On the air for 39 years now, the Honduran Armed Forces broadcast program “Proyecciones Militares” is a staple in the mainstream media and one of the country’s pioneer television productions in the country.
The Honduran Armed Forces broadcast program Proyecciones Militares (Military Projections), which has aired for more than four decades, is a staple in the mainstream media and one of the country’s pioneer television productions. Generations of Hondurans have grown up with the show’s weekly one-hour reports on the institution’s activities.
Proyecciones Militares, spearheaded by Colonel Efraín Gonzáles as the first project of the Armed Forces’ new Office of Public Relations, began broadcast on Honduras’ first (and at the time, only) television station in 1967. Television had come to Honduras just eight years earlier, in 1959, and the Armed Forces wanted to march with the times and inform the civilian population about the many ways it provides public security.
Keeping the civilian populaton informed
“The program was established to increase the level of knowledge and comprehension of the Honduran people about the existence and mission of the armed institution,” said Colonel José Antonio Sánchez, the current spokesman of the Armed Forces. He oversees a communications operation that includes radio productions and various publications, in addition to the television program.
“It is important for the population to know what the armed branch of its government is doing,” said political analyst and columnist Juan Ramón Martínez, who hosts his own television program and understands the relevance of this type of communication outreach. “It gives the people a sense of inclusion. The population likes and deserves to know that its appointed guardians are indeed carrying out their duties of serving them and protecting them.”
Proyecciones Militares does more than just inform the civilian population about the activities of the Armed Forces; it’s a conduit to provide other assistance, such as donations in emergency situations, and to offer goodwill gestures in impoverished areas.
The program also provides services to members of the Military and their family members — such as allowing Armed Forces members stationed in faraway places overseas the recurring opportunity to pop up on the screen and address someone in their family.
“I am Soldier Reyes Banegas,” a young man in camouflage uniform said into the microphone during a March program. “I am in training, turning into a better person. I would like to say hello to my grandmother, Gloria Marina Alfaro, and to my grandfather, Heriberto Barahona. I will see you soon for a few days. I hope to keep helping you and my country.”
Program is shown on four channels
For a brief time in 1966, both the television and radio shows went off the air temporarily due to faulty equipment, but they resumed shortly thereafter with newly-purchased equipment. Since then, the Military has continued to upgrade the equipment they use to air their programs.
The reach of the TV program has expanded over the years. Today, it’s broadcast on four television channels: Honduran National Television, Hable como Habla Digital Television, Radio Cadena de Noticias, and Congress TV.
The programming has grown as well. In 2012, the Armed Forces launched a new television program called Fuerzas Armadas Cerca del Pueblo ,
or “Armed Forces Close to the People,” which allows directors, commanders and other Military authorities to communicate what their specific battalions or organizations are doing in a more extensive manner than the newscast format of Proyecciones Militares allows.
“We want people to be aware, but we also want people to be involved,” Sánchez explained. “To an unquestionable degree, the success of our social campaigns depends on people knowing that these will be carried out so they can attend. And that is crucial, especially in activities like the medical brigades. We would not want anybody to miss an opportunity to be helped just because they didn’t know what was available to them.”
“If for some reason someone misses the program one day, he or she will have several options to catch it at a more convenient time. We want to be approachable and easy to interact with.”
Many viewers of the Armed Forces television show and listeners of the radio program are appreciative of the content they provide.
“Excellent,” said viewer Delmer Alvarado Mejía, “you should also form ties to appear on the Christian channels.”
“Stream your radio program online,” Héctor Benjamín Velasquez wrote on Facebook. “That would be very good.”
So, viewers of Proyecciones Militares are indeed involved. Upon learning of the recommendations, Colonel Sánchez said they were being heard. “There is always room to grow.”
The Honduran Armed Forces broadcast program Proyecciones Militares (Military Projections), which has aired for more than four decades, is a staple in the mainstream media and one of the country’s pioneer television productions. Generations of Hondurans have grown up with the show’s weekly one-hour reports on the institution’s activities.
Proyecciones Militares, spearheaded by Colonel Efraín Gonzáles as the first project of the Armed Forces’ new Office of Public Relations, began broadcast on Honduras’ first (and at the time, only) television station in 1967. Television had come to Honduras just eight years earlier, in 1959, and the Armed Forces wanted to march with the times and inform the civilian population about the many ways it provides public security.
Keeping the civilian populaton informed
“The program was established to increase the level of knowledge and comprehension of the Honduran people about the existence and mission of the armed institution,” said Colonel José Antonio Sánchez, the current spokesman of the Armed Forces. He oversees a communications operation that includes radio productions and various publications, in addition to the television program.
“It is important for the population to know what the armed branch of its government is doing,” said political analyst and columnist Juan Ramón Martínez, who hosts his own television program and understands the relevance of this type of communication outreach. “It gives the people a sense of inclusion. The population likes and deserves to know that its appointed guardians are indeed carrying out their duties of serving them and protecting them.”
Proyecciones Militares does more than just inform the civilian population about the activities of the Armed Forces; it’s a conduit to provide other assistance, such as donations in emergency situations, and to offer goodwill gestures in impoverished areas.
The program also provides services to members of the Military and their family members — such as allowing Armed Forces members stationed in faraway places overseas the recurring opportunity to pop up on the screen and address someone in their family.
“I am Soldier Reyes Banegas,” a young man in camouflage uniform said into the microphone during a March program. “I am in training, turning into a better person. I would like to say hello to my grandmother, Gloria Marina Alfaro, and to my grandfather, Heriberto Barahona. I will see you soon for a few days. I hope to keep helping you and my country.”
Program is shown on four channels
For a brief time in 1966, both the television and radio shows went off the air temporarily due to faulty equipment, but they resumed shortly thereafter with newly-purchased equipment. Since then, the Military has continued to upgrade the equipment they use to air their programs.
The reach of the TV program has expanded over the years. Today, it’s broadcast on four television channels: Honduran National Television, Hable como Habla Digital Television, Radio Cadena de Noticias, and Congress TV.
The programming has grown as well. In 2012, the Armed Forces launched a new television program called Fuerzas Armadas Cerca del Pueblo ,
or “Armed Forces Close to the People,” which allows directors, commanders and other Military authorities to communicate what their specific battalions or organizations are doing in a more extensive manner than the newscast format of Proyecciones Militares allows.
“We want people to be aware, but we also want people to be involved,” Sánchez explained. “To an unquestionable degree, the success of our social campaigns depends on people knowing that these will be carried out so they can attend. And that is crucial, especially in activities like the medical brigades. We would not want anybody to miss an opportunity to be helped just because they didn’t know what was available to them.”
“If for some reason someone misses the program one day, he or she will have several options to catch it at a more convenient time. We want to be approachable and easy to interact with.”
Many viewers of the Armed Forces television show and listeners of the radio program are appreciative of the content they provide.
“Excellent,” said viewer Delmer Alvarado Mejía, “you should also form ties to appear on the Christian channels.”
“Stream your radio program online,” Héctor Benjamín Velasquez wrote on Facebook. “That would be very good.”
So, viewers of Proyecciones Militares are indeed involved. Upon learning of the recommendations, Colonel Sánchez said they were being heard. “There is always room to grow.”
This program is very interesting since this way the Honduran people see the role they play. Congratulations.