SAT-7

SAT-7

Founded	1995
Founder	Dr. Terence Ascott
Type	Christian Satellite Television
Location	Nicosia, Cyprus
Area served	Middle East and North Africa, Europe
Method	Satellite Television
Key people	Dr. Terence Ascott, International CEO
Slogan	"Making God's Love Visible"
Mission	To encourage the Christian Church of the Middle East and North Africa
Website	www.sat7.org www.sat7usa.org

SAT-7 is a Christian satellite television network broadcasting in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish across 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, along with 50 countries in Europe. SAT-7 was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1995 with support from a majority of Middle Eastern churches. SAT-7 is the first, oldest, and largest Christian satellite organization operating in the Middle East and North Africa. Founder Dr. Terence Ascott has served as International CEO since 1995, and the not-for-profit organization is governed by an international volunteer board.

"Vision": To see a growing Church in the Middle East and North Africa, confident in Christian faith and witness, serving the community and contributing to the good of society and culture.

"Mission": To provide the churches and Christians of the Middle East and North Africa an opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ through inspirational, informative, and educational television services.

SAT-7 Network

The Christian media network consists of five distinct channels: SAT-7 ARABIC, SAT-7 KIDS (Arabic language), SAT-7 PARS (Persian language), SAT-7 TÜRK (Turkish language) and SAT-7 PLUS (Arabic). More than 80% of programming is produced in the Middle East by Middle Easterners. A wide variety of television program genres are employed: dramas, music videos, films, cartoons, game shows, teaching programs, documentaries, talk shows, current events programs, and many more.

Rooftop Satellite Television Dishes typical in the Middle East and North Africa

The SAT-7 Ethos is distinctive. SAT-7 Ethos goals are to educate, inform, inspire and motivate. Programming is claimed to be culturally, politically, and religiously sensitive. It avoids criticism of other churches, or ethnic or religious groups. It seeks to show the unity in Christianity, with all its diversity and will not promote any political party or ideology. It encourages the defense of peace, human rights, justice, and social and economic development and does not sell airtime to other ministries. It also does not solicit funds for itself on air.

SAT-7 programming is available "free to air" to any viewer with access to a television and satellite connection within satellite coverage areas. Estimates indicate about 90% of individuals in the region have access to a television and an average of 55-60% have access to satellite. In countries like Iraq, satellite access is approaching 90% of the population. An independent survey indicated 1 in 3 Iraqi children and 1 in 4 Saudi Arabian children watch SAT-7 KIDS. In 2014, the overall viewing audience of all channels is estimated at over 15 million.

SAT-7 is financially supported by interested individuals, churches, corporations, and foundations from the Middle East and North Africa and from around the world. The organization's mission is also advanced by four nonprofit support offices: SAT-7 Canada, SAT-7 Europe, SAT-7 UK, and SAT-7 USA Rex M. Rogers. SAT-7 USA is a 501(c)3 organization at SAT-7 USA English language home page.

The SAT-7 international headquarters is located in Nicosia, Cyprus.

SAT-7 ARABIC

SAT-7 ARABIC launched May 31, 1996. SAT-7 ARABIC provides Arab language Christian programming with blocks of programming specifically for children, youth, and women.

Programs range from documentaries, to films, to cartoons, to live interactive programs. SAT-7 ARABIC also produces a wide variety of teaching and discussion programs. Most programs airing on SAT-7 ARABIC are created in the Middle East by local Christians in SAT-7 production studios in Egypt and Lebanon. SAT-7 ARABIC broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Audience: SAT-7 ARABIC estimates a total audience of 9 to 10 million viewers.

SAT-7 ARABIC broadcasts on AB 7 at 7 degrees East, Frequency: 11,353 GHz, Vertical, 27.5 MSym/sec, FEC 5/6.

SAT-7 KIDS

SAT-7 KIDS launched on December 10, 2007. SAT-7 KIDS aims to make Christian programming available to an entire generation of Arab children.

The channel airs original dramas, talk shows, educational material, cartoons, music programs and other types of shows created specifically for children. SAT-7 KIDS broadcasts run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Audience: Around 60% of the Arab world is under the age of 25. There are about 100 million children in the Middle East and North Africa. An independent survey found more than 9.25 million watching SAT-7 KIDS on a regular basis.

SAT-7 KIDS broadcasts on AB 7 at 7 degrees East, Frequency: 11,353 GHz, Vertical, 27.5 MSym/sec, FEC 5/6. A newly revised website was launched December 14, 2011 at www.sat7kids.com.

SAT-7 PARS

SAT-7 PARS launched on December 18, 2006, but SAT-7 initially began Persian broadcasts September 12, 2002 on SAT-7 ARABIC.

SAT-7 PARS is a 24/7 channel which provides a platform for Persian-speaking (Farsi) Christians who live in Iran and the wider Persian world (including Afghanistan and Tajikistan).

"PARS" is a Persian word which indicates the Persian culture, and the channel is operated by Persian Christians. SAT-7 PARS can be watched 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

The Audience: Iran is a country of more than 70 million people. The Christian population is approximately 200,000 to 500,000 people.

SAT-7 PARS broadcasts on Eutelsat Hot Bird 13B at 13° East (Frequency 11.462 GHz, Vertical Polarity 27.5 MSym/sec, FEC ≤)

SAT-7 TÜRK

SAT-7 has been broadcasting Turkish-language programs from its sister ministry, TURK-7, for several years.

In January 2010 the Turkish ministry merged with SAT-7 to become its fourth channel – SAT-7 TÜRK. The channel currently broadcasts 24/7 via web-streaming at: http://www.sat7.org/tv2/TV2_turk.html.

Additional Resources

SAT-7 Trust, a UK charity (1060612), also provides information, commentary, and insights into the Middle East and North Africa through Wazala home page.

Wazala provides:

- News from the Church in the Middle East and North Africa
- Personal stories of lives changed by God
- Information and insight by MENA experts into issues facing Christians living as minorities
- Interviews, testimonies, videos, creative prayer resources, audio clips, book reviews
- Monthly, topical Briefing emailed directly to subscribers.

"TV Everywhere Strategy"

In response to the increased use of mobile devices and on-demand video services SAT-7 is implementing what CEO Dr. Terence Ascott terms a “TV Everywhere Strategy.” Viewers can watch their favorite shows on the SAT-7 ARABIC, SAT-7 KIDS, SAT-7 PARS and SAT-7 TÜRK YouTube channels. They can also stream each of these channels live using tablet and smart phone apps. Satellite television is still the most effective means to reach viewers in the Middle East and North Africa, but the expansion of online and mobile device services gives viewers an added convenience that suits their schedules.

Announcing Third Arabic Channel and New Cost-Saving Technology

SAT-7 PLUS was launched 10 December 2010, on the HOT BIRD satellite system at Eutelsat Hot Bird 13B at 13° East (Frequency 12.380 GHz, Vertical Polarity 27.5 MSym/sec, FEC ≤), replacing the two existing Arabic-language channels on HOT BIRD: SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS. These two channels will continue to be broadcast on the NILESAT/AB 7 satellite platform while the new channel, SAT-7 PLUS, will carry a selection of the best current programming from both channels.

SAT-7 Channels Increase Arab Audiences

Two of SAT-7's Arabic channels transferred to a new, purpose built satellite deployed at the Nilesat orbital slot, 7 degrees East. Both the SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS channels benefitted from this changeover and completed the migration from the old Atlantic Bird 4A satellite to the new Atlantic Bird 7 (AB7) satellite, which has a much better coverage of the Arab World - including, for the first time, parts of North Africa (Morocco and Western Algeria) that previously only had access to SAT-7 PLUS (Combining the best programming from the SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS channels but on the Hotbird Satellite System).

Some existing viewers of the SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS channels with older receivers will need to manually retune the frequency coordinates for their dishes. Those with newer receivers will have been switched automatically to the new satellite.

SAT-7 PLUS, the network’s Hotbird satellite channel, will continue serving all of the Middle East, North Africa (and also greater Europe) with its “best of” programming from the SAT-7 ARABIC and KIDS channels.

The deployment of this new satellite positions SAT-7’s Arabic-language channels to better “make God’s love visible” across the whole region, employing as it does the two most popular satellite platforms – Nilesat and Hotbird.

The new coordinates for SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS, effective 23 October 2011 are: AB 7 at 7 degrees East, Frequency: 11,353 GHz, Vertical, 27.5 MSym/sec, FEC 5/6.

External links

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