A New Generation of Media Savvy Christians is Making an Impact in Russia

By Dan Wooding

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (November 9, 2000) — The “Moscow School of Broadcasting” is housed in an unassuming building about an hour south of Moscow. From the outside, it could be anything — an office building, a college dorm, or even an apartment complex. But inside, it’s a combination lecture hall and television studio, and the class is filled with 25 young Christians being trained to produce Christian programming for Russian television.

“Most people would never know this institute even exists,” says Phil Cooke, the school’s current lecturer, who also happens to be an award winning television and film director from Burbank, California. “But these students have come from all over Russia and Ukraine to learn how to present a timeless message in a new and innovative way to reach their culture for Christ.”

The school is a joint project of International Russian Radio and Television, based in Helsinki, Finland and Crossroads Communications of Canada. Zack Davidson, a professor at the Conway School of Broadcasting in Canada is the director of the Moscow program. “Our goal is to create an intensive 3-4 month program to train Russians in the fundamental aspects of producing successful programs. There’s no question that the media determines the direction of culture today, and if Christians are going to make a difference in Russia, we have to do it through the media.”

The program brings in instructors from around the world to teach the students on a weekly basis. For instance, a lighting expert may come from Eastern Europe, a sound engineer from Canada, a camera operator from Scandinavia, and others from the United States.

THE GOSPEL INSTEAD OF PORN

Phil Cooke, well known in the United States for producing and directing cutting edge Christian programming has taught here the last two years. “The class we taught last year now has more than 50 percent of the students working in the Russia media in some capacity,” he relates. “The most interesting story was a student who graduated and then went back to create a Christian program in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Russia. He discovered that there was no TV time available on any channels — with the exception of the porno channel. So he bought the time slot. Now, there is an hour-long Christian program being broadcast each week on the St. Petersburg porno channel. He would probably be ridiculed by Christians here, but when you think about it, that’s exactly where the gospel needs to be.”

The teaching experience in Russia has really made a strong impact on this director from Hollywood. “It’s cold, the school’s budget is small, and the equipment is certainly not what we’re use to,” Cooke responds. “But when you realize the potential impact these students will have in the Russian media, it makes it more than worthwhile.”

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