Title Hightlight: Prime-time Religion: An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting

Prime-time Religion: An Encyclopedia of Religious Broadcasting
1 volume: Photos, 8 appendices, Index

Unlike many subjects, the history of religious broadcasting on radio and television in America can be traced to a single date, January 2, 1921 when the Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania broadcast the evening vespers service on radio station KDKA. Since that time religious broadcasting has grown enormously and is watched or listened to by millions of people. This book traces the stories of the many individuals, churches, and government rules and regulations that contributed to the development and growth of religious broadcasting.

Airtime was originally given free of charge to religious broadcasters, but a change of federal law in 1929 forced religious broadcasters to pay for airtime, leading to the growth of the fundraising mission many religious broadcasters pursue. Although most people identify religious broadcasting as something belonging to fundamental Protestants, in reality, there have been broadcasts from many Christian denominations, including fundamentalist, Mormons, mainline Protestants, Catholics, as well as Jews, Muslims and little known groups like Rosicrucians. Each article contains references for further reading.