THE PROMISE OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS
by Hal Uplinger

Global Communications is already here. You are able to watch programs that are produced or broadcast in countries throughout the world.

Some broadcasts have been transmitted "live" to as many as 40% of the planet's population. And this is only the beginning of it all.

Technology improves every day and soon you will have 3-dimensional screens almost as large as your living room wall. You'll be able to shop by phone simply by pressing on the screen. You'll be able to see thousands of different programs from countries all over the world directly from the satellite to your television set -- and in English if you desire. Television will fulfill whatever your viewing needs may be.

The telephone will put you in contact with anyone you want to talk with anywhere in the world. There will be over forty low-orbit satellites around the planet which means someone with a cellular telephone can stand by the great pyramids in Egypt and talk to a party in Alice Springs, Australia.

But as great as these technological achievements may be, we are not talking "visions."

Now, imagine the satellites above the earth and the hundreds and thousands of uplinks and downlinks from countries to satellites and back down to other countries.

If you can, imagine all of these invisible transmission links as beams of light. So you have beams of light like a massive web circling the globe. The planet is immersed in a golden light net of communications. v When the content of those communications traveling on that web of light is of a higher nature than the programs available to us now, there will be a turning point taking place on earth within the hearts of people. v Then the way we think will be affected and this will affect the way we live. Our actions will be more constructive and life will become the era we long for.

This is a "vision." How do we make it our goal?

This responsibility doesn't seem to be up to the politicians. The leaders of our countries and representatives in governing bodies are supposed to act upon the wishes and desires of the people. Therefore, we cannot entirely blame them for a lack of better leadership. Some time in the future, though, they must awaken to this task.

A great responsibility lies with the broadcasters of the world. I believe they will rise to the occasion and use the most powerful media to make our planes an environmentally safe place to live and help humanity raise itself to a higher standard of thinking and living.

Television technology is the boat we are all sailing in, but the broadcasters must steer it in the right direction instead of presenting humanity with the more negative cliches of life.

Information, coordination, cooperation, and inspiration can become the broadcasting standards which will spring us into the 21st Century. As we explore outer space with the help of communication and understanding among people, we will then arrive at a Golden civilization here on Earth.

This is the mission to be accomplished through global communications.

Hal Uplinger served as executive producer for Live Aid, an unprecedented 16-hour international telecast in 1985 which focused the world on African famine relief. The production was seen by two billion people in 155 countries. Uplinger was also the executive producer for SportAid, the second African famine relief broadcast, which was also distributed worldwide. The Live Aid and SportAid broadcasts raised almost $200 million. Last year, Uplinger, with the support of Uplinger Enterprises, served as executive producer for Our Common Future, a telecast meant to heighten environmental awareness that was beamed to 17 satellites and seen in 100 countries.

Copyright © 1996. The Light Party.