STATEMENT ON TBCFM. On April 12, 1998 TBC Radio commenced operation as a Christian radio station in the Kingston Metropolitan region. The station is a ministry of the Tarrant Baptist Church, which has been in service to the community since 1892. The church, on October 30, 1995 submitted an application to the Broadcasting Commission for a licence to operate a community radio broadcasting station in Jamaica. This application was submitted after a careful deliberation over our mission as a church. The church gave consideration to the nature of its vocation within the community in which it is set. We analyzed the needs of this community and the ways in which our sister churches were organized to meet this need. We decided not to duplicate services already being offered in our area, but instead, sought to discern what God was leading us to do in fulfillment of the demands of our participation in the mission of Christ. We took note of the fact that government had developed a new policy framework for the electronic media, introducing new provisions whereby institutions could make a contribution to national development through participation in the ownership of the media. Inasmuch as facilities already existed for island wide Christian broadcasting through LOVE FM, we decided to focus on narrowcasting, and committed resources to the development of a non commercial community radio station. The ministry offered by The Breath of Change - TBC FM 88.5 is designed to reach a wide cross section of people in the Kingston metropolitan area. This ministry is marked by several features: 1. An unmistakable commitment to evangelical truth. Christ is the reason for the venture and the engine of its faithful operation. We seek to make Christ known. 2. A balanced offering of musical fare. We do not sacrifice depth for breadth in the music which will form the centrepiece of our broadcast format. The old and the new are blended with a careful accent rather on the communication of truth, than the mere titillation of the senses. 3. A determined effort to be elderly-friendly. The popular practice of judging people’s usefulness, by focussing on their capacity currently to contribute in personal ways to national development, has undermined the respect people should have for the elderly. TBC FM provides a forum for senior citizen to make their contribution especially through the story telling format of reflection on personal biographies. 4. An unquestionable determination to bolster positive community values: In faithfulness to the culture of togetherness which marks the African -roots of our heritage, we strive to undermine destructive individualism in order to strengthen community - mindedness. We work to foster a healthy sense of national pride and to project the values which underpin and support the true development of people. 5. Dedication to preserve and exemplify the noble tradition of Christian volunteerism as an expression of stewardship consciousness. Many gifted Christians will be given the opportunity to offer their services without pay in a ministry that seeks to make Christ known. They will be satisfied in contributing to the enrichment of people’s relationship with God and with each other. On December 12, 1997, we were advised of the decision to grant us a broadcasting licence. As a result, on Easter Day April 12, 1998, The Breath of Change, TBC, came sweeping over the community in which our station is set. As the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters to bring order to chaos, and as the Son of God rose victoriously at the first Easter, we know that God continues to blow the wind of the Spirit where God wills. TBC FM continues to be a part of that movement for spiritual transformation.