GOD TV
Encyclopedia
GOD TV is an international Christian television broadcaster
that transmits the GOD Channel from Jerusalem.
The network’s Free-to-air
(FTA) signal is carried via multiple satellites 24-hours-a-day providing programming at no charge to viewers. This ranges from Bible teaching to motivational seminars, youth concerts and live events. GOD TV claims a viewership nearing half a billion people. Its stated mission is to reach one billion people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through multi-media evangelism.
GOD TV was founded by Rory Alec
and Wendy Alec
.
in 1995, initially as the Christian Channel Europe (CCE), and became Europe’s first daily Christian Network. It began in the Alecs' home in London, broadcasting one hour a day, but grew to seven hours, then to 24-hours covering the European continent.
In 1997 The Independent
newspaper described Rory and Wendy Alec as "the new faces of religious broadcasting.” and the name of the network changed to The GOD Channel. In 2002 it became known as GOD TV and the network's broadcast headquarters moved to Israel.
The GOD Channel became available via satellite in Africa in 2002 Since then, five terrestrial transmitters have been built in Kenya.
GOD TV launched in Asia in 2002; Indian Television.com includes the GOD Channel in its list of "best-known spiritual channels." GOD TV launched in Hong Kong in 2004 and Australasia in 2005.
GOD TV launched in the USA in 2006 and now reaches about 20 million American homes,
GOD TV has offices in Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri. Other offices are located in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The network started reaching China in 2008.
, Creflo Dollar
, Benny Hinn
, Kenneth Copeland
, John Hagee
, Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner
, TD Jakes, Andrew Wommack
, Chuck Missler
, Brian Houston
, Bill Johnson
and Sam P. Chelladurai
The GOD Channel also features live broadcasts, including worldwide satellite link-ups such as the Global Day of Prayer, founded by Graham Power
where GOD TV broadcast from South America for the first time in 2009.
Angus Buchan
's Mighty Men Conference has been carried live from South Africa with 400,000 men in attendance. and evangelist Reinhard Bonnke
has been filmed live from Nigeria.
GOD TV’s programming sometimes supports causes such as making a stand against human trafficking
or benefit concerts to raise funds to drill water wells in Africa.
Much of GOD TV's programming caters for a youth audience with LIVE broadcasts from teen events like Acquire the Fire, Soul Survivor (charity) and Live Audacious
, and concerts featuring Christian bands such as Delirious?
(disbanded in 2009), Leeland
and Switchfoot
.
GOD TV's programming has won several awards from the UK Christian Broadcasting Council, including Best Live Event Programme in 2011 for Angus Buchan's Mighty Men Event and Best Youth Programme for Soul Survivor Extr.a
American singer, actor and writer Pat Boone
endorses the channel, and has participated in its work.
Satirical reviews on GOD TV have been published in The Guardian
and The Daily Mail. and the network has been cautioned by Christians who disagree with the theology presented by some of its programmes. Peter Glover of the Christian Research Network described it as 'heretical'. Pastor John Piper
and the Christian magazine Christianity Today
have criticized Word of Faith
televangelists in general and GOD TV in particular for spreading "prosperity theology
" among the world's poorest peoples, calling televangelists to use their influential positions responsibly.
GOD TV was fined £20,000 by the now-defunct Independent Television Commission
for an advertisement which was adjudged to contain political partiality for denouncing the practice of homosexuality
.
GOD TV has been criticised for its on-air appeals. In May 2010 it held a 'GOD TV Broadcast Alert' asking for its viewers to help meet a $4-million shortfall.
In 2009 GOD TV gave the Jewish National Fund
US$500,000 to plant trees on land inhabited by Bedouin tribes in Israel's Negev
region. A coalition of Jewish and Arab human rights groups denounced the project, accusing GOD TV and the JNF of teaming up to force the Bedouin out of the area to make way for Jewish-only communities.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
that transmits the GOD Channel from Jerusalem.
The network’s Free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
(FTA) signal is carried via multiple satellites 24-hours-a-day providing programming at no charge to viewers. This ranges from Bible teaching to motivational seminars, youth concerts and live events. GOD TV claims a viewership nearing half a billion people. Its stated mission is to reach one billion people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through multi-media evangelism.
GOD TV was founded by Rory Alec
Rory Alec
Rory Alec is the co-founder of GOD TV along with his wife Wendy Alec, and is the network's Chief Executive Officer...
and Wendy Alec
Wendy Alec
Wendy Alec is an author and TV host. She has written several books, including the epic fantasy series, Chronicles of Brothers. Along with her husband Rory Alec, she is the co-founder of GOD TV, and co-host of The Rory & Wendy Alec Show. She is also the GOD TV’s Creative Director.- Biography :Alec...
.
History and distribution
GOD TV was established in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1995, initially as the Christian Channel Europe (CCE), and became Europe’s first daily Christian Network. It began in the Alecs' home in London, broadcasting one hour a day, but grew to seven hours, then to 24-hours covering the European continent.
In 1997 The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper described Rory and Wendy Alec as "the new faces of religious broadcasting.” and the name of the network changed to The GOD Channel. In 2002 it became known as GOD TV and the network's broadcast headquarters moved to Israel.
The GOD Channel became available via satellite in Africa in 2002 Since then, five terrestrial transmitters have been built in Kenya.
GOD TV launched in Asia in 2002; Indian Television.com includes the GOD Channel in its list of "best-known spiritual channels." GOD TV launched in Hong Kong in 2004 and Australasia in 2005.
GOD TV launched in the USA in 2006 and now reaches about 20 million American homes,
GOD TV has offices in Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri. Other offices are located in Europe, Africa and Asia.
The network started reaching China in 2008.
Programming content
The GOD Channel's 24-hour schedule includes Joyce MeyerJoyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is a Charismatic Christian author and speaker. Meyer and her husband Dave have four grown children, and live outside St. Louis, Missouri. Her ministry is headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri.-Early life:Meyer was born Pauline Joyce Hutchison in south St. Louis in...
, Creflo Dollar
Creflo Dollar
Creflo Augustus Dollar, Jr. is an American Word of Faith teacher, pastor, and the founder of the non-denominational World Changers Church International based in Fulton County, Georgia. Creflo Dollar Ministerial Association , Creflo Dollar Ministries, and Arrow Records...
, Benny Hinn
Benny Hinn
Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn הין; born December 3, 1952) is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your...
, Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, which preaches a “prosperity gospel”: "Prosperity gospel assures followers that the more they give including in the form of tithes to the church, the more they will receive...
, John Hagee
John Hagee
John Charles Hagee is an American founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members...
, Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner
Rick Joyner
Rick Joyner heads MorningStar Ministries , which he cofounded with his wife Julie Joyner in 1985...
, TD Jakes, Andrew Wommack
Andrew Wommack
Andrew Wommack is an American-born TV evangelist, Word of Faith preacher, self-proclaimed "faith healer", and founder of Andrew Wommack Ministries in 1978 and Charis Bible College in 1994. Wommack's teachings are influenced by his self-professed favorite Word of Faith preachers: Kenneth Hagin,...
, Chuck Missler
Chuck Missler
Charles "Chuck" Missler is an author, evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, former businessman and US Navy officer. He is the founder of the Koinonia House ministry based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.-Biography:...
, Brian Houston
Brian Houston (pastor)
Brian Houston is a pastor in the Australian Christian Churches. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Hillsong Church which has locations in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, London, Cape Town, Kiev, Germany, Paris, Moscow, Stockholm and New York City. He was also the National President of Australian...
, Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson may refer to:Arts and Entertainment*Bill Johnson , American actor known for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2...
and Sam P. Chelladurai
Sam P. Chelladurai
Sam Chelladurai is the Senior Pastor of the Apostolic Fellowship Tabernacle , a megachurch in Chennai, India. He is best known for his successful Television programs which are essentially televised church services that predominantly feature his sermons...
The GOD Channel also features live broadcasts, including worldwide satellite link-ups such as the Global Day of Prayer, founded by Graham Power
Graham Power
Graham Power is the founder and Board Chairman of the Power Group. Over 25 years he developed a company that started with one employee, one vehicle and little finance into one of Southern Africa's leaders in the fields of civil engineering, development and construction.In 2001 Graham Power led a...
where GOD TV broadcast from South America for the first time in 2009.
Angus Buchan
Angus Buchan
Angus Buchan was originally a Zambian maize and cattle farmer of Scottish descent who started farming in Zambia but was forced to sell everything and move to Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 1978 due to political unrest in that country....
's Mighty Men Conference has been carried live from South Africa with 400,000 men in attendance. and evangelist Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke is a German charismatic Christian evangelist, principally known for his Great Gospel Crusades throughout the Continent of Africa.-Early life:...
has been filmed live from Nigeria.
GOD TV’s programming sometimes supports causes such as making a stand against human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
or benefit concerts to raise funds to drill water wells in Africa.
Much of GOD TV's programming caters for a youth audience with LIVE broadcasts from teen events like Acquire the Fire, Soul Survivor (charity) and Live Audacious
Live Audacious
Live Audacious is a Christian initiative which aims to change peoples thoughts and beliefs about Christianity, and encourages young Christians to change their schools and communities...
, and concerts featuring Christian bands such as Delirious?
Delirious?
Delirious? were an English Christian rock and worship band. For the majority of their career, the lineup featured Martin Smith on vocals and guitar, Stu G on guitar and backing vocals, Jon Thatcher on bass guitar, Tim Jupp on keys and piano, and Stew Smith on drums and percussion...
(disbanded in 2009), Leeland
Leeland
Leeland is a Christian rock band from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland is composed of Leeland Mooring , Jack Mooring , Casey Moore , Shelly Mooring and Mike Smith...
and Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
.
GOD TV's programming has won several awards from the UK Christian Broadcasting Council, including Best Live Event Programme in 2011 for Angus Buchan's Mighty Men Event and Best Youth Programme for Soul Survivor Extr.a
American singer, actor and writer Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
endorses the channel, and has participated in its work.
International coverage
The GOD Channel schedule is the same worldwide, time-shifted for each region: USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. The network can be watched via satellite, cable, IPTV, terrestrial transmission and online via the Internet.- North America including USA: The God Channel is available as a free service via satellite in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean on Glorystar Christian Satellite GlorystarGloryStar Satellite Systems is a Direct to Home religious based satellite service. They provide ministry support services by partnering with Christian broadcasters and a vendor of satellite television equipment oriented towards viewers of satellite-delivered Christian broadcast ministries.-...
Christian Satellite on Channel 102. The channel is distributed on satellite Galaxy 19 (97W) as a free to air channel.- USA: The GOD Channel can be found on satellite channel 365 of DirecTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
. It is available in some US cities via cable.
- USA: The GOD Channel can be found on satellite channel 365 of DirecTV
- Europe: The GOD Channel can be watched via satellite in the UK on Sky channel 580, and FreesatFreesatFreesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
channel 694. It can also be seen on cable on Virgin MediaVirgin MediaVirgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
channel 249 as well as WightCableWightCableWight Cable 2005 Ltd is the only provider of commercial and residential cable television services on the Isle of Wight. They also provide telephone and broadband internet services....
and Smallworld Cable. Some European networks carry GOD TV in their satellite/cable television packages in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The channel is also available through P2PTVP2PTVThe term P2PTV refers to peer-to-peer software applications designed to redistribute video streams in real time on a P2P network; the distributed video streams are typically TV channels from all over the world but may also come from other sources...
service ZattooZattooZattoo is an Internet Protocol Television system, with offices located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in Zurich, Switzerland. It is available on computer, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and runs on the operating systems Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux. The basic resolution for channels is...
.- UK: The Angel Foundation is GOD TV's registered charity in the UK and is regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Based at Angel House in Sunderland, England, the Angel Foundation states that it is committed to "the advancement of the Christian religion and education, and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness."
GOD TV is "potentially available to up to 14 million homes". This includes one million homes added in August 2010 with the network's launch on free-to-air digital satellite platform FreesatFreesatFreesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
.
- UK: The Angel Foundation is GOD TV's registered charity in the UK and is regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Based at Angel House in Sunderland, England, the Angel Foundation states that it is committed to "the advancement of the Christian religion and education, and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness."
- Asia:The GOD Channel can be viewed by cable in cities across India. It can also be accessed via satellite in Greater China and via cable in Nepal, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Macau.
- Africa: The GOD Channel is available via satellite throughout Africa. It can be watched via terrestrial transmission in Kenya and on the TOP TV satellite platform in South Africa.
- Australia:The GOD Channel can be watched on the Optus 3B satellite.
Israel tour
GOD TV hosts annual tours to Israel, which include visiting Bible sites and staging events that are broadcast worldwide. 1,800 pilgrims toured Israel with GOD TV in 2008 and attended 'A Celebration of Israel's 60th Anniversary'. Held at the Davidson Center alongside the Western Wall in the Old City, this was attended by Jewish and Christian guests.Satirical reviews on GOD TV have been published in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Daily Mail. and the network has been cautioned by Christians who disagree with the theology presented by some of its programmes. Peter Glover of the Christian Research Network described it as 'heretical'. Pastor John Piper
John Piper (theologian)
John Stephen Piper is a Christian preacher and author, currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
and the Christian magazine Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
have criticized Word of Faith
Word of Faith
Word of Faith is a family of Christian churches as well as a label applied by some observers to a teaching movement kindred to many Pentecostal and charismatic churches and individuals worldwide. The basic doctrine preached is that of salvation through Jesus Christ and what that salvation entails...
televangelists in general and GOD TV in particular for spreading "prosperity theology
Prosperity theology
Prosperity theology or gospel is a Christian religious belief whose proponents claim the Bible teaches that financial blessing is the will of God for Christians. Most teachers of prosperity theology maintain that a combination of faith, positive speech, and donations to Christian ministries will...
" among the world's poorest peoples, calling televangelists to use their influential positions responsibly.
GOD TV was fined £20,000 by the now-defunct Independent Television Commission
Independent Television Commission
The Independent Television Commission licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003....
for an advertisement which was adjudged to contain political partiality for denouncing the practice of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
.
GOD TV has been criticised for its on-air appeals. In May 2010 it held a 'GOD TV Broadcast Alert' asking for its viewers to help meet a $4-million shortfall.
In 2009 GOD TV gave the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
US$500,000 to plant trees on land inhabited by Bedouin tribes in Israel's Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
region. A coalition of Jewish and Arab human rights groups denounced the project, accusing GOD TV and the JNF of teaming up to force the Bedouin out of the area to make way for Jewish-only communities.