Billy Ray Washington, owner and operator of BRW Gospel Station.

TIFTON — BRW Gospel Station celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, having first launched in 1993.

For owner and operator Billy Ray Washington, it’s a lifelong dream born of a lifelong fascination.

As a kid, he was fascinated by radios.

“We didn’t have radios and TVs like we do now,” said Washington. “We just had a little transistor radio. It was fascinating how someone could be talking one thousand, two thousand miles away and you could hear it…I was always fascinated by tower antennas, how they work and operate.”

Along with the technology, he was also interested in the voice at the other end.

“Radio personalities have a lot of strength,” said Washington. “They can say one thing and it changes people’s attitudes and mindsets. I knew having an outlet would give you power, so to speak, the ability to communicate with people, to be a voice.”

He joined the Radio Club at school as a teenager, actually broadcasting some as part of the club.

“I think that’s where it got into my blood, as far as broadcasting is concerned,” said Washington.

After high school he set radio aside, studying business and working other jobs.

In 1989, he says, he felt called to start a Christian television broadcasting station.

He got excited about the idea and started recording local church services.

Then procrastination set in.

“I had the tapes, [but] for two months, I didn’t do anything with them.”

Then in December on a Sunday, Washington says the Lord sent him a reminder.

“God has a way of getting your attention,” said Washington. “I saw my life flash before my face.”

The next day he started working on getting on the air.

On the last Sunday of the year, Dec. 31, 1989, he was on.

From there, he co-hosted a Sunday morning gospel show, talking about the community, showing local videos and bringing on preachers.

At the same time, he was going through the application process with the FCC to get his own station.

“It took me five years to get a license for a low power TV station,” said Washington. “I had to jump through serious hoops.”

In 1992, he got the license and was given one year to build a station.

“I knew I had to have a station to operate on if I wanted to operate independently.”

Then in 1993, he went on the air.

Since then, he’s expanded to 23 counties throughout South Georgia through Mediacom. Washington estimates he reaches 78,000-79,000 households.

“At night, when the air pattern drops, we’ve had people as far away as Columbus watch us,” said Washington.

The BRW Gospel Station is carried on channel 96 on Mediacom in the Tift County area and channel 95 further away — Valdosta, Lakeland, etc.

Washington emphasizes the importance of Mediacom to his broadcasting work.

“Mediacom is the work horse,” said Washington. “Without them, this wouldn’t be possible.”

He also emphasizes how many other people have been involved through the years, both in large and small ways.

“I haven’t done all this by myself,” said Washington. “God has placed people in my life along the way.”

For his part, Washington is happy to see it grow and to see how its impacted people’s lives.

“It’s always been that people loved gospel music, gospel productions,” said Washington. “But people seem to love it even more now because they get to see more of it. They get a spiritual enrichment.”

He shares the story of getting an early morning call from someone who had watched The Alabama Gurlz on his station at 2 a.m.

The caller said he had been suicidal and something about The Alabama Gurlz program had touched him, had made him change his mind.

“He said, ‘I am going to get back with the Lord,’” said Washington.

“I broke down in tears. To be able to do something like that, to change people’s lives, it changes me.”

And after 25 years, he’s still fascinated with it, with being able to play a role in viewer’s lives, to reach out and communicate with them.

“I’m able to show Christ from all angles, all cultures,” said Washington. “Once you start watching you’re just about hooked.