Still Relevant: old projects, new impact
/Did you know that globally, radio is still the most widely consumed medium?* Not to mention the most far-reaching, accessible – perhaps even most trusted – method across generations and societies.
Today, it’s not uncommon to hear about the transience of media.
In an age of ever-evolving technology and short-lived trends, we’re often asked about the shelf life of our productions. Though we proudly continue to create fresh content every year, with almost 50 years worth of completed projects under our belt, such questions are reasonable.
Will today’s popular Arab TV series be irrelevant within 5 years? How memorable is our work? And how do we hold the attention of young people in such a fast-paced media scene?
Our work is full of unexpected trends...as the following observations demonstrate!
In our Spring 2023 edition, we reported on how our Kingdom Platform has surprised us. We’ve noticed another interesting pattern in the popularity of its YouTube videos. One of our oldest clips, filmed in the 1980s using hand puppets, has consistently remained within the top 3 most-watched videos on the platform since its launch in 2021, despite the regular addition of new content. Maybe this shouldn’t be a surprise. Consider the many films and TV shows in our culture, produced decades ago, that remain popular. There would no doubt be uproar if Hollywood tried remaking The Shawshank Redemption (1984) or Gone with the Wind (1939). Media can span the generations!
We also recently discovered an online discussion among Middle Easterners reminiscing about our former Magalla magazine, first published in 1977. Commenters not only fondly remembered the magazine as they were growing up, but wished it was still in print today! Our media truly leaves a lasting legacy in the region.
When we complete a film series or project that no longer needs funds, depending on the kind of media, it can sometimes be difficult to obtain accurate engagement metrics. However, some partners using our material regularly keep us in the loop with their reports.
We received one such encouraging report recently about Arabian Dawn, our series of real testimonies shared by Gulf believers. Numerous partners have used these short videos in their outreach since 2013. Just one partner reported that, in 2022, they saw no fewer than 35 professions of faith, from individuals who first made contact with them through an Arabian Dawn video! For this region, this is an incredible number.
Similarly, GOT IT! is our 70-episode short video series on apologetics, completed in 2019. A partner using the series reported that in the last 3 months of 2022, three GOT IT! videos alone generated nearly one million views, and 246 people engaged in more personal conversations about Christianity. GOT IT! shows no signs of a diminishing impact, and has also been dubbed into 9 different Arabic dialects for use across the continent. You can watch some real examples of GOT IT! here.
We praise God that He is using our media, old and new, to build His Kingdom!
