Phil Cooke, an award-winning and nationally recognized television producer who has worked with many of the most successful media ministries in the world, has been named executive producer of the “Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller”.
Cooke and his creative team from his production company, Cooke Pictures, will begin consulting on the program immediately and reshape the program over the course of several months. His vision is to continue to appeal to existing viewers while attracting new viewers across a broad demographic spectrum.
“We’re thrilled that Phil will become our new executive producer,” said Schuller. “He is a dynamic communicator and has worked with incredible ministries and religious leaders. We’re eager to take the program to new levels and produce compelling content that will entice and excite people with the message of the gospel. Phil is the perfect partner to help us accomplish this.”
“Pastor Bobby Schuller has a unique voice, and his message is already impacting enormous numbers of people worldwide,” said Cooke. “This is a major transition for one of the longest-running programs in Christian television history, and we want to expose that message to the largest audience possible.”
Cooke is well respected for his religious and inspirational programming and has worked with leading religious broadcasters and ministries, including The Southern Baptist Convention, the JESUS Film Project and The Salvation Army.
His production of Billy Graham’s “Starting Over” was the most-watched program of Graham’s ministry, with 2.5 billion viewers worldwide. Cooke is also the co-founder, along with his wife Kathleen, of Cooke Pictures, a media production and consulting company that has produced programming in more than 50 countries.
An internationally known writer and speaker, Phil Cooke has produced media programming in nearly 50 countries around the world; Photo Courtesy of the NRB.
Cooke has helped produce two Super Bowl ads and has also worked on numerous national advertising campaigns for major motion picture studios. His secular client list includes ESPN, Walt Disney Studios and National Public Broadcasting.
The new “Hour of Power,” which re-launched last fall, retains its popular sacred music and sermon while incorporating new segments, including special guests interviewed on location and popular music performers.
The ministry, founded by Schuller’s grandfather, began as the Garden Grove Community Church at the Orange Drive-in Theatre in 1955, soon adding a 300-seat chapel four miles away. It later expanded to the larger campus. As the ministry grew, in 1970 the “Hour of Power” television program launched and aired in all 50 states by 1975. The program eventually became the most-watched religious program in the world, reaching 17 million viewers.
“Hour of Power with Bobby Schuller” can be seen in the U.S. on TBN, The Church Channel, NRB Network, KTLA in Los Angeles and the new Pop network.
Supported by a network of 11 Hour of Power local offices around the world, the full hour airs internationally in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, New Zealand, Pearl River Delta/China Mainland, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, South Africa and other African countries, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A half-hour version airs in 177 countries and on all military ships at sea on American Forces Network.
The full hour is available at all times at HourofPower.org
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