I want to take a few moments to share with you, some of the great things that have happened with our family of networks the past twelve months, especially concerning JCTV, Smile of a Child, our expanding network, TBN Second Chance, iTBN, and Facebook. From programming to charitable initiatives, we have much to be thankful for, and we are excited about the future of these great things that have started.
We praise the Lord for all the great things He has done. Please join us in prayer for our network. We thank God for all of these things that this article mentions and ask that everything the TBN family does has a wonderful impact for His kingdom. Paul Crouch
TBN’s Second Chance
In America, there are more than two million people incarcerated in our prison system. These are people that are largely forgotten by society and often have lost all hope. TBN’s Second Chance (TBN-SC) is a program that we have effected to try and reach these inmates. Working with an already established rehabilitation program, we contact wardens and chaplains in prisons, correctional facilities, and re-entry centers, offering them to broadcast up to four of TBN’s faith based networks for their inmates completely free of charge. In 2010, this initiative was established in correctional facilities for adults and juveniles across the nation. Our networks can now be viewed by eighty-two thousand and five hundred incarcerated men and women. We pray the lives and the hearts of these inmates are changed.
iTBN
This has been a year for research and adopting new technology. We began the long process of preparing iTBN, which will be available in September 2011. The i stands for interactive, and this new program certainly will be. The core concept is to offer everything that TBN has produced in the last thirty eight years in a “three screen environment”. iTBN will make TBN available on TV, online, and on your smart phone. The smart phone app has already been released. You can download it for free on your iPhone, Android, or Blackberry.
The web based component will be the most versatile and searchable portion of the three screen environment. iTBN will be have the same powerful searchability of Hulu, but with faith based, Christian programming. The online user who wants to watch a particular program can search iTBN, like they would any search engine, and choose from a list the show he or she wants to view. To watch Paul Crouch and his son Matt talk about Matt’s movie The Omega Code, you could just type their names and the movie title and it will come to the top of the list. You will not have to scroll through thirty eight years of program titles.
Paul Crouch Jr., TBN’s Vice President, had this to say about the new website: “This is the largest project I’ve tackled in my history with the network. Thousands of hours of old video tapes and programs, old praise programs with people who’ve now been promoted to heaven…much of it is as relevant today as it was thirty years ago. The message of the gospel never changes, but the technology and the way it’s presented does.”
Social Media
Our Facebook page has also had a facelift this year. It has fresh new interactive capability that was not there previously. Now, TBN fans can watch the daily Praise the Lord, Behind the Scenes, and even full length movies. The page also includes interactive buttons and links to JCTV, Smile of a Child, TBN Enlace, and The Church Channel. Special links will allow you to submit prayer requests to the ministry, learn about the TBN-SC program, view the broadcast schedule, or instantly go to the TBN.org pages for TBN’s many featured speakers.
JCTV
Our teen and young adult network used this year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Real Videos, a program featuring Christian music videos and artists. This milestone makes Real Videos the longest running nationally televised Christian music video show. Paul Crouch’s son, Matt, and his wife Laurie were the original hosts of Real Videos, and they joined the current host, T-Bone, for a two hour special. The three shared favorite memories and their funniest moments, and they remembered some special interviews with some of the artists who pioneered contemporary Christian music. This year, JCTV also launched The Test. Partnering with Focus on the Family, Campus Crusade for Christ, and Chi Alpha, we have created a wonderful special for college students, parents, and grandparents. Paul Crouch Jr. and Sean McDowell host this show for current and future college students and their families. In it, they equip students to courageously live for Christ while attending the sometimes-hostile secular university.
SMILE
Jan Crouch founded the Smile of a Child network because of her great love for children and her desire to see them grow into Christ followers. This year marked the fifth anniversary of the station. SMILE has consistently offered quality children’s programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While many niche stations often struggle to stay alive, SMILE has been recognized for its excellence in broadcasting a positive message for young children. The station received the Parent’s Television Council Seal of Approval, which is rarely awarded.
TBN explains SMILE’s consistent popularity with its great reviews and recognition. The Beta Research group shows that SMILE performs near the top in viewer interest and appeal. Bob Higley is TBN’s vice president of affiliate sales and marketing. He said, “Beta Research reported that among emerging networks, TBN’s SMILE was number one in viewer interest in households that subscribe to direct-to-home satellite services such as DirecTV and Dish Network.”
Expansion
Another reason for us to celebrate has been the growth of our network this past year. TBN was already the largest Christian Network in the world and now it reaches even more households. The Church Channel (TCC) is devoted to preaching the Word of God 24 hours a day. It has gained many subscribers, growing by over twenty-one million new cable and satellite households. Fourteen million were added on the DISH Network alone, when it began to carry the station in June. DirecTV also now carries the Church Channel. In total, there are now forty-nine million households that are reached by this station.
In addition, AT&T and Verizon FiOS now carry all five of TBN’s American stations. JCTV, SMILE, Enlace USA (our Spanish language network), and TCC have all experienced a large growth in available viewership. JCTV now reaches 16.3 million homes, SMILE is available to 15.7, and Enlace is available to 11.3 million in America alone. It is our prayer that these millions of new potential viewers will be millions more who hear the gospel of Christ through our family of networks.
Paul Crouch
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
First Post! Paul Crouch Story
You might say the vision for Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest religious broadcaster and America’s favorite source for faith-and-family TV, started way back when a youth named Paul Crouch got interested in amateur radio and soon informed his family that he would one day “send the gospel around the world.”
Of course, that vision took a few years to develop and would ultimately turn in the direction of a new technology called television that was then in its infancy as a young Paul Crouch headed off to Bible college in Springfield Missouri. In the meantime, this son of Pentecostal missionaries, with a vision that spanned the globe, bided his time and thoroughly mastered every inch of the broadcast industry from the ground up. That included stints as radio announcer, television station manager, and even head of a newly-formed television and film department for a major Pentecostal denomination.
He also married the love of his life, and lifelong ministry partner, Jan Crouch, and in 1973, beginning with one tiny UHF station—and a whole lot of faith and vision—this trailblazing couple launched what was destined to become the most influential religious broadcast entity in the world.
“When we started this amazing journey nearly forty years ago, we had little idea that one day TBN’s influence would span the globe with 24-hour faith and family broadcasting,” recalled Dr. Crouch, who today is revered around the world as one of Christian television’s true pioneers. “But we knew we were pioneers of sorts, and we felt a responsibility to use all the resources at our command to bring our growing audience the very best in inspirational, religious, and family-friendly programming.”
Today across America and around the world TBN stands for the finest in faith-and-family television. Currently ranked as the third largest television broadcast group in America, TBN reaches every major continent via 70 satellites and more than 18,000 television and cable affiliates worldwide. And through Dr. Crouch’s leadership TBN has expanded to over ten distinct global inspirational networks, including:
“This has been a labor of love every step of the way,” said Dr. Crouch, reflecting on his over 50 years of service to Christian broadcasting. “Love for Christ and His gospel of life, and love for the countless millions of individuals and families who have been touched by God’s message through the power of inspirational television.”
Of course, that vision took a few years to develop and would ultimately turn in the direction of a new technology called television that was then in its infancy as a young Paul Crouch headed off to Bible college in Springfield Missouri. In the meantime, this son of Pentecostal missionaries, with a vision that spanned the globe, bided his time and thoroughly mastered every inch of the broadcast industry from the ground up. That included stints as radio announcer, television station manager, and even head of a newly-formed television and film department for a major Pentecostal denomination.
He also married the love of his life, and lifelong ministry partner, Jan Crouch, and in 1973, beginning with one tiny UHF station—and a whole lot of faith and vision—this trailblazing couple launched what was destined to become the most influential religious broadcast entity in the world.
“When we started this amazing journey nearly forty years ago, we had little idea that one day TBN’s influence would span the globe with 24-hour faith and family broadcasting,” recalled Dr. Crouch, who today is revered around the world as one of Christian television’s true pioneers. “But we knew we were pioneers of sorts, and we felt a responsibility to use all the resources at our command to bring our growing audience the very best in inspirational, religious, and family-friendly programming.”
Today across America and around the world TBN stands for the finest in faith-and-family television. Currently ranked as the third largest television broadcast group in America, TBN reaches every major continent via 70 satellites and more than 18,000 television and cable affiliates worldwide. And through Dr. Crouch’s leadership TBN has expanded to over ten distinct global inspirational networks, including:
- TBN Flagship Network, America’s premier faith-and-family channel, featuring the most popular religious programs available worldwide, along with a 24-hour line-up of music, variety, talk, and exclusive movies and special features.
- JCTV, the 24-hour network geared for teens and young adults, featuring cutting-edge Christian music videos, reality and game shows, relevant talk programs, comedy, extreme sports, and much more.
- The Church Channel, the only 24-hour network featuring America’s most popular church services from a wide variety of Protestant and Catholic congregations.
- TBN Enlace USA, America’s premier round-the-clock Spanish language faith network.
- Smile of a Child TV, the exclusive kids network featuring 24-hour wholesome programming that parents can trust for their children.
“This has been a labor of love every step of the way,” said Dr. Crouch, reflecting on his over 50 years of service to Christian broadcasting. “Love for Christ and His gospel of life, and love for the countless millions of individuals and families who have been touched by God’s message through the power of inspirational television.”
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