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Bermuda's local television channel offerings are continually expanding, with many more in development. A couple of local channels currently airing in Bermuda are worth highlighting, both for their unique approach and their commitment to educating and enriching the lives of Bermuda residents and visitors to the island.

On March 29, 2005, the Seventh-day Adventist Churches of Bermuda launched Adventist Television, the island's first local religious channel, on CableVision digital channel 80. The goal in creating the channel was to provide quality Christian-centred, informative and faith-building programmes that uplift, inspire and empower viewers.

The Seventh-day Adventist Churches of Bermuda use Adventist Television as a national platform to serve the community through their ministries. These include family ministries which help couples in relationships and assist parents in child-raising, health ministries which educate and empower a healthier lifestyle, stewardship which aids families in better budgeting practices, and bible studies which enrich the spiritual lives of people of all faiths.

Adventist Television is currently producing three local half-hour programmes weekly. Dialogue in the World and Revelation in the Word are two bible study television programmes. Sistah Sauté is an upbeat vegetarian cooking class. Programming is developed and managed by volunteer staff. Adventist Television is scheduled to air three new programmes this summer and has plans to broadcast live church services from Hamilton Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Eventually, Adventist Television intends to build a state-of-the-art television studio that will enable them to produce and air even more programmes for local audiences. Adventist Television also hopes to send Bermuda-based programming overseas to other faith-based television stations.

The Bermuda Channel, owned and produced by Bermuda Media, has a long history. It was launched almost 20 years ago, in 1987, at about the time Bermuda's hotels began introducing television in their guest rooms. Originally, The Bermuda Channel was broadcast using closed circuit facilities at each hotel property, meaning that the programming was not available outside the hotel.

Not many Bermuda residents had the opportunity to watch The Bermuda Channel in its early days, unless they stayed in a local hotel. In fact, some people were unaware of its existence until early this year when it began broadcasting through Bermuda Cablevision on digital channel 77 and became available to local homes. The move to cable television was made to improve the efficiency of The Bermuda Channel's broadcast system. The Bermuda Channel now reaches almost 100 per cent of hotel rooms on the island and provides information on daily events, current weather conditions and forecasts, and up-to-date flight arrival and departure times. The channel is successful because it gives visitors a bird's eye view of the island and provides information about where to eat, what to see and where to shop.

Other local channels worth mentioning are the Bermuda Weather Channel, which airs on CableVision channel 4, and LookBermudaTV, which airs on CableVision channel 1. The Bermuda Weather Channel broadcasts the latest weather forecasts for Bermuda and other overseas gateway destinations, and provides up-to-date information on approaching storms and severe weather conditions in the Atlantic. LookBermudaTV offers viewers 24-hour real time airport, weather, activity and tourism news, along with short movies on Bermuda's culture, history, environment, artists and events, supplemented with slideshows from recent events such as the May 24 celebrations.[[In-content Ad]]

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