MARKETING OF RELIGION: MEDIA
& INTERNET
WEEK 11
COURSE MATERIALS
By Asst. Prof. Dr. Selman Yılmaz
TV Broadcasting for Religion
In 1961, the first religious television station was established in the US.
Their number reached 30 by1978.
Evangelicals used television
broadcasting effectively; so that this
trend began to be named Televangelism.
Strategies
Televangelists also owed their success to use other modern technologies including telephones and
computers for solicitation and proselytization.
They behaved like salesmen.
They encouraged audiences to contact their show by mail or toll-free phones by offering some free gifts or prayers for their families.
Once they got contact information of audiences and their personal requests, they used computers to code the
contents and personal information and prepare more personalized replies that were more effective than a general reply and ensured the loyalties of their
audiences.
Islamic versions of Televangelism
Abdullah Gymnastiar in Indonesia
Amr Khaled in Egypt
Internet
Since Internet, especially during the recent few years, TV broadcasting
leaving its place to Internet as been a proselytizing tool.
Search-engines became very important.
Social media.
Representing religions in cyberspace.
Snowball effect.
Review
Any further comments and questions?
References
