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Definition:
The Christian Broadcasting Network was the very first network to offer exclusively religious
content, with nothing secular whatsoever. Its first broadcast was via radio, on August 4, 1961,
and the first television broadcast was on October 1, 1961. The founder, Pat Robertson,
encountered resistance from just about everyone, even his own father who was a US Senator
at the time.
A larger problem than simply others' disdain was the constant lack of funds - to counter this, Robertson began nightly "telethons" to raise funds. Eventually he gave it the title "700 Club," an allusion to the number of contributors needed to keep his operation running. Matters really improved when Robertson hired Jim Bakker, a minister who was also a consummate entertainer who kept audiences engaged and donating.
In 1975 CBN became the first religious service to take advantage of satellite technology and have its programs carried by the RCA Satcom satellite, right alongside HBO. With this, CBN became a feature in the homes of nearly 2 million American homes by 1978. Some of the network's programs also went into syndication. The 700 Club, for example, was aired on nearly 200 non-cable channels by the mid-1980s. It was used, on the one hand, to present Robertson's evangelical / Pentecostal perspective on events in the world and, on the other hand, to provide a forum for him to ask for money to fund his various projects.
During the 1980s the network began to carry reruns of older secular shows, ostensibly to help keep the company running. In 1989 it was renamed The Family Channel and it continues to carry a significant amount of religious programming, although the vast majority is now secular in nature.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
