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Sidney Francez Fernandes
(photo) – a
businessman from the
city of Bauru – has been
a Spiritist since 1962.
He is the director of
the Spiritist Centre
Amor e Caridade (Love
and Charity) and has
played an important role
in the dissemination of
Spiritism as a public
speaker and through
Internet radio. His
experience has become an
inspiration for
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Spiritists in may other
cities, as he tells us
in this interview:
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Tell us about the
beginning of Radio
CEAC.
It was founded on
December 2nd
2011. Richard Simonetti
was inspired by a
similar initiative in
the Brazilian city of
Vitória, the capital of
Espírito Santo state.
How do you decide on
your programmes, what
are the criteria?
The main criteria are
good quality music, the
dissemination of the
Spiritist message
through reliable and
dedicated collaborators,
the quality of the
theoretical framework
and we encourage
broadcasting messages
that lead to
enlightenment and
reflection. We broadcast
mainly messages from
speakers of our
Spiritist Centre, but
whenever there is a
possibility we open our
microphones to speakers
from other cities. We
select the best lectures
and record them into
CDs, which is then used
by other Spiritist
Centres in their
studies.
What are the technical
requirements?
To set up a web radio
station you need a good
computer, access to
broadband Internet and
subscription to a
provider. We use a
system called BRLOGIC.
Our expert on technical
issues is Marcos
Henrique, in the city of
Matão (contato@radioradio.com.br)
and Jonatas (jow_gomes@hotmail.com).
What has been the
feedback of your live
broadcasts?
They have brought us our
biggest audiences. We
publish our programmes
grid beforehand, which
enables many people who
cannot come regularly to
our open meetings to
listen from home of from
the office. There is big
demand also for our
Spiritsm Courses.
How many hits do you
get?
We are very happy with
the figures. In December
2011, we were hoping to
reach 10,000 hits by the
end of this year. But we
have now gone beyond
d36,000 hits and will be
celebrating 50,000 hits
very soon.
How do you plan and
control the broadcast of
the material you record?
It is all saved in
several computers and
external HDs. The
material is then made
available to other radio
stations that are still
in the initial stage of
their operations. People
also take the CDs and
listen to them in their
cars, at home or in
their Spiritist Groups.
Is it easy to set up a
virtual radio station?
Where do you begin? Who
do you seek help from?
It is easy and
straightforward. The two
experts mentioned
before, Marcos Henrique
and Jonatas, are
available to provide all
information and help.
What are the lessons you
have learned from this
brief experience?
I have learned that we
have a long way to go in
the dissemination of the
Spiritist Teachings. The
comfort we can offer to
other people’s pains is
more efficient and comes
quicker when we use the
new technologies
available. We still have
a lot to learn. We lack
the financial resources
to have our own
conventional radio
stations, or to provide
material more regularly
to television stations.
We are in our first
steps…
Is there anything else
you would like to add?
I would like to say that
the benefits of a
lecture, a book, a
message or an interview
could be multiplied
through all the modern
media. I see great
potential for the
dissemination and growth
of Spiritism once we
make good use of these
tools. We will be able
to reach out those who
are still shy or
embarrassed to go to
meetings at a Spiritist
Centre. They will be
able to absorb the
beautiful Teachings
through the radio, the
Internet, a CD or a DVD.
The leaders of the
Spiritist Movement must
be aware of that and
must be committed to
using all the new types
media. That will allow
them to provide solace,
to educate, to soothe
the pain and open the
possibility of a new
life style as the
principles of Spiritism
are put into practice in
our daily lives.
Note:
The link for Radio CEAC
is:
www.radioceac.com.br
