by It is Written became the satellite evangelistic series to go around the world.

	2004 LifeTalk Radio joined the Adventist Media Center. Steven Gallimore is now the Director.

	2004 In February, the Adventist Media Productions became fully operational with 22,000 square feet of studio space, two television studios, four audio studios, and six video editing suites. Studio A has more than 6,000 square feet, a ceiling two stories high, and a cyclorama (backdrop) that is one of the largest on the West Coast. It can accommodate a studio audience. Warren Judd is the Manager as well as a NAD Assistant Vice-President.

	2004 Mike Tucker becomes the Speaker/Director for Faith for Today.

	2005 The Speaker/Director for It is Written is Shawn Boonstra

	2007 The Adventist Channel is launched online by the Adventist Media Center.

	2009 The Speaker/Director for Voice of Prophecy is Fred Kinsey.

	2009 The Voice of Prophecy Radio Team now consists of the "Daily Voice" of Fred Kinsey and Elizabeth Talbot, and the "Weekend Voice" of Fred Kinsey and Connie Vandeman Jeffery.

	2010 Warren Judd becomes the Interim Manager of the Adventist Media Center.

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