GC Session #5

No other Session has been so influenced or dominated by media.  
Entering the Prince of Orange Hall, delegates and guests face a
190-foot wide platform emphasizing, naturally, the theme, "United in
Christ."  And on the left, towering above the rim of the theme in
various languages, is a 15x20 screen to assist delegates and guests in
seeing what's going on.

This bigger-than-life presentation on the left of center is
supplemented on the right by a 35-inch monitor to help the GC
delegation who are relegated to the front in a deadspot from the large
screen see the goings-on.  Unless the choir in the chairs on the right
of the platform turn it toward themselves, so they can see!

But it's OK.  It's these people who need to see what's happening in
their Church.

Elder Folkenberg's president's message at the opening session was
partly video, partly live, parly live-by-satellite.  At times the video
portion would dissolve into the actual live group on the platform.  By
satellite from Sydney, Australia, he interviewed a couple who have been
pioneering work in Cambodia.

Of course, GCTV is uplinking three or four hours a day, primarily to
churches in North America where a downlink has been installed for the
Adventist Communication Network (ACN) and on 3ABN.  3ABN is also taping
hours of material for release during weeks to come.

Adventist World Radio (AWR) has producers from at least ten countries
around the world producing GC news and features for Adventists in all
their listening areas.

Both AWR and GCTV (with the Adventist Media Center) have set up huge
production studios here.  AWR share with North America's Adventist
Radio Network (ARN).  3ABN crews are taping special interviews in a
booth area in the exhibition area.

Arrangements for all of this technology have been made by Warren Judd
from the Adventist Media Center in Thousand Oaks, California.  After
the Session in Indianapolis, Warren and I made a laundry list of
procedures which needed to be followed at this Session.  That way we
wouldn't forget five years later!  Wayne Hooper and I made another
list, in order to make musicians aware of information needed to get
mics and risers in the right places at the right time.

And Warren's planning has paid off.  He found a Christian sound company
which has made the hearing capability par excellence.  Spending a few
minutes with the young owner, I discovered why the sound has augmented
the emotion felt on the floor.

Bart Hof Audio has two crews--one for the business session and one for
other meetings. And theirs is no small challenge.  They have 48 stage
mics--mostly condensers.  In addition, there are ten wireless.

His mixers and mics are different for speech and music.  That's one
reason why you at home and we here have enjoyed such quality sound.

But it's the delayed speaker system which excites me in this
technological age.  Bart has more than 60 large cabinet speakers
hanging from the ceiling so that the sound is projected downward.
Beyond that, he has eight mics in a SIM unit (Source Independent
Measurement) which are continuously measuring the quality of the sound
from the chain of speakers in various sections of the room, so that
there are no echoes.

In this 148,600 square foot hall, there is only one "hello" rather than
"hello, hello, ello, llo, lo, o"!  We can sing the words together
because as the men from Hof Audio read the computer, they are able to
make continual adjustment as the audience and temperature and humidity
change!  Of course, I've simplified this in some ways and been too
detailed in others to try to help you get a feeling for all that's had
to be done here.

"I do no rock and roll festivals," Bart told me, "and I'm quite happy
with that."  Between religious conventions and concerts, Hof Audio does
special work for classical radio.

Well, I'm getting a little carried away here.  I'll try not to get so
dramatic on the video portion!  But you audio buffs will want to know
that Hof's console allows sound breakout to six areas--TV, video,
convention hall, etc.

Elder Folkenberg asked Ray Tetz to become co-chairman with Warren about
a year ago, giving Ray the job of being kind of media czar to ensure
that there was some continuity to all media operations.

There are 63 people working to put all the video to hall and satellite
together.  Eight cameras were successful in capturing our pictures
because of directing from master control in the specially contructed TV
studio erected adjacent to the Prince of Orange Hall. , three betacams,
three studio cameras and teleprompter, two switchers--one just for the
jumbotron (large screen in the meeting hall).

GCTV did have its own generator so that there would be controlled 110
volt electricity at 60 cycles for all our NTSC equipment from the AMC
in California.

Basic staffers were from media centers in both the U.S. and Australia. 
Others were Adventist producers in France, Portugal, and Holland.  Even
so, a few had to be hired locally.  You've seen the great products of
their work on TV, so I'll not describe it.  Except to say that three
miles of video cable and three miles of fiber optic cable made your
viewing--and ours--possible!  Over a potential cable network with 17
channels.

Making everybody look good is "Flashlight" company.  This group lights
for American national television when they are on the continent. 
Special in their performance are three spotlighting specialists who
spend about three hours every evening in their trusses rigged from the
ceiling.  Their motorized bucket seats might not be too uncomfortable,
however.

Holland may well be the best place in the world to obtain all that
basic technology.  Some have said that the Dutch are the most highly
educated in the world, most of them overly qualified for the jobs they
hold.

Whatever that may be, I know why they've been a delight to work with
here and why they are so good in media.  During the week before the
Session opened, thousands of young Dutch came into various halls here
to take exams--in Marketing!

Jaarbeurs has provided their personnel to work in some key areas like
the newsroom to ensure our being able to speak with those from the
community who come by.  Sylvia who worked with us, works in the
newsroom with all conventions.

By now you may be receiving your daily Adventist Review, which is also
a product of technology.  And you've been getting a battery of
CompuServe releases not only from the newsroom but also from the
Business Centre which has another dozen CompuServe lines. E-mail here
is more common than postal mail was ten years--even five years--ago.

Which reminds me that one sign of the times is that knowledge will be
increased.  Are we seeing it!