Tony Cummings investigated the Centre For Justice and Liberty.

Gareth Littler

One of the newest Christian organisations in the media world is the Centre For Justice And Liberty, founded by Gareth Littler and Patricia Hargreaves and with headquarters in rather grand surroundings at a listed I building in Crewe. Gareth and Patricia have been a leading figure in the fight to see changes in the laws relating to the broadcasting of Christian material in the UK. In a lightning visit to the Cross Rhythms HQ, Gareth and Patricia spoke about their work and vision.

Tony: The Centre For Justice And Liberty is a new organisation. Can you give me a potted I history of how it came to be formed and on what you did prior to setting it up?

Gareth: Firstly, there was a word from Bob Gass in The Word For Today which was about |taking charge of your own calling. Patricia and I had come to realise down the years that there was opposition in officialdom to freedom for Christian broadcasting and that with the arrival of new broadcast legislation both in London and in Brussels over the next few years, it was imperative that politicians and (officials be lobbied so that Christians could be treated just like anybody else when it came to (freedom to apply for licences. Previously, I've (been a trustee and managing director of United Christian Broadcasters, I've served UCB for 14 years. My co-director at the Centre For Justice And Liberty, Patricia Hargreaves, (has served UCB for seven years. We are now (working under a new heading, Centre For (justice And Liberty. We are looking for exactly that - justice and liberty.

Tony: Can you give us a potted history of recent broadcasting law as it affects Christians and your involvement in it?

Gareth: I was involved in lobbying the 1990 Broadcasting Act and was responsible for authoring five amendments relating to religion in the 1990 Act. The end result of those amendments is that we now have freedom not only for Cross Rhythms to be able to broadcast by satellite but also for Premier to be able to broadcast locally in London. Until our amendments to the 1990 Broadcasting Act Christians could not run and operate any radio or TV stations in this country. We then managed to get those changes to the law which affect both television and radio and now we face a new challenge as a result of the 1996 Act which introduced further restrictions. We face a ban on national Christian radio, a ban on local digital radio and we are looking to change the new legislation in order to remove those restrictions.

Tony: Hasn't the decision by the European Court meant that there is no point in UCB, or any other party for that matter, continuing to pursue the right to apply for a national broadcasting licence?

Gareth: The decision of the European Court was not to admit the case. Since then the Court has started to ask serious questions about the information they were given by the British government which caused them to make that decision. So there is still the possibility of some sort of review of the decision from Europe.

Tony: Why start the Centre For Justice And Liberty? Couldn't you have continued the legal fight from within UCB?

Patricia: It was all very well to sit inside a very successful Christian broadcasting organisation and shout for freedom but actually what's at concern here are matters that profoundly affect this nation. That's the issue rather than just wanting UCB and Cross Rhythms to get licences. It's now time for Christians to face how dark our nation has become. There needs to be a voice that brings together all those groups in the Kingdom of God that are making programming, producing music and all the broadcasting ministries, get the prayer and intercession needed and wake up the Church. Then we can say to this land and the government of this land that our nation has a Christian heritage, more than that, we have a living, vibrant group of believers in this nation who want the right to actually live out their beliefs day to day and to listen to the Word of God and Christian music on the radio.

Tony: So your organisation will be a mouthpiece to the politicians and bureaucrats representing all the strands of Christian broadcasting and the Christian music industry?

Patricia: That makes it sound very grand. But I would say yes. We just want to serve these groups in order to represent them and say to this government that they have a right, just the same as all other industries, to produce music and give it an airing on radio.

Patricia Hargreaves

Tony: But you've met HUGE resistance in the past. Wouldn't it be better to stop fighting now and I accept the current legal situation?

Patricia: That's a bit like saying why don't we just give up and die? Well, actually Jesus died 12000 years ago to have the victory, to bring a (freedom and a liberty for us to stand up and say, 'No, we're not going to lie down and die. One's already done it. We have a future.'

Gareth: The European Court ruling was a decision simply not to admit a case to the I Court. It does not mean we will not have freedom in the future. Now is an actual crucial [time in media history. The new legislation will govern all communications right through from television and radio to the internet so whatever you wish to broadcast from this country will be governed by that new legislation. Christians MUST be heard concerning this legislation.