KNLS

KNLS is an international shortwave radio station in Anchor Point, Alaska. The station is operated by World Christian Broadcasting, a non-profit company based in the United States of America. KNLS offers 20 hours a day of Christian-themed programming in Chinese, English and Russian.

History

The idea for KNLS came about during World War II, when Maurice Hall, a young Army Signal Corps officer, was involved in delivering shortwave radio transmitters to the Yalta Conference so that President Franklin D. Roosevelt could stay informed of news from Washington. Hall, a devout Christian, realized that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could also be sent to the entire world in the same way. After WWII, Hall became a minister, educator and missionary, but still dreamed of an international shortwave station that would reach the entire world with Gospel messages.

In 1976, World Christian Broadcasting Corporation was formed and work began on making the station a reality. The following year, Lowell Perry, one of the founding directors, was killed in a plane crash during a mission to find a transmitter site. In 1979, land was purchased in Alaska and a transmitter was built.

KNLS signed on the air July 23, 1983, broadcasting ten hours a day in Mandarin Chinese and Russian and reaching roughly one-third of the world. English was added later. As the Soviet Union’s empire fell apart, listeners from those countries began writing and requesting Bibles and other religious materials. In 2005, the station signed on a second transmitter in Alaska.

KNLS Today

KNLS is currently on the air a total of 20 hours each day: ten hours in Mandarin; five in Russian and five in English. All programming is produced at the station’s Operations Center in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. Programs are presented in a magazine-style format and provide Bible and religious teaching segments and reports about life in America as well as music. The station receives messages each month via email and postal mail from all over the world.

KNLS never asks listeners to send money. The station is funded by interested individuals, churches and other groups. Also, the Bibles and other materials that listeners can request are sent free of charge.

Chinese Broadcast

Ed Ho, a veteran broadcaster, is host for the Chinese hour and is assisted by a team of contributors, including Edward Short, Salina Ho and Shu-Mei Lee . Regular segments include Spiritual Stories, Daily Bread, Happy Family and an English tutorial, along with solo hymns.

Russian Broadcast

Constantin Chernushenko, a physician by training, is host of the Russian broadcast. Regular features include Famous Russians, a spiritual biography series; Book of Books, a Bible teaching segment; Parables of Jesus; and feature reports from the worlds of science and entertainment and other topics of general interest. Contributors to the Russian broadcast include Marina Kabulova, Galina Koval, Igor Ponomarev and Marina Vidineyva.

English Broadcast

Rob Scobey, an award-winning journalist, produces and co-hosts the English hour with Lucy Grant. Regular features include Author’s Journal, First Person and Profiles in Christian Music. Also on the English broadcast is a prayer lesson presented by longtime evangelist Andy Baker, whose segment was heard by missionary Gracia Burnham during the time she was held captive by terrorist rebels in the Philippines. Burnham references the broadcast in her book, In the Presence of My Enemies.

A number of noted American broadcasters and writers are contributors to KNLS programming, including Anthony Parker, Greg Taylor, Bill Young, Marcy Bryan, Glenn Randolph, Dick Brackett, Doug Poling, Paul Ladd, Gayle Crowe, Real Peloquin, Lloyd DeVries, Mary Westheimer, Bill Steensland, Dermot Cole, and others.

Future Plans

A sister station is under construction on an island in the Indian Ocean and is scheduled to go on the air by 2010. The new station will offer programs in Arabic in addition to the current schedule of English, Mandarin and Russian. Information in various African languages will be available on the station website, with English-language broadcasts targeted toward an African audience. Other plans include the addition of Spanish and Portuguese broadcasts.

Links:www.wcbroadacsting.com - World Christian Broadcasting’s official company websitewww.smzg.org – KNLS Mandarin websitewww.knls.net – KNLS Russian website

Bibliography:

“Broadcaster’s Dream Wins ACU Award.” Abilene Reporter-News, February 20, 1991Burnham, Gracia with Merrill, Dean. In the Presence of My Enemies. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale, 2003, pp.255-256.“Indian Ocean Adventure” – World Christian Broadcasting brochure, 2008