SAT-7 PARS RESPONDS TO ISOLATED VIEWERS’ NEEDS
In response to the coronavirus measures implemented in the UK, the SAT-7 PARS studios in London were forced to close at short notice. However, through home studios and social media, the channel remained in touch with viewers, and this week live programs will resume their broadcasts.
Broadcasting six vital live programs from the London based studio, SAT-7 PARS staff and program presenters have made every effort to remain in contact with its viewers.
“There may be a lockdown here in the UK, but we haven’t stopped working,” says Moe Pooladfar, one of SAT-7 PARS channel’s London-based producers. “We have worked longer hours and made a major effort to keep making programs and material to share on social media for Persian-speaking Christians”.
By setting up home studios in the houses of presenters such as Hengameh Borji, from the program Insiders, the channel has been able to maintain contact with its viewers during the pandemic. “Our viewers can contact us at any time,” explains Panayiotis Keenan, Executive Director of SAT-7 PARS. “We are doing our best under the circumstances and we are doing it with joy, because we are committed to our viewers in Iran and elsewhere in the Persian speaking world.”
Believers in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan depend on SAT-7 PARS live programs for encouragement. Presenters like Pastor Miltan Danil have found the lockdown especially challenging, as they strongly empathise with their viewers.
“Here in the UK, we have had to suspend our live shows for a few weeks due to government and health restrictions,” explains Pastor Miltan. “However, our viewers in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan have also been facing very difficult circumstances, and our live programs were a vital source of comfort and support to them. We are creating short video clips to help remind our viewers we are still with them, but I hope and pray that we can start our live shows again as soon as possible.”
Pastor Miltan’s prayers have been answered; “Due to the huge need from our viewers, we will resume three of our live programs this week”, says Panayiotis Keenan. “We will work with the minimum staff required, take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety and obey any further government and health restrictions set by the UK government.” Our Neighbourhood, a program presented by Pastor Miltan and his wife is one of the live shows that will resume this week.