Christian Broadcasting Network facts for kids
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Sign for CBN and Regent University
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| Type | Christian media television network/production company |
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| Country | United States |
| Availability | international; some shows carried by Trinity Broadcasting Network, FamilyNet, LeSEA, TCT, and Freeform, as well as through syndication |
| Founded | 1960 by Pat Robertson |
| Headquarters | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| Owner | The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. |
| Key people | Gordon P. Robertson (CEO) Rob Allman (news director) |
| Launch date | 1961 |
| Former affiliations | CBN Satellite Service (1977–1983) |
The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an American organization that creates and shares Christian TV shows and other media. It was started in 1960 by Pat Robertson. CBN is known for producing the long-running TV show The 700 Club and co-producing the Superbook anime series. Over the years, it has also run many TV channels and radio stations. Its main office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States.
CBN has been described as a leader in important social discussions since it began in the early 1960s.
Contents
What Does CBN Do?
One of CBN's most important programs is The 700 Club. This show is a mix of religious talks, interviews, and Christian music. It got its name from a fundraising effort where Pat Robertson asked 700 viewers to donate $10 a month to support the station. The 700 Club is one of the longest-running shows of its kind.
At first, The 700 Club focused on religious topics. But in the late 1970s, it started to include more news segments and became more involved in political discussions.
Today, CBN News provides news updates for The 700 Club. It also creates other religious news and political shows like CBN NewsWatch and Christian World News. During American presidential and mid-term elections, CBN News hosts special election coverage. This coverage airs on Freeform, which also shows The 700 Club and the talk show 700 Club Interactive. CBN also has its own online news channel called the CBN News Channel.
CBN also makes a version of The 700 Club for Spanish-speaking people in America, called Club 700 Hoy.
CBN Around the World
CBN has a global reach. For example, CBN Asia helps manage Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI). OBI is an effort to provide international relief and help people in need. CBN also creates local TV shows in other countries, such as Solusi in Indonesia and From Heart to Heart in Thailand.
In India, CBN produces three shows: a daily Hindi program called Ek Nayee Zindagi, a Telugu program called Nireekshana, and a Bengali program called Samadhan.
CBN has broadcast programs in more than 70 languages, reaching many different parts of the world.
Where Can You Watch CBN Shows?
Today, CBN mainly creates The 700 Club and four other shows that are shared with many TV stations: CBN NewsWatch, Christian World News, 700 Club Interactive, and The Brody File. The Brody File is a news analysis show hosted by David Brody.
Some of CBN's programs also air on other Christian TV networks like the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Cornerstone Television, FamilyNet, LeSEA Broadcasting Corporation, TCT, and Middle East Television. These are all Evangelical Christian networks.
Secular TV stations that show The 700 Club also air CBN's yearly fundraising event during the last week of January.
CBN's History
How Did CBN Begin?
CBN was started in 1960 in Portsmouth, Virginia by Pat Robertson. He had recently become a born-again Christian. CBN began broadcasting in October 1961 with its first TV station, WYAH-TV (WTOV-TV), in Portsmouth. The programs were paid for by small donations from individuals and local churches.
In August 1962, WYAH-TV was joined by a sister radio station, WXRI, in Norfolk. This station played Christian music and teaching programs.
In 1966, a daily talk show started on WYAH, which later became known as The 700 Club.
In 1968, CBN bought a radio station in Bogota, Colombia, called Neuvo Continente. This was the first evangelical radio station in that country.
In 1969, CBN also set up CBN Northeast, a group of five FM radio stations in upstate New York.
CBN continued to grow, launching TV stations in Atlanta in 1971, Dallas in 1973, and Boston in 1977. These stations showed a mix of religious programs and family-friendly shows like westerns, sitcoms, dramas, and children's programs.
In 1977, CBN launched a religious TV channel in the United States called the CBN Satellite Service.
Also in 1977, CBN University was founded. Its goal was to train leaders who would succeed in their jobs and also make a positive impact as Christians. Classes began in September 1978.
The charity Operation Blessing was started in 1978. It first helped people by matching their needs for things like clothes and appliances with items donated by viewers of The 700 Club.
The 1980s: Growth and Changes
In 1980, CBN moved its main office to Virginia Beach. Around this time, CBN also helped create the first Superbook anime series. This series was later translated into many languages and shared around the world.
In 1981, The 700 Club changed from being just a talk show to a news magazine format.
The CBN Satellite Service changed its name to the CBN Cable Network in September 1981. It started showing more family-friendly movies and TV series, while still keeping some religious programs. This channel was one of the first cable channels to send its signal across the U.S. using satellites.
In 1982, a Christian TV station in South Lebanon, Hope TV, was given to CBN and became Middle East Television (METV). METV broadcast news, sports, family entertainment, and religious programs.
In August 1988, the CBN Cable Network changed its name again to The CBN Family Channel.
Between 1984 and 1989, CBN sold three of its over-the-air TV stations and one radio station.
The 1990s: New Directions
On January 8, 1990, the national TV network was sold to a related company called International Family Entertainment (IFE). This sale happened because the channel had become very successful, and CBN wanted to keep its non-profit status. On September 15, 1990, the channel was renamed The Family Channel. It continued to be the main place where CBN programs were shown.
In 1990, CBN University became known as Regent University. CBN also built a luxury hotel called The Founders Inn and Spa at the university campus.
Also in 1990, CBN programs began to be shown in the Soviet Union. These broadcasts led to the start of many churches in the region. Similar projects were done in the Philippines and Romania in 1994.
CBN Asia was started in the Philippines and Hong Kong in October 1994.
CBN launched its first website in March 1995. That same year, the Tagalog-language The 700 Club Asia began.
CBN Africa was also established. In 1997, Turning Point International (TPi), an English-language magazine show for people of African descent, began.
In June 1997, IFE was sold to News Corporation. At this time, The Family Channel was one of the largest cable networks in the U.S. The sale agreement said that the channel would continue to show The 700 Club forever. (The Family Channel was later renamed Fox Family Channel, then ABC Family, and finally Freeform.)
In March 1999, the first live broadcast of The 700 Club Asia aired.
The 2000s: More International Growth
CBN India was started in 2000. It has produced many TV shows in different Indian languages.
In 2001, a youth-focused show called One Cubed began in Asia. This show later aired as One Cubed International in the U.S.
In September 2001, a new show for women called Living the Life was launched.
In October 2002, CBN launched CBN NewsWatch, a new weekend news program.
Also in 2002, Le Club 700 began for French-speaking people in Africa.
In September 2003, a U.S. version of One Cubed launched, featuring extreme sports, music videos, and celebrity interviews. A Nigerian version was also created later.
In 2004, Club 400 Hoy began as a daily program for Spanish speakers across the Americas.
CBN Europe was established in the UK. In October 2004, The 700 Club With Paul and Fiona began airing for UK audiences.
In 2005, CBN Asia launched a kids' program called A.S.T.I.G. (All Set to Imitate God).
CBN Deutschland was established in 2007. Club 700 for German speakers began in January 2007.
In April 2008, the 24-hour CBN News Channel was launched as an online-only channel.
In November 2008, a new CBN Radio service was launched.
A new TV program called 700 Club Interactive began in May 2009.
The 2010s: Reboot and Relaunch
In 2011, a newly updated Superbook series began to air in many countries, created by CBN.
The 700 Club Canada, a weekday program, was launched in November 2011.
700 Club Nigeria began around 2013.
In 2016, CBN Asia started making a new program called Oyayi.
On October 1, 2018, the CBN News Channel was relaunched. It became available on TV through 15 stations in the United States, and it continued to be available online. It has offices in Virginia Beach, Washington D.C., and Jerusalem.
During the Trump administration (2017–2021), CBN held events at properties owned by Trump. CBN also gained special access to the White House and often had exclusive interviews with important staff, including Trump himself.
The 2020s: Recent Updates
In 2020, a music program called CBN Asia Reverb began, which was later renamed Reverb Worship PH.
In October 2021, Club 400 Hoy was relaunched as a weekly program focused on the U.S.
Main Programs
What Shows Does CBN Produce Now?
- The 700 Club – This is a daily news and magazine show that started in 1966. It's one of the longest-running shows of its kind. The program features news updates with comments, as well as interviews. It reaches about one million viewers every day on cable and other TV stations.
- Club 700 Hoy – This is a half-hour weekly Spanish-language version of The 700 Club. It is shown across Latin America and used to air in the United States. This show features opinions on current events, interviews, interesting stories about people and places, music, and life advice.
- CBN NewsWatch – Produced by CBN News, this is a half-hour daily news program. It reports on national and international news from a Christian point of view. It is broadcast on several Christian TV networks.
- Christian World News – Also produced by CBN News, this is a half-hour weekly news program that is broadcast on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
- One Cubed USA and One Cubed International – These two programs are made for teenagers and young adults aged 13 to 24. They focus on youth culture, action sports, and music videos. Their goal is to share God's love and salvation with this generation.
People You Might Know at CBN
Who Works at CBN Now?
- Gordon P. Robertson – He is a co-host of The 700 Club.
- David Brody – He hosts The Brody File.
- Terry Meeuwsen – She is a co-host of The 700 Club and 700 Club Interactive.
- Chuck Holton – He is a military reporter.
Who Used to Work at CBN?
- Pat Robertson – He was a co-host of The 700 Club and retired in 2021.
- Ben Kinchlow – He was a co-host of The 700 Club.
- Sheila Walsh – She was a co-host of The 700 Club.
- Susan Howard – She was a co-host of The 700 Club.
Former Stations
CBN used to own and operate several TV and radio stations across the United States. Over the years, these stations were sold to other companies. For example, CBN owned a TV station in Atlanta from 1971 to 1984, and a radio station in Norfolk from 1962 to 1989.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Christian Broadcasting Network para niños
