Far East Broadcasting Company

Acronym/Code: FEBC

Updated: 4/89

Categories:Religious, Education

Background: This nondenominational and international evangelical organization is based in La Mirada, California and was founded in l945. It is also known as FEBC Radio International. (l)

The main objectives of FEBC Radio International are both religious and political. In terms of the first, FEBC proclaims Jesus and encourages Christians to grow in their faith. (l) Politically, the group broadcasts the Good News into strategic areas such as the Philippines, Indochina, and the Soviet Union. FEBC strives to maintain political and religious freedom and is anticommunist in orientation. (4)

Funding: The FEBC is maintained by the gifts of evangelicallyminded individuals, churches, and organizations. (7)

Activities: Far East Broadcasting Company is active in gospel broadcasting in l00 languages, training nationals in ministry, conducting relief and development activities, missionary children’s education, and publishing Broadcaster magazine and Daily Prayer Target. (l) They have broadcasting stations in the Philippines, Saipan, Seychelles, Korea, and San Francisco, and recording stations in Korea, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Kenya, Lebanon, Indonesia, Burma, West Germany, Japan, Canada, and Singapore. (2) They also have headquarters support offices in Australia, Holland, New Zealand, and England. In the U.S. , the FEBC is also active in ministries among the Indochinese refugees providing them Christian literature, Bible portions, and cassette tapes in their own languages through the "Share project."(5) Through relief and development work, FEBC has an indirect church-planting purpose. (l,2)

China: From l960 to l972, FEBC broadcast from Japan into China. Because the Japanese government silenced the Chinese language station, FEBC announced a cooperative plan with Christian Communications Ltd. to start a new international radio station in South Korea. The station produces and broadcasts religious programs, literature, and tapes to be used for evangelizing China. (3)

Philippines: The Far East Broadcasting Company has been in operation in the Philippines since l948. Ten of the 28 transmitters owned and operated by FEBC are located there. (4) Broadcasts are recorded in ll languages of the Philippines, and transmitted 94 program hours daily. (4) FEBC has originated hundreds of churches in the Philippines. (l)

Indochina: A quarter-million watt radio station located on the coast of the Philippines broadcasts to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 26 of their languages and dialects daily. (5)

Russia: FEBC has been broadcasting to the Soviet Union since l95l. At present 2l hours of daily programming are heard across that vast country from four FEBC-owned and operated facilities in South Korea, Philippines, and Saipan. A high-gain directional antenna in San Francisco broadcasts over the North Pole and across the entire Soviet Union. (6)

Government Connections:Private Connections: They have worked with Overseas Crusades, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Send Intl, and Evangelical Alliance Mission. (l) They are also associated with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), and Evangelical Foreign Mission Association (EFMA). (l)

Misc:Comments:U.S. Address: Far East Broadcasting Company, Inc. , Box l, La Mirada, CA 90637. Phone: 2l3-947-4651

Principals: Governing Board: Dr. Robert H. Bowman (pres), Dr. Andrew Nelli (hon. chairman), Wiley D. Bunn (chairman), John Yakligian, Rev. Richard Bronson, Cliff Marshburn (treas), Val L. Hellikson, Frank Trolio, Ted Haney (exec dir). (l)