For decades Masons have used the print media to inform non-members, and sometimes this results in a petition for membership. But, what about the millions of potential members who have no knowledge of Masonry? What about the millions who have heard only false information? Is their ignorance their fault?

What if a regular source of Masonic information were available in today's vast information marketplace, information that could answer questions about Freemasonry and show the way to more information for those truly interested? The Internet is fast becoming a regular resource for our society, and it should be fully utilized by Freemasonry at every level, but television is still the best way to reach virtually all of the population.

I, for one, stumbled onto Masonry while researching the origins of the United States Capitol building. As a TV journalist, I was tipped to a story about federal officials digging holes under the U.S. Senate chamber trying to find the building's original 1793 cornerstone. It was laid by none other than George Washington. As I researched the cornerstone story 10 years ago, I came face-to-face, literally, with George Washington in a ceiling painting in the House of Representatives. There was the father of our democracy wearing an apron and using a small gavel to tap a huge cornerstone symbolically into place as the prime stone of the great place that was to become the United States Capitol.

I thought, "He's doing WHAT? He's wearing a WHAT?" I'd never heard of Freemasonry before, despite 16 years of formal education. Intrigued, I researched Freemasonry, began Capstone Productions, and produced a number of videotape and television documentaries on Freemasonry, often with the moral and financial support of the Scottish Rite, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, the National Sojourners, Inc., the Eastern Star, Scottish Rite Research Society, the Philalethes, the Masonic Information Center, and the Masonic Renewal Committee of North America. These programs showed how Masons were instrumental in establishing democracies with strong moral foundations in not only the United States but also Canada, Bolivia, and many other places. It is amazing stuff. But, it is mostly Masons who are aware of these programs.

Capstone Productions Inc. is now an established source of Masonic video Lodge programs that can also be cablecast by members in their communities. With this effort, we are beginning to reach into that vast television marketplace where the public lives. But it is a small effort because public access cable just does not reach the majority of the population. Even so, we have had reports of new members joining because of what they learned about Masonry on their local cable channels.

What about the Masonic videos produced by Grand Lodges and other Masonic groups? Some are very good. The problem is that these tapes are almost exclusively watched by Masons and their families. The general public does not see these programs.
The public, however, did see two television programs about Masonry in 1998. They were aired on the Arts and Entertainment Channel, a national cable TV network. One broadcast reportedly brought the largest number of purchase requests ever for videotape copies. Someone out there is interested. Comments by Masons indicated that, on balance, the program was favorable to Freemasonry.

Compared to public access and all other Masonic video efforts to date, these national cable programs reached the most audiences. So why not go after that kind of national TV audience? Why not be a provider of information and a producer of such television programming seen (or in the case of radio, heard) by national audiences? Why be content to let others produce sensational television material about Masonry, material that is misleading or incomplete at best?

Masonry can be promoted through the medium of national media via the creation of a Masonic Media Center possibly headquartered at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia, where so many on-site events of national interest take place. Local professional talent is available and willing to "go the extra mile" to make the proposed center a success. Also, the center could solicit Masonic videos from all sources and meld them into “Masonic Reports” from across North America.

Quality production and promotion/distribution are the keys to success. Initially, the Masonic Media Center should have a staff of four, with one person focused on promotion and distribution. Initial efforts could be to work with Grand Lodges and other Masonic groups desiring to produce videos. Aside from producing the programs, the center could take the crucial step of getting these programs exposure either as videotapes, on local public access television programs, or as part of a nationally broadcast series.

Also, the Masonic Media Center could produce a 13-part "Famous Masons" video series whereby any Masonic group that wants to showcase a favorite son or special subject could do so by financing a half-hour documentary. Once 13 of these quality programs are produced, national cable networks could be solicited to consider buying the series for broadcast. Chances of success are much better if there are 13 programs ready to air, because then the cable network can fill a time slot for a quarter year, which is how networks are usually programmed. At that point the price would be right for the networks since the programs could be almost given away, their initial production cost having already been funded by the sponsoring Masonic organization, which would also have local use of these resources.

Naturally, all this takes money. An endowment of $2 million, with an investment return of 10%, could indefinitely fund a Masonic Media Center at the Memorial. TWO MILLION DOLLARS! Doesn't Masonry give more than a quarter BILLION dollars a year to charities? Isn't Masonry worthy of about two day's worth of this amount to establish a permanent Masonic Media Center which will reach virtually all of the population in North America?

Both Sovereign Grand Commanders of the Scottish Rite in the United States have published remarks endorsing the use of all technologies available to spread the word about Freemasonry. Both Rites, many Grand Lodges, and several Appendant Bodies have already produced videotapes which could be promoted and distributed by the proposed media center. New productions could be managed more professionally and economically through the proposed Masonic Media Center—and there would be the real hope of national as well as local distribution.

And there are "angels" out there, wealthy Masons who could personally fund all or part of this Masonic Media Center. The challenge is to find and inspire those "angels."

Is a Masonic Media Center a good idea? Of course it is. But do Masons have the interest to get involved through television in mass education about the Craft? If the answer is yes, contact me at Capstone Productions for a major step forward in bringing Freemasonry into the 21st Century as the vital and dynamic fraternity it should be.

Jackson Polk
Capstone Productions
Box 221466
El Paso, Texas 79913
Tel. 915–833–8700
Fax 915–584–6903
E-mail: jackson@elpasogold.com