News

More than a quarter of a million viewers are expected to watch Wesley Mission television productions and hundreds of thousands more will hear the message through the mainstream news media on Christmas Day 2007.

Three major Wesley Mission television productions will screen on Christmas Day. A Rise and Shine Christmas Special will be broadcast at 6.00 am on Channel 9 with guests Roma Waterman and Darlene Zschech and a seasonal Christmas message from Wesley Mission Superintendent the Rev Keith Garner about the importance of Christmas and its potential to give us the greatest gift of all.

Wesley Mission’s new documentary Santa’s Forgotten People will be shown at 8:30 am on Channel 7, offering an insight into what it means to be homeless at Christmas through the eyes of the residents of Wesley Mission’s Edward Eagar Lodge crisis hostel.  The documentary traces the story of one man’s journey from alcohol addiction to recovery.  Keith Garner uses the prodigal son as a motif for Christian living.

At 10.30 am Channel 9 will also screen Wesley Mission’s The Three Fathers of Christmas. Shot on location in Finland, Turkey and Israel, the one-hour program traces the origins of Saint Nicolas, Santa Claus and looks at Gift Giving, God and Christmas.

Audiences will also see some of these documentaries on The Australian Christian Channel (Foxtel) and through Shine TV New Zealand.

"This year we have the greatest number of programs being broadcast on Christmas Day to a record number of viewers,” said Media Production Manager Michael Bennett.

“It is a credit to the Superintendent Rev. Keith Garner and his vision for the Media Department that these programs embrace a stunning and stimulating variety of subject areas: Rise and Shine is a celebration of the Christian Christmas, The Three Fathers of Christmas takes an incisive look at the history of Christmas from Christian and secular traditions, and Santa's Forgotten People looks at a key social issue - homelessness at Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Mr Garner is also due to appear on Sky Morning Edition News on Christmas Day and on radio and TV news services across Australia. Already this year he has appeared or been interviewed for more than 150 radio, television and newspaper stories, reaching more than 12 million Australians through the work of Wesley Mission’s Public Affairs Department.
       
Issues such as homelessness, mental health and Wesley Mission’s latest report on childhood resilience have gained widespread coverage on mainstream news such as Channel Nine, Seven, Ten and ABC TV and in mass circulation newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Sunday Telegraph and The Sun-Herald reaching between a quarter and more than half a million people on each occasion.

Mr Garner has been a regular on Sky News having been interviewed on issues such as the impact of rising interest rates on families and reflections on Easter 2007.

Mr Garner said he was looking forward to Christmas 2007. At Easter alone more than 6.83 million people heard Mr Garner’s comments through media opportunities on radio and TV and a further 1.1 million through newspapers.

At Christmas 2006, Mr Garner’s Christmas message was the lead story on every major News Limited and Fairfax web site in Australia.

“When I heard of the take up of our television programs for Christmas I was quite overwhelmed but pleased because they reflect the high level of professionalism and commitment that our Media Department demonstrate,” he said.

“There is no doubt that we have found ourselves in a position of being sought for public comment on a whole range of issues and I am grateful to Graeme Cole and his Public Affairs Department for their proactive work on these major issues and opportunities.

“Most of all our increased exposure gives us the opportunity to speak about the good news of God which we share with some of the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society.”

Graeme Cole
Mobile: 0408 470 722