Lebanon (MNN) — A new TV studio is in the works in Beirut, Lebanon. That might sound unimpressive, but it's the purpose behind the studio that makes this building project particularly relevant.
SAT-7 is a Christian satellite television network for the Middle East and North Africa. Its five channels combined, which run out of Lebanon, Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt and the U.K., reach an audience of more than 15 million people with hopeful messages bound in Christ.
SAT-7 has been producing live and taped television shows out of Lebanon for well over a decade, but always in rented space. The current studio is leased from the Lebanese Baptist Society. Although SAT-7 is grateful for all they have been able to do there, it's high time to expand.
"It just gives us expanded flexibility," notes Dr. Rex Rogers, SAT-7 USA president. "It's better stewardship. It reduces costs. Your staff, who are already creative people, are freer to be more creative because they've got better tools and more space in which to work."
Essentially, it means more opportunities to effectively spread the hope of Christ.
So with a few major donor gifts, SAT-7 was able to break ground on the new studio in September 2011. Rogers was in Beirut recently, and MNN caught up with him to check on the building's progress.
Rogers says it's slow going. It will still take about a year-and-a-half to finish the project. But, "[That's] nothing abnormal when it comes to the Middle East: lots of approval processes, working with contractors. There are blips from time to time economically or politically in the country here, so that causes people to slow down. So it's really on track."
In the meantime, the staff is trying to keep their excitement over the building at bay as they focus on reaching millions with their current broadcast.
The studio project has been able to progress relatively smoothly so far. Pray that in coming months, progress would continue unhindered.
