Media, A Call in the Midst of the Corona Storm

Télé Lumière and Noursat Programming Director Marie-Therese Kreidi: Today Media is the Church’s Voice and Hope for Believers

Télé Lumière and Noursat Programming Director Mrs. Marie-Therese Kreidi

More than a year has passed and the Coronavirus is still spreading around the world, imposing exceptional conditions and a health lockdown that didn’t even spare worship houses and churches included in many strict health measures taken around the world and in the Middle East.

To stop the spread of the virus, churches had to close their doors to believers who became in dire need of spiritual care and religious accompaniment throughout the lockdown that occurred during important liturgical holidays. However, this microscopic virus did not kill people's faith. The media in general, religious media in particular, played a fundamental role in helping believers maintain their relationship with God and provided them with the opportunity to participate from their homes in all religious celebrations.

What is the role of the media here? How does it support and accompany believers in these difficult times? Is the audience’s interaction positive about what these media provide? Télé Lumière and Noursat Programming Director Mrs. Marie-Therese Kreidi answers these questions shedding light on the duties and mission of the media in these difficult times, referring to the most prominent materials and programs broadcasted by Noursat.

First, Mrs. Marie-Therese stressed the great damage caused by the Coronavirus on many levels. All over the world, religious celebrations stopped and "people found themselves in front of locked doors and squares they are forbidden to access when they were in need of religions most." She mentioned that for the first time in history, Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican was empty, and the Church of the Nativity was closed, as were most churches in countries implementing strict measures to face the pandemic."

The Role of Media Today

As for the media, it was in the service of religious leaders in the world. “They resorted to media making it a platform, a voice and their only communication source with their followers, even when a large number of monotheistic religions in Lebanon and the world have their own media platforms and have been using them for a long time.” Kreidi Explained: "This phenomenon of resorting to various means of media communication, whether traditional or modern, has become an extension of religions and their mission to communicate with masses of believers, wherever they are."

During quarantine and the imposed lockdown, an important role has emerged for religious media in accompanying believers, according to Mrs. Marie Therese. They shifted TV and social media programs to keep up with the audience and its various orientations. The media also focused on spiritual programs broadcasting hope, faith and trust in divine providence, and accompanying the sick, the infected and their families daily through prayers and broadcasting ecclesiastical celebrations from all around the world.”

Kreidi said: "Nothing replaces the Church and the direct encounter with the community of believers, clergy and congregation, but health conditions imposed strict measures that some found difficult to accept.” She explained here the importance of the role of the religious media: "to be open for dialogue between the Church and parishes to answer all questions and concerns, but mainly to be a platform for communication and listening with all means available."

Marie-Therese continued: "there is no doubt that religious media are the best sources of peace in the midst of crises, and its role is most evident in their presence alongside an audience spread across the globe." She referred to studies showing the important role of social media such as Facebook and other applications, in helping individuals and groups overcome this crisis with minimal psychological, moral and even physical damage through accompaniment and awareness. She added: “the role of social media in supporting the message of the traditional religious media and communicating with a wide audience has greatly emerged."

Télé Lumière and Noursat Facing Coronavirus

Mrs. Marie-Therese talked about special materials and programs the channel worked on to face the Coronavirus and the difficult conditions imposed on everyone. She reported that the channel made major adjustments to its programs during the lockdown. Based on the recommendations of all churches and spiritual leaderships, and upon the request of the viewers, a large time of ​​the broadcast is dedicated for live religious celebrations such as the daily mass and the daily rosary, directly broadcasted from Bkerke - Lebanon, where His Beatitude Maronite Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Al Raii prays daily for the healing of Lebanon and the world from the Coronavirus." Télé Lumière and Noursat social media platforms also cover this prayer.

From Noursat’s channel on Youtube

Kreidi added that Noursat is also airing a large number of live talk shows allowing viewers to participate and communicate with the hosts through social media. It also constituted a platform for humanitarian, religious and social organizations, or anyone who can reach out to people in need, to make an appearance and communicate with viewers. The channel also carried out prayer campaigns for the paramedics and medical staff who are frontliners devoted to their mission despite the danger surrounding them. Not to mention the various documentaries and religious films very popular with the public.

According to Marie-Therese, the religious production rate increased with the imposed quarantine, and concerned parties doubled their efforts, from clergy to clerics, singers, writers and composers. They focused on hymns about miracles and concurring fear."

From Noursat’s website

Based on a statistic made by the Télé Lumière Noursat station, Kreidi said that the production of programs, hymns and religious liturgy during lockdown increased by 60%, and it focused on videos carrying health and spiritual awareness messages, and videos on preventive measures taken in churches and how to communicate with believers etc. The production also included a live transmission of religious ceremonies, most important of which is the Mass, through parishes Facebook pages, and clips of hymns with humanitarian meanings and spiritual messages providing moral support to the viewers through their ordeal and isolation."

As for medical media awareness, the Programming Director at Noursat added that it was essential to provide information to the public about preventive instructions and procedures and spreading awareness and attention among people through launching programmed media campaigns and talk shows with doctors and specialists and cooperating with relevant ministries."

At the end of her hopeful speech, Kreidi indicated that the current stage is difficult, and that “the Corona crisis left scars and pains on many. The region is witnessing many challenges as the pandemic has increased the pain of its people. The only remaining hope is through faith and the trust that God is watching over us. As for churches and believers, we saw their readiness and touched their enthusiasm for assisting, cooperating and standing by infected people and their families, and each and every one who lost a relative or a dear one, as we realize that the East, despite its suffering, remains a mission of hope to the whole world!"

Communication and Public Relations Department