How General Conference is reaching more people than ever

Although COVID-19 continues to prevent large in-person gatherings, more people than ever are tuning in to general conference thanks to technology. The potential audience for the April 2021 conference (April 3–4, 2021) will be larger than any previous Church gathering. In addition to the reach of the Church’s online broadcast, at least one session of the weekend proceedings will be broadcast on television and radio stations in more than 70 countries — many for the first time. This includes the NBC-owned stations TeleXitos (a subchannel of Telemundo) and COZI TV.

This builds on the momentum of the October 2020 general conference. During the fall proceedings, at least one (and sometimes several or all) conference sessions were distributed by some 200 public broadcasting channels via national or regional television and radio. The October conference reached people in 50 countries in the regions of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, the Pacific and South America.

Abam Ekpenyong, a Latter-day Saint from Nigeria, said the conference’s messages were timely. “We had prepared very much for the conference,” he said. “It helped to address some of our problems, especially concerning this trying time during COVID-19.”

In Guatemala, conference sessions were interpreted live into Qʼeqchi’, a Mayan language spoken by communities in that country. This version of conference aired on a radio station for non-Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints in the region. Guatemalan Saints rejoiced when they heard Church President and Prophet Russell M. Nelson announce plans to build a third temple in their country.

Latter-day Saints from 13 countries in the Pacific tuned in to the October conference. For the first time, the conference was broadcast on television and radio across Kiribati, an island country in the central Pacific Ocean. The timing was fortuitous: In the final session of the conference, President Nelson announced that the Church will build its first temple in the country.

“We all shouted with joy while listening to the announcement,” said Fatele Fetapo, a Church member from Kiribati. “On Sunday we were able to listen on the radio in our own language. And that is another blessing to us, especially for our brothers and sisters who lived on the outer islands.”

These are just a few examples of the feelings expressed by Church members who participated in the October 2020 general conference. Many more will have the opportunity to watch the April 2021 conference on April 3–4.