“I want my MTV.”
That was the rallying cry for America’s youth in the 1980s who wanted their local cable providers to add the then-fledgling music video station to their service. {mprestriction ids="1,3"}Through this strategic marketing campaign, MTV was able to band its potential viewers together for the common cause, and now MTV is a staple of every cable company in America.
For Kansas City’s Jewish community, a similar rallying cry may be coming.
“I want my JBS.”
JBS is the Jewish Broadcasting Service, formerly Shalom TV, the only 24-hour cable channel in the United States that focuses exclusively on Jewish issues and news content. JBS’s programming reflects current events that address the Jewish experience in America, in Israel and internationally.
And currently, JBS is not available on any of the cable services in Kansas City.
“It should bother the Jewish community of Kansas City that they can’t watch the channel,” said Mark Golub, president and CEO of JBS, from the JBS headquarters in New York City. “It is unfathomable to us that Time Warner will not carry us. We are a non-profit station and it would be free for them to add JBS. The programming is not duplicated by any other station they have. They have never given us a real good answer as to why they won’t add our programming to their line-up.”
That answer, at least from Time Warner, isn’t coming anytime soon either. A Time Warner rep noted that the company is currently in a time of transition because a potential merger with Comcast is in the works. For that reason, Time Warner does not currently have any programming changes planned. That could change in the future, especially if the demand for JBS is loud enough.
Even though none of the cable companies in the metro area offer JBS, there are ways to watch its programming. It’s available on Google Fiber channel 459, which is not yet widely available in the area. (More information on its expansion plans in the Kansas City area can be found at https://fiber.google.com/cities/kansascity.)
JBC may also be viewed on the ROKU streaming device and on smartphones, tablets and computers via JBS’ website, www.jbstv.org.
Though these ways to watch JBS mirror the changing ways television is consumed by many people, it still doesn’t match the ease of simply switching on the TV and clicking on JBS. David Brugnone, chief marketing officer of JBS, believes the Kansas City Jewish community deserves more.
“Currently, Time Warner and SureWest (now Consolidated Communications) in Kansas City have not added the JBS Channel,” Brugnone said. “Time Warner praises our programming and yet has not agreed to add the only mainstream Jewish PBS-style channel in North America. Time Warner carries multiple Christian channels and the Qatar funded Al Jazeera channel but not JBS, which is watched by Jews and also by many non-Jews.”
Brugnone says this fact is evidenced in that one of JBS’ television providers reports that JBS viewing ranks in the top 40 percent of all its channels. He says this is proof that JBS is not just a “niche” channel and that many non-Jews watch JBS.
“It is unbelievable that every television provider has not added the JBS Channel after being available for more than two years,” Brugnone said. “Virtually every cable television provider carried our free On Demand content which was limiting and did not allow for live programs. JBS provides live, unique and important programming for everyone. We are a free channel supported by viewer donations and as our distribution grows, by advertising.”
The evidence that non-Jews are watching JBS brings another opportunity according to Golub.
“Television is ubiquitous, and it touches people every day, everywhere,” Golub said. “When something is on TV, it changes people’s perception of it. JBS does this service for the Jewish community.”
It started as a dream
JBS traces its roots to pioneering efforts in mass media.
In 1979 Mark Golub premiered L’Chayim, one of the first Jewish-centric radio programs in New York. In 1992 he made an effort to start the first Hebrew-language channel. He eventually brought a group together and negotiated a contract with Cablevision. From there, Shalom TV was born. It began as an On Demand channel, which in 2012 was rebranded into a full channel that eventually became JBS in September 2014.
“My dream has always been to create a Jewish broadcast service,” Golub said. “That is what drives me. Informing and educating people. We were optimistic when we began, but the spectacular success we have enjoyed has been more than we could have hoped for.”
Information and educational programs on JBS include Hebrew lessons and live Shabbat services for people that are unable to make it to their local synagogue.
In addition, JBS programming features a regular series of daily news from the Israeli Broadcasting Authority and the JBS News desk, as well as shows such as “L’Chayim,” “Jewish NYC,” “Jewish 101,” “Talmud Study,” “Kabbalah Study,” “Dr. Ruth,” “Muzika,” “Faith to Faith,” “Talk Books,” “Israel Tours” and “Shalom Kids” as well as exclusive event coverage of conferences and speeches.
Recently JBS has offered exclusive news coverage, often live, on the turmoil in Israel and the recent attacks in Paris. JBS reporters interviewed Jews in Paris, Israel and the United States for their reactions to these events.
“(The coverage) demonstrates the importance of JBS to the Jewish community and non-Jews with our in-depth and balanced reporting,” Brugnone said. The strength of JBS is in our news reporting and analysis with a perspective that is not found on mainstream media.”
JBS stays in frequent contact with all its television providers, giving them information on programming updates and special-event coverage, as well as asking for feedback about their programming.
‘Call your local cable company’
Historically Golub says grassroots campaigns have successfully changed content provided by cable companies. However, he said such an effort takes more than just a couple of phone calls.
“Call Time Warner and say it’s unacceptable,” explained Golub, adding that readers should ask that JBS to be added to their current cable services. “I know there is a committed Jewish base in Kansas City, one that is concerned about the State of Israel, and one that can get results when they work together.”
Golub is eager to introduce JBS to new cities and communities around the country and hopes a grassroots campaign would be successful in the area. In fact, he believes Kansas City would be a perfect place for a JBS expansion to begin.
“JBS shows how lovely Jewish people are. It shows that Jewish culture and Israel are lovely,” Golub said. “These programs are important. JBS makes an enormous impact on people’s lives and it should be seen by Jews and non-Jews alike in the Kansas City area.”{/mprestriction}