Abundant Life Broadcasting, UHF Channel 27, is Sacramento area’s newest and perhaps last local television station. In 1994, a group of Christian volunteers from the Roseville area, led by Gordon Cox, had a dream of having a 24-hour a day Christian television station in Sacramento. They discovered there were no new permits, but if they could find an existing permit that was not being used, there was still hope.
Cox, Chairman for Abundant Life Broadcasting Board, said that “because of the exploding demand for new television frequencies and the advent of digital TV, the Federal Communication Commission has issued a statement that no new UHF TV permits will be given anywhere in the nation.”
However, Cox found one permit issued that was not being used, but it was to expire in just a few months. A tower location needed to be found, engineering needed to be done, and $100,000 needed to be raised for a transmitter and antenna. It appeared the project was destined to bog down in red tape.
The committee approached local Pastor Doug Batchelor, Senior Pastor of the Sacramento Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, who was already deeply involved in broadcasting both in Sacramento and nationally. Together, with renewed vigor, this group of local community volunteers, were able to raise the needed funding and get on the air one week before the construction permit expired.
The new 2000 watt station is now transmitting from one of the 300 foot KFIA radio tower in Rocklin, California. “It has been reported that this signal reaches as far as Oroville in the North, South Sacramento, Folsom in the East and Vacaville to the West,” said Pastor Batchelor.
Currently ALB 27 rebroadcasts the programming of Three Angels Broadcasting Network, a Christian satellite network based in Southern Illinois. Programs include music, Bible teaching, health lectures, history, educational programs for children and teens as well as local programming.
ALB 27 can now be received on any television receiving VHF channels, however an antenna pointed toward Rocklin is needed. Many requests have been received for ALB 27 to be added to COMCAST Cable (formally Sacramento Cable) as there is no 24-hour religious channel now available. Batchelor added, “People are beginning to write letters and we are hopeful that COMCAST Cable and other local carriers, will find room to carry this family style, inspirational programming soon.”
When these cable companies receive enough requests from their subscriber or others who would subscribe, they will add this new local station. If you would like to have the choice of 24-hour Christian programming, please send a letter to your cable carrier or COMCAST Cable, 4350 Pell Drive, Sacramento 95838 requesting ALB 27 be added to their channel options.