United States: From Small Beginnings, Adventist Television Station Expands Its Reach

February 20, 2007 College Place, Washington, United States …. [Kristi Spurgeon/ANN]

A television station that started out 17 years ago in the attic of a local Seventh-day Adventist Church has become the second most-watched Christian station in the local television market, according to a national media research company. That station, Blue Mountain Television (BMT), has captured viewers in a market that extends from Yakima, Washington, to Milton-Freewater, Oregon, a distance of 138 miles.

On April 20, 1990, Blue Mountain Television (BMT) broadcast for the first time. Two years later, the station began broadcasting on cable in addition to its regular low-power television channels. Since then, the station's program has even moved beyond Eastern Washington to touch the lives of those around the world.

“Blue Mountain Television's message and programming has far-reaching effects on our viewers and on those who are searching for that special connection–whether it's spiritual or just a special hope,” says Dan Thesman, who took over as manager of the viewer-supported station just over a year ago. Since then viewers have shared many stories that show how widespread the station's message has become.

One story came from a member of the armed forces. A soldier, who did not identify himself, says he was home in Walla Walla on leave when one evening he had an idea. He took all of the tapes his family had recorded of BMT's local musical productions, turned them into DVDs, and filled a duffle bag full of the disks. Soon after, he returned to duty in Afghanistan where he shared the DVDs with the men and women serving overseas. He repeated the process before his next tour of duty in Iraq.

The biggest increase in viewers occurred shortly after the station became an affiliate of the Hope Channel, the official television station of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But while programs like Amazing Facts with Pastor Doug Bachelor and Really Living hosted by Don Schneider, president of the Adventist Church in North America, are among the most popular, viewers are also quick to mention that local-originating shows are the real difference between BMT and other Christian stations.

BMT partners with Walla Walla College (WWC) to produce many shows in the college's media production facilities. One of those is Valley Viewpoint, an interview show spotlighting community events and people. “I especially like to highlight health events and trends because that is something that transcends every demographic,” says Roger Johnson, a local Seventh-day Adventist pastor and frequent Valley Viewpoint host. Johnson is also one of the station's founding members.

Another local production is Blue Mountain News, a live, nightly newscast produced by Walla Walla College students and BMT staff. Broadcasts of local Adventist church services are also enormously popular.

BMT also teams up with local resources such as Gospel Outreach, Adventist churches and academies, and other ministries to share Christian truths. Future plans include tapping into the community even more through partnerships with the Walla Walla Symphony, the Fort Walla Walla Museum, the WWC Music Department, and the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“It's really our involvement in the community that makes us different,” Thesman says. “We're a voice in the community.”

John Cress, BMT's president, adds, “BMTs programs address mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and community health. When people understand that we are intensely interested in their health and wellbeing, they might be more inclined to hear messages from God's word that address their spiritual wholeness.”

“This message gets into the homes of people who wouldn't give me the time of day if I knocked on their door,” says Don Dealy, who began volunteering at BMT in 1992. The 80-year-old says he's glad to be part of such a tremendous mission opportunity.

In the station's attempt to provide high-quality material while becoming even more integrated into the community, BMT is planning its next big step–expanding to a new community facility.

With more than 2,500 square feet, Thesman says the new facility at the SonBridge Community Center is needed for BMT to continue to expand and provide the quality programming that the community expects. Although low-power TV stations like BMT are not mandated by the FCC to switch to a digital broadcast signal, BMT plans to make that change in order to stay competitive and to make things as easy as possible for the viewers. BMT hopes to update and install all of its equipment and be moved into the new facility by the end of this year.

“As a viewer-supported ministry we're owned by our viewers,” says Thesman, “and our goal is to provide them with the highest quality Christian and local programming available.”

“In the coming months we're hoping to increase our viewing area and audience and reach out to more of the community,” says Judy Vietz, a member of the station's board of directors. Research to expand BMT's cable coverage into Richland-Pasco-Kennewick, Washington, and Pendleton, Oregon, are currently underway. Vietz adds, “We're also hoping to expand our programming to include more shows about other practical living tips that will touch our viewers' everyday lives. We hope they will continue to welcome us into their homes.”