The idea for what became Lutheran Television Associates (LTA) began in 1954 with a meeting of representatives of the American Lutheran Church (1930-1960) (ALC), Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church (AUG), Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC), the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) to discuss an all-Lutheran television project. The initial name for the organization was the Inter-Lutheran Television Committee. By 1955 the LTA was formed by the ALC, AUG, ELC, and ULCA; the LCMS did not join. The Rev. O.H. Hove, Director of Public Relations for the ELC, was elected chairman of the LTA.
Ideas for programming included a documentary on the meaning of Easter, women's and children's programming, and the story of Job. Agreements were made with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) for six episodes on their "Matinee Theatre" in 1956. Three shows were aired, but NBC canceled the last three, due to objections from some of NBC's affiliates that the shows' themes were too church-specific for NBC's general audience. There was a possibility to air three more episodes on a "Frontiers of Faith" spot of the network, but the participating churches did not all agree to fund the episodes. This signaled the end of cooperation under the aegis of Lutheran Television Associates. Each church body focused on its own mass communication efforts.
From the description of Records 1955-1956. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 49857881
