| Hollywood producer stirs up controversy by calling for change in Christian media
Phil Cooke is a “change agent”: Phil Cooke, Ph.D. has been a catalyst for change for nearly 30 years. An award-winning television and film producer & director in the Hollywood entertainment industry who’s produced programming in more than 35 countries, his work has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. Very likely the only Hollywood producer-director with a Ph.D. in Theology, he is a highly respected media consultant and “coach” to a wide range of corporations, non-profit organizations, churches and ministries, including some of the largest and best-known Christian media ministries in the world, such as Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer and Paula White. His work has had a profound influence on the effectiveness, quality and success of these ministries, and is a significant reason they are having such an impact nationally. Phil Cooke is also a founding partner in the successful television commercial and branded content company “Thomas/Winter/Cooke,” whose corporate clients include Verizon, Home Depot, Mercedes, McDonalds, and Kraft Foods, etc. Phil’s partners in this innovative company are Clio award-winning producer Mark Thomas and movie producer Ralph Winter (X-Men, Fantastic Four, etc.). A member of the board of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), Phil Cooke writes monthly columns on faith and media for “Charisma” magazine and “Ministries Today.” Recently, his selected projects have been placed in the permanent archive on the History of Broadcasting at the Newhouse School of Communication at Syracuse University representing landmark work in inspirational & religious broadcasting. A frequent lecturer at media conferences, universities and workshops, Phil is known internationally as an expert on change, and speaks on the power of personal and corporate change at many workshops, seminars, and conferences, both in the U.S. and abroad. Author of “Successful Christian Television,” his latest book on change entitled “Change or Die: Take Charge of Your Life Through the Power of Personal Change” is slated for release in Spring 2006. With the belief that “organizations don’t change—people do,” this book will provide people with a 25-day plan on how to change their lives. Phil’s literary agent, Yates & Yates, which also represents author John Maxwell, anticipates the book will have a broad-based mainstream reach. Cooke stirs up controversy with bold statements about the need for change: With decades of experience in both Christian and secular media, Cooke’s insight is unique. “I have a ringside seat to both perspectives,” he observes. Today, he is making bold and controversial statements about the need for change in the Church, Christian media, and the way Christians interact with secular media. 1. The Church itself is actually responsible the moral vacuum in secular media 2. Criticism and boycotts of the entertainment industry have to stop if the Church is going to make a real impact—it’s time to engage the culture rather than simply reject it 3. The films and television productions made by Christians are often of very poor quality 4. Christian media needs to be more relevant to today’s culture 5. Christian media must lose the Christian “lingo” and speak in a language the culture understands 6. Christians could lose the next generation if Christian media isn’t used effectively 7. Christian media needs to move away from the era of TV preachers 8. Christian programming tends to all look alike—we need to create more effective kinds (Note: Click here for expanded "controversial statments" with Phil's commentary.) Changes Phil Cooke is making to make Christian media more relevant: “My vision is to use the media to make a global impact by raising the bar in its quality and effectiveness,” says Phil Cooke. “I feel called to be salt and light in an otherwise bland and darkened world.” One of Phil’s leading goals is to eliminate poor technical quality, dated styles, and irrelevant content in Christian television. To this end, he’s worked with some of Hollywood’s hottest designers, lighting directors, and other industry professionals to harness their expertise for the benefit of his religious media clients. For example, Phil brought in the designer of the Oprah Winfrey Show set to design the set of Joyce Meyer’s national television program, which is produced in 14 versions and broadcast internationally in 22 languages. Phil also helped to shape the recent re-branding of Joyce Meyer’s ministry to have a much more contemporary feel, encouraging the use of relevant subjects, style, and terminology to more effectively reach her audience. To light the set of Joel Osteen’s program (which has been called the “#1 Inspirational Program in America”) at the Lakewood International Center, former home of the Houston Rockets that seats 18,000 people, Phil brought in industry veteran Bill Klages, a 7-time Emmy Award-winning lighting designer who has worked on the televised Olympics and Grammy Awards. Production after production, Phil is famous for helping media ministry leaders find their voice. He began working with Joel Osteen many years before he ever preached his first sermon on television. A long time friend and confidant, Phil helped Osteen hone his positioning by determining his prospective audience, and help him find his voice through video presentations and program segments featured in the program. And now, Phil Cooke’s clients are receiving the attention of mainstream secular media. Major television networks have approached both Joel Osteen and Paula White about producing mainstream versions of their popular inspirational programs. For more information: Phil Cooke, Ph.D. is a highly sought-after expert on a variety of topics, including religion in America, religion in Hollywood, faith in culture, media coverage of faith angles, the impact of the media, televangelists, and how Christian ministries can use the media more effectively. For more information, visit www.philcooke.com. Click here for contact information for Phil Cooke's publicist. |
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| Anne P. Sharp Los Angeles CA, USA |
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