Media leaders meet in Miami to align strategies, strengthen collaboration and expand evangelistic reach.

October 28, 2026 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Hope Channel Inter-America (HCIA) brought together leaders of its Spanish-speaking media centers for a two-day advisory in Miami, Florida, October 6–7, 2026, to strengthen collaboration, align strategic priorities and explore new ways to expand the reach of Adventist media ministry throughout the territory.

The advisory focused on building a more integrated digital network, with sessions covering Hope Channel’s global strategy, content distribution, production quality, emerging technologies and successful initiatives across Inter-America.

Jorge Díaz, film production professor at Montemorelos University and film production coordinator for Hope Channel Inter-America, discusses adapting to emerging technologies during the network’s advisory meetings, Oct. 6–7, 2026, in Miami, Florida, United States. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Abel Márquez, executive director of Hope Channel Inter-America, said the gathering came at a pivotal moment in the network’s global expansion.

“The Hope Channel International network is taking on strategic importance around the world, consolidating itself as a digital audiovisual media structure, no longer just a television network,” Márquez said.

“This meeting was essential to share that worldwide vision and take the next strategic step toward creating a solid ecosystem that includes all our media, with the single purpose of sharing hope and reaching thousands of people with the gospel message,” he added.

Abel Márquez, executive director of Hope Channel Inter-America, outlines strategies to build an interconnected digital media ecosystem that strengthens collaboration and expands evangelistic outreach across the territory. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Building a Connected Media Network

Márquez outlined four priorities guiding the network’s development: being impactful, united, adaptable and resourced. He said the strategy represents a shift from traditional television broadcasting toward an interconnected ecosystem involving media centers, union organizations and digital platforms.

“Now we have taken another step by creating an ecosystem that includes not only media centers but also unions becoming audiovisual media networks themselves,” Márquez said.

He emphasized that every media center, regardless of its size or resources, has something to contribute to the network’s collective mission.

Ramiro Quero, director of Network Strategy, Development, and Training at Hope Channel International, presents the network’s global strategic framework during the advisory. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Aligning Local Strategies With a Global Vision

Ramiro Quero, director of Network Strategy, Development, and Training at Hope Channel International, guided participants through the network’s global strategic framework, encouraging them to develop organizational visions aligned with a shared mission

Quero explained that Hope Channel organizations worldwide have developed in different ways, making a common strategic direction increasingly important.

“We need a North Star toward which we can all align,” Quero said.

Keila Trejo, community manager for Hope Channel Inter-America, emphasizes the importance of identifying and sharing talent, expertise and technology within the network to strengthen collaboration and maximize resources. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Through practical exercises, Quero challenged leaders to envision their organizations five years ahead, assess their current approaches and establish realistic goals tailored to local audiences and resources.

Reaching People Who Have Yet to Hear the Gospel

Sam Neves, vice president for Advancement and Communication at Hope Channel International, challenged leaders to look beyond traditional audiences and consider how their productions could reach people with little or no access to the gospel.

Sam Neves, vice president for Advancement and Communication at Hope Channel International, challenges media leaders to reach unreached people groups across Inter-America through culturally relevant productions. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
During the opening devotional, Neves emphasized that the church’s mission extends beyond geographic boundaries to people of different languages and cultures.

“We will never stop until everyone has heard,” Neves said.

Citing mission research, he noted that 52 of approximately 810 people groups in Inter-America are classified as unreached.

“We often think of the majority populations of our countries. We think of reaching the maximum number of people possible,” he said. “That is not bad; that is a good strategy. But we cannot forget those who would otherwise never hear the gospel.”

Miqueas Fortunato, director of distribution for Hope Channel Inter-America, discusses strategies to maximize the impact of content and reach wider audiences through effective distribution. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Neves urged leaders to create culturally relevant content in the languages of underserved communities, describing such productions as missionaries capable of reaching people beyond the physical presence of church workers.

“This is what we do as Hope Channel. We send media as missionaries,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of understanding audiences before developing content and keeping the church’s spiritual mission central to production efforts.

Lizbeth Elejalde, programming director for Hope Channel Inter-America, presents an overview of production team sizes across the network’s media centers, highlighting differences in staffing and available resources. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
“Our real task, friends, is to pray. We also produce videos,” he said.

Case Studies Showcase Innovation

Case studies across Inter-America showed how local media ministries are adapting to reach diverse audiences.

In Costa Rica, Eduardo Artavia, Hope Media Costa Rica coordinator, described the transformation of Esperanza Costa Rica, which faced possible closure several years ago because of financial and operational challenges.

Eduardo Artavia, Hope Media Costa Rica coordinator, shares how teamwork and restructuring helped revitalize the country’s Adventist television ministry. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Through volunteer involvement and restructuring, the ministry restored its television signal, reestablished distribution through more than 15 cable operators and maintained continuous over-the-air broadcasting. It now produces approximately five programs, with three additional productions planned.

Reflecting on his first advisory, Artavia said the gathering reinforced the importance of belonging to a larger network.

“At one point, when I began this challenge, I felt we were isolated,” Artavia said. “Coming here and realizing that we are not alone is encouraging and gives us a greater desire to keep working.”

Laura Acosta, coordinator of Hope Media Colombia, explains how television and radio programs are connecting audiences with Bible studies. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
In South Colombia, Laura Acosta, coordinator of Hope Media Colombia, presented a strategy linking television and radio programming with opportunities for Bible study.

She reported that one production generated approximately 245 contacts in a quarter from viewers interested in prayer, Bible studies or visiting an Adventist church.

The team also discovered that a two-minute program could generate more Bible study contacts than a longer production for certain audiences, prompting adjustments to its content strategy.

“We are a media center, yes, but we are also a Bible school,” Acosta said.

Abdiel Hernández, North Mexican Union Hope Media Center coordinator, introduces Hope Academy, an initiative training church members as digital missionaries. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Acosta explained that the ministry uses a contact management system to connect interested viewers with local churches for Bible study and follow-up, measuring success beyond audience reach and production quality.

Training a New Generation of Digital Missionaries

In North Mexico, Abdiel Hernández, coordinator of the North Mexican Union Hope Media Center, described Hope Academy, an online training initiative that equips church members with practical communication skills.

The program offers monthly classes, recorded sessions and certificates to help participants develop digital content creation skills.

Misael González, coordinator of Hope Media Panama, explores creative ways to take faith-based productions beyond traditional broadcasting. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
Hernández said the next step is to encourage trainees to become creative disciples who use their platforms to reach specific audiences and connect people with Bible studies and local congregations.

“We are now thinking more about a specific local audience rather than trying to reach everyone,” he said.

In Panama, Misael González, coordinator of Hope Media Panama, shared opportunities to increase Hope Channel’s visibility beyond conventional broadcasting

His proposals included partnerships with Adventist athletes participating in public sporting events, stronger connections between audiovisual productions and Bible study resources, and a Christian film festival to engage filmmakers and broaden the reach of faith-based content.

A scene from Milagros, a recent short film produced by Hope Channel Inter-America, is previewed during the network’s advisory meetings on Oct. 7, 2026. [Photo: Libna Stevens]

Hope Channel Inter-America staff also shared updates on recent and upcoming films and other productions across the territory.

Caring for Those Who Communicate Hope

Alongside the strategic sessions, Pastor Hiram Ruiz, chaplaincy ministries director of the IAD and chaplain of Hope Channel Inter-America, led spiritual reflections on the importance of nurturing a personal relationship with God while communicating hope to others.

Ruiz reminded leaders that Jesus first called His disciples to be with Him before sending them into ministry.

Pastor Hiram Ruiz, chaplaincy ministries director of the Inter-American Division and chaplain of Hope Channel Inter-America, encourages media leaders to nurture their spiritual lives while sharing hope with others. [Photo: Libna Stevens]
“We spend much of our lives communicating hope to others, but who is caring for the heart of the person communicating that hope?” he asked.

He encouraged participants to reflect on God’s guidance through previous challenges and remain open to new approaches, emphasizing that methods may change even as the church’s mission remains constant.

As the advisory concluded, leaders identified opportunities to refine their strategies, better understand their audiences, strengthen leadership development and expand collaboration across the network.

United in their mission to strengthen collaboration and expand the reach of the gospel, Hope Channel Inter-America staff and Hope Media center coordinators from Spanish-speaking territories gather during the network’s advisory meetings in Miami, Florida, Oct. 6–7, 2026. [Photo: Jose Romero/IAD]
Márquez urged them to move beyond individual projects and embrace a shared mission, connecting media centers and church institutions to extend the reach of the gospel throughout Inter-America.

To learn more about Hope Channel Inter-America, its programming and ongoing projects, visit hopechannelinteramerica.org.

To view a photo gallery of the advisory meetings, click HERE