Guide to the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Division of Mass Media Records

Clergy of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) participated in the first religious radio broadcasts in 1923. The United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA) also produced early broadcasts over KDKA, Pittsburgh. In 1942 the General Assembly (PCUSA) established a Special Committee on Religious Radio with Theodore F. Savage, a pioneer and influential leader in religious broadcasting, as its chair. In 1948, in accordance with the recommendation of the Special Committee, the General Assembly authorized a Department of Radio and Television as an agency of the General Council, to supervise its broadcasting work. The Rev. Clayton T. Griswold served as Executive Director from 1948 to 1958.

In 1951 the Board of National Missions created an Office for Religious Broadcasting to coordinate the scattered use of radio broadcasting in home mission work. John Groller served as secretary 1951-1959. Groller conducted institutes and seminars, cooperated with radio and television workshops sponsored by the National Council of Churches and promoted the establishment of synod and presbytery broadcasting committees.

On July 1, 1959 the General Assembly approved transfer of the Department of Radio and Television from the General Council to the Board of National Missions. This was accomplished with the Rev. John K. Mitchell as Chair and the Lawrence W. McMaster, Jr., as Executive Director of the new Division of Radio and Television. The Office of Religious Broadcasting was dissolved and John Groller, its secretary, became Associate Director of the Division with responsibility for the Western Area Office in Los Angeles. With the increased responsibility for programming through National Council of Churches, the networks, and the judicatories, a Program Director was added to the staff. Richard L. Goode, held this position, 1959-1961. When Goode became Producer-Consultant in 1961, Robert W. Jeambey, Jr., former Eastern Director, became Program Director. In early 1961 a Central Area Office with the Rev. Donald G. Roper as Area Director, was opened in Chicago. Also added to staff in 1961 were the Rev. Charles Brackbill, Jr., as Director of Field Services and the Rev. Robert Sanders as Eastern Area Director. William Millard served as part-time Research Director. In 1962 John Groller became Producer of Radio Programs for the Division. The division was organized into three committees, the Executive Committee, the Research Committee and the Program Committee.

To increase emphasis on programming, the Executive Committee in June 1961 established a Program Cabinet composed of representatives of the national program agencies (BNM, BCE, COEMAR), industry representatives, consultants, and Division staff members, with Robert W. Jeambey as chairman.

In 1963 the Rev. Richard R. Gilbert was named Executive Director of the Division of Radio and Television to succeed the Rev. Lawrence W. McMaster, Jr., who was promoted to Executive Secretary of the BNM. During 1964 a reorganization of the Division was completed with a realignment of staff. In 1967 the Division of Radio and Television was renamed the Division of Mass Media. The Council on Radio and Television was similarly renamed Council on Mass Media. These organizations functioned until the major denominational reorganization of 1972 assigned the functions of the Division of Mass Media to the Division of Communications-Interpretation of the Support Agency.

In 1954 Radio Station KSEW, Sitka, the first church-owned broadcasting station in Alaska, went on the air from the campus of Sheldon Jackson Junior College. The station was sold in 1961.

From the beginning of religious broadcasting Presbyterians provided significant leadership, cooperation and financial support to the ecumenical broadcasting organizations.

In 1949 the Protestant Radio Commission was organized, combining the Federal Council of Churches Radio Committee and the Joint Religious Radio Committee, an interdenominational organization. In 1950 the Protestant Radio Commission and the Protestant Film Commission were merged to form the Broadcasting and Film Commission (BFC) of the National Council of Churches. The Department/Division of Radio and Television provided funding, produced programs for and participated in the programming of this cooperative organization. Presbyterians served on the staff of Board of Managers and its operational committees. Clayton T. Griswold, for example, served as chairman of the Board of Managers. Charles Brackbill, Jr., John Groller, Lawrence W. McMasters served on BFC committees. The Rev. S. Franklin Mack, a Presbyterian minister, served for several years as Executive Director of BFC and worked closely with the Division.

The Protestant Radio and Television Center, Inc. (PRTV), Atlanta, GA., formed in 1945, was another cooperative religious broadcasting organization in which the Presbyterians, PCUSA and PCUS, participated with other mainline denominations.

Although overseas broadcasting was primarily the responsibility of the Board of Foreign Missions/Commission on Missions and Ecumenical Relations, members of the staff of the Division of Radio and Television actively participated and provided leadership for ecumenical broadcasting activities. Other Presbyterians, e.g., W. Burton Martin who served as chairman of the World Committee for Christian Broadcasting (WCCB), were active in worldwide cooperative broadcasting.