Regional Spotlight
- The impact of Christian media has been significant across the former Soviet Union. Some of the world’s most powerful radio stations, once used by Communists, are now used by Christian agencies as part of their worldwide network.
- Russians are among the heaviest drinkers in the world, consuming an average of 15 liters of alcohol per head per year. In 2002, more than 40,000 Russians died from alcohol poisoning.
- Roughly 1.4 million people in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are estimated to be living with HIV and AIDS; in some countries, up to 80 percent of cases can be attributed to drug abuse.
- Children in Russia are at high risk of violence, abuse, neglect and abandonment—some estimate that there are 1.2 million street children in the cities.
Sources: UNAIDS AIDS Epidemic Update 2004; BBC News; Operation World, 21st Century Edition
Key Strategies
- Produce HIV/AIDS and drug/alcohol addiction broadcasts for Russia and Central Asia
- Provide dramatized Scripture and chronological Bible story programs for Central Asia
- Produce and air children’s/youth programming for Russia and women’s programs for Central Asia
Technology
| Broadcast Site | Wave | Transmitting Power/Amt |
|---|---|---|
| Grigoriopol | AM | 500,000-watt/1 |
| St. Petersburg | AM | 10,000-watt/1 |
| Albania | SW | 100,000-watt/1 |
| Austria | SW | 100,000-watt/1 |
| Central Asia | SW | 100,000-watt/1 |
| AM 1-million-watt/1 | ||
| AM 50,000-watt/1 | ||
| Central Asia East | AM | 150,000-watt/1 |
TWR airs broadcasts over two State channels, Mayak and Yunost, providing airtime on 720 FM and local AM transmitters. TWR also airs Ukrainian-produced programs via 217 local FM and AM transmitters in Ukraine.
Languages & Dialects
Avar, Belarusian, Chechen, Dargwa, English, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kumyk, Kyrgyz, Lak, Lezgi, Russian, Central Asian Russian (CAR), Tajik, Turkmen, Uighur , Ukrainian, and Uzbek
Programs & Initiatives
- MemCare by Radio programs aim to encourage missionaries and expatriate believers living in Central Asia
- Produce new programs for children
- Supply Russian prisons with TWR programs
Studios
A variety of programs are recorded and produced at six locations across the CIS and in several other locations throughout Central Asia.
- MOSCOW, RUSSIA founded June 1991
- ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA founded June 1991
- BREST, BELARUS founded March 1991
- KIEV, UKRAINE founded February 1994
- KHARKOV, UKRAINE founded November 1997
- KRASNOYARSK, RUSSIA founded October 2003
Listeners Respond
“My husband accepted the Lord after listening to your programs, and then I followed. Now we have two Christian families in our village.” - Ukraine
“Because of you I was able to hear and accept the good news of salvation. The programs of TWR gave me something that I had been missing for many years.” – Russia
“I started to listen to your programs recently. Your broadcasts awakened me from a deep spiritual sleep and give me hope and faith in the truth.” –Uzbekistan