New children and youth programs for Persian viewers

The changes to the line-up on SAT-7 PARS come in response to the evolving needs of the channel’s younger audience.

One of the new programs is Room 7, a live show aimed at teenagers. It has been developed by former Church4Kids presenter Mariam Rassouli, who recognised that viewers of this program were starting to outgrow its content and style.

She said this became apparent in the different kinds of questions they were asking: “They were becoming more personal about issues like identity, self-worth, emotions, friends and relationships. It’s a very natural part of growing up.”

SAFE SPACE

To explore their needs further, Mariam asked Persian teens about their struggles and questions, and the issues they want to talk about.

“The way we communicate with them has to change as well,” she added. “They want to interact, express themselves, feel like their voice matters.”

Recalling her own teenage years, the 26-year-old presenter and producer said, “I didn’t need someone to give me the perfect answer to every question, but I needed a safe space to be heard without judgment.”

Room 7 combines authentic conversation with segments on lifestyle content, emotional health, storytelling and music, connecting faith with everyday experiences. Viewers are able to participate through various anonymous means.

“The most important thing I want to carry forward from Church4Kids is the trust that we built with the viewers. They know us; they know that we care about them; they know that they can come to us with any question they have.”

NEXT GENERATION

As the maturing Church4Kids audience moves across to the new Room 7 program, two new children’s programs are starting on SAT-7 PARS for the next generation of younger viewers.

Story House is a pre-recorded program designed for children who do not have a church or Sunday school to attend. The fun and engaging style helps youngsters explore stories from the Bible and learn about God’s love for them. And short segments filmed at Persian-speaking churches in Türkiye give viewers an experience of church community and how young Christians live out their faith together.

Our Alley is a live show with different dynamic segments to help viewers aged 7-12 interact with the weekly theme. Through stories, games, music, crafts and discussions, each episode encourages children to ask questions, solve problems, and grow in character and faith while having fun. An exciting feature of Our Alley is its use of the studio’s green screen and virtual set technology to take viewers on travel adventures to different cities, historical landmarks, natural attractions and cultural locations across Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

“Our younger viewers are growing, and their needs are changing, so it is important that our programming grows with them,” said Nazanin Ashari, SAT-7 PARS Programming Manager. “With these new programs, we hope to offer a stronger and more diverse range of content where children and teenagers can learn, ask questions, explore their faith and discover God’s love in ways that are engaging and relevant to them. We are excited about these new programs on SAT-7 PARS, and we ask you to pray with us that they will impact many young lives.”

• As Iran marks Children’s Day on 8 October, let’s pray for Iranian youngsters as they watch these new programs on SAT-7 PARS. May they bring hope and encouragement into young lives across the Persian world.