THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505200302
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Twenty years ago, Pat Robertson tired of the expense and logistical hassle of delivering tapes of ``The 700 Club'' to the then-180 TV station affiliates of his Christian Broadcasting Network. So he decided to beam the shows to the stations by satellite.
That helped revolutionize TV and paved the way for the plethora of cable channels in existence today - each of which is transmitted by satellite to cable systems around the country.
Once again, CBN is a pioneer among religious ministries by being among the first to enter another communications medium: the Internet.
``In the recesses of the mind of most of the executives here, the thought is, `I wonder if this is the next satellite?' '' says Paul Flanagan, CBN's vice president for information services.
In March, Virginia Beach-based CBN quietly opened its ``home page'' on the World Wide Web, the most active frontier on the global patchwork of computer networks that has come to be known as the Internet.
The ministry didn't publicize the event - didn't even tell its millions of ``700 Club'' viewers around the country. It used the soft opening to work out bugs in the service and to lay plans for greatly expanding it.
By next spring, users should be able to tap into audio and video clips of ``700 Club'' shows or Pat Robertson speeches, Flanagan says, and chat about their problems with CBN counselors. They may also be able to send credit-card donations to the ministry or buy books or merchandise on line.
Those who use their computers right now to tap into the home page can download ``fact sheets'' from CBN's ``Newswatch'' program as well as religious teaching tracts. There's also a directory of ``hot links'' that with the click of a mouse or the tap of a key can zap the user into dozens of other Internet sites ranging from the White House to CBS.
CBN's presence on the Internet, Flanagan says, ``is part of our strategy of being unavoidable.''
``We want people to be able to find us when they're asking questions about their lives . . . when they have a God-shaped hole in their lives.'' That means using as many media as possible, he says.
Secondarily, the Internet offers CBN a way to improve ``partner relations,'' Flanagan says. It now mails monthly ``700 Club'' viewer guides to supporters, but the show subjects often change. The show listings will updated daily via the Internet.
Also, Internet users will be able to register on line for conferences at The Founders Inn. And they will be able to send electronic mail messages to the ministry to offer suggestions or ask questions. Flanagan says CBN has developed message-sorting protocols to give priority attention to large donors.
On CBN's home page, there's an ``Under Consideration'' section with a question mark next to the heading. About 40 services are listed as potential offerings.
``This is a new area for a lot of people,'' Flanagan explains, ``and we're trying to feel our way very carefully.''
He says even CBN founder Robertson was hesitant at times about the Internet project, but finally committed to it when he saw its communications potential.
Flanagan says he is convinced from his Internet browsing that many of its users are searching for spiritual fulfillment. ``There's a high percentage of adolescents and young 20s on the Net. These people are asking, `What is the meaning of life?' But they are often people who have difficulty asking other people face to face.''
Some may find it easier to start such a dialogue on line, he says. It's a ``Band-Aid,'' he concedes, but one that might lead to a phone call that could eventually turn the person to a church in his or her hometown.
CBN's World Wide Web home page can be reached at: http://the700club.org
KEYWORDS: CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK INTERNET by CNB