For Immediate Release:

PHIL COOKE’S THE LAST TV EVANGELIST: Why The Next Generation Couldn’t Care Less About Religious Media EXAMINES RELIGIOUS MEDIA’S RELEVANCY TO A NEW GENERATION

THE LAST TV EVANGELIST to Debut During National Religious Broadcasters 2009 Convention. Cooke Honored as Host of Reach Keynote Sessions; Panelist on Media Branding
and Market Trends

Phil Cooke delivers an unwavering look at the state of Religious media in his new book THE LAST TV EVANGELIST: Why The Next Generation Couldn’t Care Less About Religious Media, and Why It Matters, debuting this week during the National Religious Broadcasters Convention (NRB) in Nashville, TN. With more than three decades of experience in both faith-based and secular media, Cooke examines what has gone wrong in the religious media market, along with what is going right. Cooke suggests that the way the Church responds will determine its relevancy for the next generation.

Phil Cooke is the guy who is out to fix bad religious television. This is the first insider’s look at the billion dollar industry called religious broadcasting, as well as the technological revolution that could quickly make that industry disappear.  

Cooke’s perspective is the result of years of working in the market. It's Phil Cooke's passion to transform religious media from the era of TV evangelists to the era of TV producers.  In doing so, his goal is to help the Church regain its voice in the culture. 

As a leading producer and writer on the subject, many of the largest and most effective Christian media ministries in the country are or have been Cooke’s clients.  This book is the first time anyone has dared to mention the elephant in the room – and provided a real critique with solutions for making positive change happen.  A global media transformation is happening. At the same time, there are millions of people in the faith community who don’t like what they hear and see on religious radio and television.  

No one has ever had a solution… until now. The book covers issues like: 

• How Christian broadcasting works from the inside.
• The "wacky factor" in religious broadcasting.
• Why audiences give, and who they support.
• The history and limitations of religious broadcasting.
• The need for radical change in the industry.
• Possibilities for the future.
• ... And solutions for making that change happen.

Too often, a younger generation associates religious media with sex and money scandals, political maneuvering, fake hair and gold furniture. The Last TV Evangelist is a guide to the media revolution that’s happening in our culture, and how this transformation will impact spirituality and the church.

The Last TV Evangelist covers the history of religious broadcasting in the United States, and reveals how it's come to the current situation.  It gives the reader an inside look at how the industry works, from radio, to television, and the Internet.  The book also reveals the limitations and problems in the industry, current criticisms, and most important, it shows the changes that need to be made for positive change to happen.

At the same time, the book is a timely guide to the digital media revolution that's transforming how this culture communicates.

The Last TV Evangelist is causing quite a buzz in the media and in religious circles:

“Phil, with total honesty and clarity, gives great insight into the world of Christian media. For anyone involved with Christian content or who desires to understand Christian media, this is a must read. The Last TV Evangelist will be invaluable for generations to come.” - Tony Thomopoulous, Former President ABC Broadcast Group and former Chairman, United Artists Pictures.

“The Last TV Evangelist is the conversation everyone has been talking about but no one has had the courage to write about. Phil Cooke confronts the problems and offers solutions that are sure to be the playbook for a new generation of media ministry. This book will either cost him his career in ministry media or catapult him to cult status." - Brad Abare, Founder - Church Marketing Sucks, and The Center for Church Communication.

“If there’s anyone out there who understands better the digital component of our Google world than Phil Cooke, I don’t know who it is. The Last TV Evangelist might be better titled, The First Yellow Brick Road to Our Digital Future. You’d be wise to get on it quick.” - Leonard Sweet, Drew Theological School, George Fox University.

“Cooke examines the dangers of what is being done wrong, juxtaposed with how to do it right. The Last TV Evangelist is a wake-up call and a must read for all pastors and church media producers, as well as all who are trying to reinvent themselves in the digital age.” – Howard Kazanjian. Producer, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars: Episode VI – the Return of the Jedi.

“The Last TV Evangelist is a must-read for anyone who is tired of living within the comfortable confines of the Christian Bubble, as Phil calls it, and really wants their voice to be heard in the culture-at-large. Bravo!” – Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church, Author, Wild Goose Chase.

“We love The Last TV Evangelist, but if we published it, we would jeopardize our relationship with too many TV ministries.” – A Major Religious Publisher.

“This is Phil Cooke’s best book. It does not just point out toxic faith on the air, it has solutions. Phil is brilliant and we are changing some things at NewLife Live because of The Last TV Evangelist. It is a new world, and Phil does a great job of telling us how to reach into it. If you are behind the times, this book will help you catch up. Now.” - Steve Arterburn, Founder and Chairman, NewLife Ministries.

The Last TV Evangelist: Why the Next Generation Couldn’t Care Less About Religious Media, and Why it Matters goes into limited release in February and wide release in March 2009 through Conversant Media. Group.

About Conversant Media Group:
Conversant Media Group is the creative force behind Conversantlife.com (http://www.conversantlife.com), a content-rich new media website that encourages conversations about faith and culture through expert blogs, social news, video, podcasts, and community participation. Conversant Media Group utilizes a “collaborative publishing” business model and digital print technologies to produce engaging books offered in traditional print as well as various electronic formats.

About Phil Cooke:
A working producer with a Ph.D. in Theology, Phil Cooke (http://www.philcooke.com) advises many of the largest and most effective non-profit and faith based organizations in the world. He has appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News Network, and his work has been profiled in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal. His 2008 book Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Impact the Culture and Others Don’t has changed the way non-profit and religious organizations use the media to tell their story. Cooke has lectured at universities like Yale, University of California at Berkeley, UCLA and is an adjunct professor at the King’s College and Seminary and Biola University.

Phil Cooke’s NRB Speaking Schedule:

Saturday Feb 7 – 11:00 am Hosting the Reach Opening Keynote Session

Sunday Feb 8 – 2:00 pm Lecturing on the Open Media Revolution
7:00 pm Hosting the Reach Keynote Session

Monday Feb 9 – 9:30 am Hosting the Reach Keynote Session: New Media and New Models

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For a sneak peek inside The Last TV Evangelist, including a free chapter download, visit Phil Cooke's Author Store at http://www.conversantlife.com/philcooke

For more information on Phil Cooke, to schedule an interview, or for a review copy of The Last TV Evangelist, please contact:

Lori Lenz – FrontGate Media
714-553-5181
lori@frontgatemedia.com