www.christianweek.org/stories.php?id=652 -
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Published on: 9/1/2009
Last Visited: 9/1/2009
Lorna Dueck interviews a guest on the set of Listen Up.
PHOTO: LISTEN UP
BURLINGTON, ON—Five years after Listen Up left the security and umbrella of Crossroads Christian Communications, the program has developed into a prominent Christian voice in Canada's mainstream media.
Created by Lorna Dueck, Listen Up began 10 years ago as a regular, weekly feature within the 100 Huntley Street program.
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Dueck has also exercised her influence writing regular opinion columns in The Globe and Mail, participating in "Salon," the Globe's online discussion forum and writing a regular column on the CBC website.
"I marvel that God invited and equipped us to communicate His story.
He is passionate to be known by people," says Dueck, reflecting on the past five years.
"I'm also amazed how much the communications business has changed, how the world is consuming too much information too lightly.
The Christian story is facing warp speed digestion.
I didn't feel that way five years ago, but it's characteristic of 2009 and beyond."
While the growth has come, Dueck and her team have faced countless challenges along the way.
Some of the biggest obstacles have been financial ones.
Without a single funding source for Listen Up, it relies on individuals to support the ministry.
"Global TV is a hefty airtime bill for us," she explains.
"We face the reality that the higher the quality of the [program], the more viewers will watch.
"Market value programming is $100,000 per half hour, according to the tax credit structure of the Canadian Television Fund.
We only spend about one-third of that per episode.
"We haven't overcome the challenges, but we've learned persistence," says Dueck.
In spite of the on-going challenges, there's plenty to celebrate with the program gaining attention in surprising places.
Last Easter, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's representatives contacted the show to request the PM be given air time to make a special address to the nation.
Eugene Peterson, author of The Message Bible, granted his first ever television interview to Dueck.
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And Dueck increasingly finds herself called by the members of the mainstream media to comment on faith issues.
What's next for Listen Up?
"A significant plan we have is to mentor young people into creating a product for their audiences under our charitable umbrella," says Dueck.