Religion - The World and Satellite TV
There is no question that religion and television in the United States have come a long, long way since it first planted its roots nearly 80 years ago. Televangelism alone in the country has amounted to a multi-billion dollar business since the era of televangelists such as the Rev. Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority, Pat Robertson and the 700 Club, Billy Graham. Even disgraced duos such as Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker managed to secure significant audiences during their heyday.
The impact of religion and TV cannot be denied, and the leap of religion into satellite television has proven that it can reach a wider audience around the world with just a simple touch of the remote control. Today, it is not only mainstream Protestant churches that broadcast to audiences, but also the Catholics and the Mormons, which have their own sizeable networks alongside of Christian broadcasting. These include BYU TV and Boston Catholic TV.
The phenomenon has not only spread in the United States, but to other countries as well, thanks to satellite television. In the Middle East, many Islamic televangelists are now adopting the same styles as the televangelists in the West in order to attract more converts, even at the expense of angering local government officials. Christian broadcasting is also available, where Christians located in North Africa and the Middle East have their own programs to watch and listen to.
