WTOG Cancels Infomercial 'Live Prayer' Amid Controversy Surrounding Show

Published: Aug 29, 2007

St. Petersburg TV station WTOG, Channel 44, has decided to terminate a controversial paid program featuring a television and Internet evangelist who apparently has managed to offend Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientologists and others during his four-year run on the station.

Although a Muslim group, the Council on American Islamic Relations, is taking credit for getting "Live Prayer With Bill Keller" canceled, WTOG station manager Laura Caruso says the decision was not influenced by an individual or special interest group.

"WTOG-TV made a programming decision to terminate its broadcasts of the paid infomercial 'Live Prayer With Bill Keller' and exercised its contractual right to terminate the infomercial effective mid-September," Caruso said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"Mr. Keller asked that the date be moved up to this Friday, Aug. 31, 2007, and WTOG agreed," she wrote. "Despite claims to the contrary, we can assure you that this decision was not influenced by any one individual or special interest group."

Caruso said the station has "received thousands of comments, pro and con, about this infomercial since it began airing in March 2003."

WTOG, owned by CBS, is an affiliate of The CW, and it sold Keller the time slot (1 a.m. weeknights). He paid for it through donations from supporters.

Keller, who claims to have helped nearly 200,000 people find Christ, said WTOG caved in to pressure from the Islamic council.

He accuses the council of "religious terrorism" that has infringed on his free speech rights.

However, as paid programming, "Live Prayer" is a commercial, and WTOG has the right to determine with whom it does business.

Keller said it was costing his ministry $400,000 a year to keep the program on the air.

The Tampa chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations had complained recently to WTOG and CBS about Keller's remarks about Muslims.

Ahmed Bedier, the Islamic council's Tampa executive director, has called Keller's program "hate-filled," with Islam and Muslims "referred to in the most vicious and bigoted of terms."

On its Web site, the council cites remarks such as "Islam is a 1,400-year-old lie from the pits of hell. It's leading a billion peoples [sic] to hell … those who follow this false religion will die and be lost for all eternity."

The site also states Keller said, "The false religion of Islam is about hate, lies and death."

"It is our belief that anti-Islamic rhetoric like that used in 'Live Prayer With Bill Keller' is exactly the type of language that is likely to incite hate crimes against the American Muslim community," Bedier noted.

Keller responded in a statement, saying that "it is never my intent to offend anyone with my remarks."

However, he says he stands "for the truth based on the worldview that the Bible is the infallible and inerrant word of God. And based on that, those who follow other gods are on a sure path to hell. Yet the Bible tells us that God wishes that none should perish. … I do not hold any ill will toward Muslims. I want them to know the truth and find true salvation."

Keller is leaving Channel 44 but not leaving the Bay area television market. A new paid program is set to debut Monday on WTTA, Channel 38. Unlike his Channel 44 show, this one will accept advertising.

Julie Nelson, WTTA's general manger, did not return telephone calls.

Keller says the new "Live Prayer AM With Bill Keller," airing from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, will have a more secular approach.

"I plan to bring in guests and talk about local events," Keller says. "I will continue my ministry on the program, too."