(Clearwisdom.net) Dear Master and fellow practitioners:
It is my great pleasure to present my speech during this experience sharing conference. I would like to take this opportunity to explain the important role played by the NTDTV satellite channel in truth clarification about Falun Gong and saving sentient beings. I would also like to share with you my thoughts and experiences gained during the NTDTV-Asia Pacific satellite contract renewal, which was finalized last month.
1. Satellite TV Channel as Media Platform That Cannot Be Blocked
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has put all of its effort into blocking the free flow of truthful information. However, it cannot completely block the satellite signal from space, which transmits to a large area around the globe. Since the establishment of the New Tang Dynasty Television global satellite channel in July 2003, we have continued delivering the facts about Falun Dafa to North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia through this platform. Our main effort is to broadcast to China, which is our top priority.
Since the CCP couldn't block the signal through technical means, it started threatening and bribing international satellite companies who have the capabilities to broadcast into China, and through political pressure and commercial interests force them to not rent satellite space to New Tang Dynasty Television. As practitioners who were involved in the discussions with satellite companies may know, it was difficult to find one that dared to work with us. We confronted great obstacles, as contracts would be canceled by the satellite companies just several hours or days after the contracts were signed. Even when contracts were successfully signed, we continued to encounter challenges. With the help and support from Master and practitioners around the world, we have been able to carry out the mission of broadcasting to China by relying on several rented Asian satellites, including NSS-6, W5 of Eutelsat, and ST-1. From several years of experience, we have found that the most effective way to overcome barriers was to clarify the facts about Falun Gong consistently and face the challenges directly.
During the process, practitioners introduced some other methods to keep the NTDTV broadcasts alive, such as online television. Our understanding is that we have to guarantee the smooth operation of every channel in our truth clarification efforts. There is no substitute for each channel. We not only need to keep the New Tang Dynasty Television alive, but also make sure no obstacles impede its signal transmissions. We have to keep the satellite TV channel platform alive and continue the broadcasting services.
2. Moving Forward Despite Difficulties while Cultivating without Attachments
In June 2008, two months prior to the Beijing Olympics hosted by the CCP, Eutelsat shut down satellite W5, which carried the New Tang Dynasty Television signal, claiming technical problems. During subsequent months, practitioners frequently collected data and analyzed this incident. Even though we were not successful in broadcasting through the W5 satellite after investing time and manpower, we realized that as long as the things we did were worth doing, we needed to move forward. It doesn't matter how difficult or serious the situation was. Even if there was only a slim likelihood of winning, from an everyday people’s perspective, we have to move forward. The way to clarify the truth and the way of cultivation have already been established, so practitioners just need to keep walking. Let’s cultivate without attachments and do the things we need to do.
In September 2009, two weeks ahead of the 60-year anniversary of the CCP, ST-1, which was NTDTV’s only remaining rented Asian satellite, saw its signal interrupted over and over again. Every night during news broadcasts, it received interruptions from an unknown signal. Especially on October 1, the interruptions lasted for the entire day. In our discussions with government agencies and satellite companies, some organizations just wanted to wrap up the case without further investigation. However, we insisted on truth clarification and brought up the issues through various channels. After six months of investigation, it was declared to be a suspicious activity. The incident was brought to the attention of Taiwan officials and international society. The road we walked during those six months was filled with challenges, given that the government of Taiwan tightly controlled the satellite and telecommunication industry. It was like competing with a team of opponents who are both players and referees. We weren't able to obtain any evidence, and all the important information could be altered or destroyed by our opponents. In retrospect, we can say that we continued moving forward. And during certain key periods, we obtained some useful technical documents, which are usually impossible to get through everyday people’s methods. That was miraculous, and it appears that we received help from the divine.
Two years later, in April 2011, New Tang Dynasty Television was once again notified that the contract would not be renewed. History seemed to be repeating itself, however we weren't too surprised, and we had to decide how to resolve the issue. It appeared that this time the satellite contract renewal incident was carefully planned and orchestrated, not like the prior incidents which had been uncoordinated and resulted in unknown signal interruption by some agencies. This time we could barely identify any problems. What could we do? We were considering two options. We could either insist on renting the new ST-2 satellite or we would switch to other transmission modes, such as optical fiber, Internet, or additional satellites by accepting the suggestions from the government agencies. Which option was correct?
Would it cause misunderstanding by the public if we insisted on using the ST-2 satellite? Luckily, we chose the most challenging and probably the best and fastest road by selecting the satellite option. We finished the contract renewal work in late June, just ahead of the renewal deadline. It was as if the incident had never happened. When looking back, the whole process seems like a dream. Most impressively, many sentient beings learned the facts about Falun Gong and thus have been saved during the past two months.
It was very difficult to remain persistent during the ordeal, as we could not see the future, nor did we know if the approach was right or wrong from a practical standpoint. What motivated us to move forward were the three requirements for Dafa practitioners: more Fa study, clarifying the truth, and sharing. Master also gave us multiple hints. Some practitioners with supernormal abilities saw that a person involved in the ST-2 satellite incident had sent requests for help and asked us not to give up. The incident was created to help us clarify the truth. Practitioners used every opportunity to clarify the facts. They developed a list of reasons so they could convince the general public that New Tang Dynasty Television’s insistence on using the ST-2 was in the best interest of the people.
3. Communicating Consistently and Working as One Body
The only tool available to us during the NTDTV contract renewal incident was clarifying the truth. Therefore, it became of utmost importance for us to communicate with practitioners from all regions, understanding all needs from within the Fa, reaching consensus, and improving ourselves continuously.
As mentioned above, Chunghwa Telecom’s refusal to renew our contract seemed to be well planned, and we could barely find anything out of the ordinary with it. We didn't have enough information about what had actually happened behind the scenes and how far and deep it had reached, such as who had given the order, who was in charge, and what kind of trade or deals had taken place. Therefore, we could only visit government officials at higher levels and clarify the truth to them, one by one. Even though we were unable to link every senior official to the incident, we were surprised to see some critical influences and effects brought by those powerful people that we visited. Dafa disciples’ cooperating as one body generated tremendous power, which enabled us to seize all opportunities, one after another, meet the right person at the right time and location, and bring together those with influence, which facilitated the successful renewal of our contract within two months. It is quite unlikely to have so many advantages, such as time, location, and people, at the same time by using everyday people’s methods. There is a rumor going around that if you don't know of the NTDTV contract renewal incident, you are not a senior government official. Indeed, every time we mentioned NTDTV in our truth clarification, people had heard about it.
4. Understanding “Clarifying the truth is the master key”
With the help of practitioners from many regions, we were able to make appointments with government officials at all levels. What did we have to tell them? Sometimes, we didn't have too much to say due to the lack of evidence. All we could request was that we needed to renew the ST-2 satellite contract. Usually, we only knew that the person had a background in the satellite or telecommunication sector, but were uncertain what kind of help he could provide. We did our homework as much as possible, including adjusting ourselves, preparing documents, and building up a team for truth clarification. We sometimes included more practitioners in the team. Some could send forth righteous thoughts, while others with the correct background were involved in the questions and answers discussion with the official.
Miraculously, after our truth clarifications, the knowing sides of our audiences were always touched. It was then their turn to tell us what they learned about the incident. That was the real test. Sometimes, practitioners are curious to learn what we told the government officials. My answer is always that it was nothing special. Whenever we met with those people, we told them the basic truth, such as what Falun Gong is, what NTDTV is, and why we need to clarify the truth. After that, the government officials would tell us what they knew. It sounds like a detective story, in which we would follow the information obtained from one person to find the next target to clarify the truth to, then we would get more information, and then continue to find the next person.
As Master said, “Clarifying the truth is the master key.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference”) It has helped us open one door after another, and we were able to save sentient beings during the process.
5. Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts as a Group at Selected Times
Sending forth righteous thoughts as a group at selected times was another factor that contributed to the successful renewal of the contract. There are several good examples of applying such methods, including the promotion of Shen Yun Performing Arts this year and the protest against the human rights violators from the CCP. Some practitioners organized a special group whose duty includes around the clock, nonstop sending forth righteous thoughts for the satellite contract renewal. The group extended the time and increased the manpower in sending forth righteous thoughts on important dates when interviews or meetings were held. We also set up special indoor space for practitioners to send forth righteous thoughts. The duration at noon was extended to 35 minutes. The intense work of sending forth righteous thoughts eliminated the interference from the outside to a large extent, tremendously helped the truth clarification, and guaranteed the success of meetings. This was the first time we experienced the full power of righteous thoughts.
6. Conclusion
During the satellite contract renewal incident of New Tang Dynasty Television - Asia Pacific, practitioners arrived at new levels, in terms of both width and depth, of truth clarification, something we had never experienced before. We are very glad that our truth clarification has been spread to the senior governmental officials and legislative members of all parties, and that they have made the correct decisions as a result. Meanwhile, we had to be very cautious so we wouldn't get attached to the results. We needed to keep clarifying the truth until the contract renewal was completed. During the process, with our efforts, the chief executive of Taiwan and the chief of the Public Opinions both showed their support for NTDTV. Moreover, the proposal of support for NTDTV was also written into the primary resolution during the planning of the nation's budget.
However, when many of us thought we were almost done, the satellite company did not take any action, which came as a great surprise to many of the everyday experts. Actually, it was a reminder to us that we should not form attachments to the power of the government officials. We still needed to take all kinds of opportunities to clarify the truth. Finally, the decision to renew the contract was made in a seemingly unimportant meeting. After that, we followed the normal procedures to sign the contract like nothing had ever happened before. As we all know, the power of truth clarification and sending forth righteous thoughts by practitioners all around the world during the past two months played a significant role in the contract renewal activity.
Thank you, esteemed Master, for your great compassion! Thank you, Master, for allowing us to fulfill our vows to save sentient beings!
I also would like to give my thanks to all practitioners on behalf of all the employees working in New Tang Dynasty Television - Asia Pacific. Thank you very much for your dedication.
Thank you, esteemed Master! Thank you all.