Christianity and the Media

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#006633" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="001d6c00ddvuru.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#33CC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Walmer Baptist Church</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" >    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > |     </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walmer Baptist Church"><U><U><IMG SRC="01a581f0.gif" border=0 width="88" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Christianity and the Media</div> <div> How Your Voice Can be Heard on Issues Affecting Churches and Christians<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Ecclesiastes 3:7 There is...a time to be silent and a time to speak... </div> <div> Source. The Bible</div> <div> The Church, Christians, need to be heard in today's society on every issue, we cannot be silent but should be present at discussions when the future of our society is being decided. Everyone is putting forth their views and influencing and persuading the mass media and politicians on topical issues. On a recent soap opera a bible was thrown across the room with a verbal tirade and abuse launched against it. If the Muslim Koran was treated in this way the Muslim community would be in uproar, and rightly so. People who have a faith and belief should be treated with respect. </div> <div> Yet, when the book we value to be God’s word and truth, the bible, is treated this way virtual silence is heard from the church. Recently a leading political figure in the UK blasphemed Christ publicly. Others will not speak up for us, Christians must speak out! The Home Office has contracted the University of Derby to undertake research on religious discrimination with particular reference to England and Wales. Their findings found that Christians were less likely to report unfair treatment. </div> <div> Below is an information sheet to help you be heard in the media. You do not have to be famous or influential, just informed and people will listen. The time in our nation is serious, the Christian voice must be heard. You are the Christian voice!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Write to your MP and Visit Him/Her at His/Her Constituency Office </div> <bR> <div> <B>Write to your MP at the House of Commons, LONDON, SW1A 0AA </B></div> <div> Telephone your MP on 0171 219 3000 and ask for your MP’s office </div> <bR> <div> Visit your MP. Phone the House of Commons and ask your MP’s office to give you the address and phone number of the place that the MP holds his/her surgery. Call to make an appointment. </div> <bR> <div> <B>The local MP for Dover & District </B></div> <div> is Gwyn Prosser </div> <bR> <div> Write/Fax/Email Letters to National Newspapers </div> <div> Letters should always be addressed to ‘The Editor’. Make sure you write a letter that is coherent, factual and makes rational arguments. Do not address several different subjects in a letter, address one subject per letter. The contact details are: </div> <bR> <div> Daily Mail <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, </div> <div> London W8 5TT Editor:Paul Dacre. Tel 020 7938 6000 </div> <div> Daily Express </div> <div> Tel : 020 7928 8000 </div> <div> Fax : 020 7922 7970 </div> <div> Daily Mirror </div> <div> Tel :020 7353 0246 </div> <bR> <div> Financial Times </div> <div> 1, Southwark Bridge, LONDON SE1 9HL </div> <div> Tel: 0171 873 3000, Fax 0171 407 5700, </div> <div> Email Heather.Davidson@ft.com </div> <div> The Guardian – </div> <div> 119, Farringdon Road, LONDON EC13 3ER </div> <div> Tel: 0171 278 2332, Fax 0171 713 1449, </div> <div> Email Letters@guardian.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> The Independent </div> <div> 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, </div> <div> LONDON E14 5DL </div> <div> Tel: 0171 005 2000, Fax 0171 293 2435, EEmailLetters@independent.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> The Observer </div> <div> 119 Farringdon Road </div> <div> London EC1R 3ER </div> <div> Tel : 020 7278 2332 </div> <div> Fax : 020 7713 4250/4286 </div> <div> Email : editor@observer.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> The Sun </div> <div> Tel : 020 7782 4000<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Daily Telegraph – </div> <div> 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, LONDON E14 5DT </div> <div> Tel: 0171 538 5000, Fax: 0171 538 6242, Email DTletters@telegraph.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> The Times </div> <div> 1, Pennington Street, LONDON E1 9XN Tel: 0171 782 5000, </div> <div> Fax: 0171 782 5658, </div> <div> Email: Letters@thetimes.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> The Sunday Times </div> <div> Email : editor@sunday.times.co.uk</div> <div> The Mail on Sunday, </div> <div> Editor: Peter Wright. Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT Tel: 020 7938 6000 </div> <div> Evening Standard </div> <div> Editor: Veronica Wadley. Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT Tel: 020 7938 6000 </div> <bR> <div> Contact Newsdesks </div> <div> The Press Association </div> <div> Tel : 020 7219 4282 </div> <div> Fax : 020 7219 6732 </div> <bR> <div> Caters Press Agency </div> <div> Tel : 0121 616 1100 </div> <div> Fax : 0121 616 2200 </div> <bR> <div> BBC North West (Manchester) </div> <div> Tel : 0161 200 2020 </div> <div> Fax : 0161 244 3122 </div> <bR> <div> BBC North (Leeds) Tel : 0113 244 1188 </div> <div> Fax : 0113 243 9387 </div> <bR> <div> BBC Millbank Switchboard </div> <div> (Westminster) Tel : 020 7973 6000 </div> <bR> <div> Channel 4 Newsdesk Tel : 020 7430 4551 </div> <bR> <div> Sky Main Newsdesk Tel : 020 7705 3232 </div> <bR> <div> ITN Main Newsdesk Tel : 020 7430 4551 </div> <bR> <div> BBC TV 1pm Newsdesk Tel : 020 8576 7771 </div> <bR> <div> BBC TV 6pm Newsdesk Tel : 020 8576 7776 </div> <bR> <div> BBC TV News Forward Planning Tel : 020 8576 1914 </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio News Intake Tel : 020 7765 5285 </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio News Fwd Planning Tel : 020 7765 5283 </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio 4 Today Programme Tel : 020 7765 5566 </div> <div> Email : Today@bbc.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> Granada Television Manchester Tel : 0161 832 7211 </div> <bR> <div> Granada Television Liverpool Tel : 0151 709 9393 </div> <bR> <div> Border TV Tel : 01228 25101 </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Note : When using the main switchboard numbers, ask for the Duty Officer (TV and Radio) or the News Desk (newspapers). </div> <div> Contact Your National and Local Radio Stations </div> <div> Remember to always prepare your comment carefully before writing or calling. Prepare yourself with all relevant facts, and arguments for and against your point of view. When on the programme, never get angry or over emotional! </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio – Broadcasting House, Portland Place, LONDON W1A 1AA </div> <div> Tel: 0171 580 4468. Call and ask for the ‘Duty Officer’ if a programme misrepresents Christians or is offensive to our faith. </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio 4The early evening news program ‘PM’, on Radio 4, has a letters section. Phone/fax/email a letter. </div> <div> Tel: 0181 624 9890, Fax 0181 624 9744, Email: PM@bbc.co.uk </div> <bR> <div> BBC Radio 5 Alive –Nicky Campbell has a morning phonein show. </div> <div> Tel: 0500 909 693 </div> <bR> <div> Talk Radio UK – P O Box 1089, LONDON W1A 1PP </div> <div> Tel: 0500 105389 (This is a freephone number) or 0171 636 1089 </div> <bR> <div> GMR Talk – P O Box 951, Oxford Road, MANCHESTER, M60 1SD </div> <div> Tel: 0161 228 2255 to go live on air. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Call the Television Channel if a Programme Misrepresents Christians or is Offensive to our Faith </div> <div> Ask to speak to the ‘Duty Officer’ or to the person who handles complaints. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> BBC Television – Head of Programme Complaints. BBC Broadcasting House, LONDON W1A 1AA. Tel: 08700 100 222. Email at website www.bbc.co.uk\feedback </div> <bR> <div> ITV – 200 Gray’s Inn Road, LONDON, WC1X 8HF. Tel: 0181 843 8000 </div> <bR> <div> Channel 4 – 124, Horseferry Road, LONDON, SW1P 2TX. Tel: 0171 396 4444 </div> <bR> <div> Channel 5 – 22, Long Acre Road, LONDON, WC2E 9LY. Tel: 0171 550 5555 </div> <div> Go on Chat Shows on National and Local Television </div> <div> If you are invited, prepare yourself with all relevant facts, and arguments for and against your point of view. When on the programme, never get angry or over emotional! </div> <bR> <div> ‘Question Time’ on BBC1 – Contact Caprom Productions on 0181 871 5252 </div> <div> ‘Kilroy’ on BBC1 – Call Kilroy Productions on 0181 943 3555 </div> <div> Keep this contact sheet in a place where you can quickly locate it. Act immediately! Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>