LeSEA
Encyclopedia
LeSEA Broadcasting also known as World Harvest Television, is an American
Christian
television network
with over 40 affiliate stations in a number of U.S.
markets, on the Fixed Service Satellite
Galaxy 16 C band
transponder
15, and on satellite
overseas.
LeSEA is based in South Bend, Indiana
and broadcasts Christian programming. Two primary shows broadcast from the studios are their flagship program The Harvest Show
and Live from Studio B. Pete Sumrall, son of the network's founder the late Dr. Lester Sumrall
, serves as its president and chief executive officer.
The Harvest Show
, a one-hour talk show which has a format that is somewhat similar to the Christian Broadcasting Network
's The 700 Club
and is hosted by Valerie Lowe, Stefan Radelich, Drew Sumrall and Chuck Freeby. Guests have included Millard Fuller, Dominic Mance, Michael Landon, Jr. and Susie Scott Krabacher. Some of the program hosts serve other functions within the organization; Radelich is executive director of one of the LeSEA ministries, Feed The Hungry.
Live from Studio B is a 30-minute in-studio concert show from studio B, which features performances from various contemporary and alternative Christian artists and bands. They have hosted such artists as Amy Grant
, Michael W. Smith
, the late Rich Mullins
, Newsboys
and others.
In addition to its religious programming, LeSEA stations broadcast local high school athletics through their own production trucks, and also broadcast college football
and basketball
under deals with syndicators such as ESPN Plus
and the SEC Network
, while South Bend station WHME-TV
also airs a good amount of programming revolving around the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
, not including live football games.
Also, like Trinity Broadcasting Network
, FamilyNet
and participating local stations, LeSEA airs The 700 Club every weekday. And overnights each weekend, they air The Best of Harvest, a rebroadcast of a previously-aired program. In addition to its many LeSEA-owned stations, network television affiliates in different parts of the country began airing The Best of Harvest and Live from Studio B among different programs from LeSEA. At other times the output consists of shows such as ('Green Acres', 'Hawaii Five-0' etc.), paid advertising (such as for animated Christian children's cartoon series available on various video formats, health supplements and products, etc.).
On February 3, 2010, LeSea
announced the sale of KWHD to Liberman Broadcasting
in 2010; the station will switch to Liberman's Estrella TV
network after the sale is completed, under the callsign KETD.
LeSEA also operates three shortwave locations, including: South Carolina, the Big Island of Hawaii and Palau.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
with over 40 affiliate stations in a number of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
markets, on the Fixed Service Satellite
Fixed Service Satellite
Fixed Service Satellite , is the official classification for geostationary communications satellites used for broadcast feeds for television stations and radio stations and broadcast networks, as well as for telephony, telecommunications and data communications.FSS satellites have also been used...
Galaxy 16 C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
15, and on satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
overseas.
LeSEA is based in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
and broadcasts Christian programming. Two primary shows broadcast from the studios are their flagship program The Harvest Show
The Harvest Show
The Harvest Show is a talk show and the main program of the World Harvest Television network, whose lineup usually consists of reruns of classic television series, B-movies, cartoons, and paid programming. It is distributed by LeSea Broadcasting and began airing on September 28, 2007. The show is...
and Live from Studio B. Pete Sumrall, son of the network's founder the late Dr. Lester Sumrall
Lester Sumrall
Lester Frank Sumrall was an ordained American minister who formed the LeSEA broadcast network.-Biography:...
, serves as its president and chief executive officer.
The Harvest Show
The Harvest Show
The Harvest Show is a talk show and the main program of the World Harvest Television network, whose lineup usually consists of reruns of classic television series, B-movies, cartoons, and paid programming. It is distributed by LeSea Broadcasting and began airing on September 28, 2007. The show is...
, a one-hour talk show which has a format that is somewhat similar to the Christian Broadcasting Network
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
's The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
and is hosted by Valerie Lowe, Stefan Radelich, Drew Sumrall and Chuck Freeby. Guests have included Millard Fuller, Dominic Mance, Michael Landon, Jr. and Susie Scott Krabacher. Some of the program hosts serve other functions within the organization; Radelich is executive director of one of the LeSEA ministries, Feed The Hungry.
Live from Studio B is a 30-minute in-studio concert show from studio B, which features performances from various contemporary and alternative Christian artists and bands. They have hosted such artists as Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
, the late Rich Mullins
Rich Mullins
Richard Wayne "Rich" Mullins was an American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter born in Richmond, Indiana. He had two sisters and two brothers....
, Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
and others.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
under deals with syndicators such as ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
and the SEC Network
SEC Network
The SEC Network, or SECN is a syndication package featuring college football and basketball events from the Southeastern Conference. The package is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television and is shown in more than 50 percent of households in the United States, mostly Southeastern United...
, while South Bend station WHME-TV
WHME-TV
WHME-TV is a full-service Christian and general entertainment television station serving the South Bend market. The station is owned by LeSEA Broadcasting, also known as World Harvest Broadcasting, an organization founded by Assembly of God minister Lester Sumrall , whose sons are still active with...
also airs a good amount of programming revolving around the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
, not including live football games.
Also, like Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
, FamilyNet
FamilyNet
FamilyNet is a broadcast television network owned by ComStar Media Fund and based in Atlanta, Georgia. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. The channel was acquired by InTouch Ministries in...
and participating local stations, LeSEA airs The 700 Club every weekday. And overnights each weekend, they air The Best of Harvest, a rebroadcast of a previously-aired program. In addition to its many LeSEA-owned stations, network television affiliates in different parts of the country began airing The Best of Harvest and Live from Studio B among different programs from LeSEA. At other times the output consists of shows such as ('Green Acres', 'Hawaii Five-0' etc.), paid advertising (such as for animated Christian children's cartoon series available on various video formats, health supplements and products, etc.).
On February 3, 2010, LeSea
LeSEA
LeSEA Broadcasting , also known as World Harvest Television, is an American Christian television network with over 40 affiliate stations in a number of U.S...
announced the sale of KWHD to Liberman Broadcasting
Liberman Broadcasting
Liberman Broadcasting is a media company based in Burbank, California. Liberman Broadcasting primarily caters to the Spanish-speaking Hispanic community and owns television and radio stations in several of the top Hispanic markets.-History:...
in 2010; the station will switch to Liberman's Estrella TV
Estrella TV
Estrella TV is a Spanish-language television network owned by Liberman Broadcasting. The network launched September 14, 2009.-Affiliates:-Former Affiliates:-Controversy:...
network after the sale is completed, under the callsign KETD.
History
| 1957 | Lester Sumrall Lester Sumrall Lester Frank Sumrall was an ordained American minister who formed the LeSEA broadcast network.-Biography:... establishes the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Evangelism Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity.... Association (LeSEA). |
|---|---|
| 1968 | LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship Flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag... radio station, WHME 103.1, begins broadcasting in South Bend as the result of the vision Lester Sumrall had that a time would come when Christian broadcasting 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... would much more difficult to air. |
| 1970 | Prayerline is established to provide twenty-four hour help for people seeking comfort and encouragement from fundamental Christian 'prayer counselors'. |
| 1972 | LeSEA acquires a defunct Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... religious station, WURD channel 40 (which was only on the air briefly in 1971), and changes call letters to "WHMB-TV WHMB-TV WHMB-TV is a predominantly Christian television station serving the Indianapolis, Indiana market on digital channel 16. They also run some secular general entertainment a few hours daily . The station is owned by LeSEA Broadcasting, also known as World Harvest Broadcasting.The organization was... ". (http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board.php?Post=573452&Board=tv-classic) |
| 1976 | LeSEA acquires Miami Miami, Florida Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625... based religious station WFCB channel 45, re-naming the station "WHFT-TV WHFT-TV WHFT-TV is a Christian television station serving the greater Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. Broadcasting on digital channel 46, the station is owned and operated by the Trinity Broadcasting Network... ". |
| 1977 | WHME-TV WHME-TV WHME-TV is a full-service Christian and general entertainment television station serving the South Bend market. The station is owned by LeSEA Broadcasting, also known as World Harvest Broadcasting, an organization founded by Assembly of God minister Lester Sumrall , whose sons are still active with... 46 goes on the air in South Bend. |
| 1980 | WHFT was sold to the Trinity Broadcasting Network Trinity Broadcasting Network The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New... ; it continues to maintain these calls to the present day. |
| 1985 | Short-wave radio is added to LeSEA Broadcasting when World Harvest Radio (WHRI), Angel 1 signs on the air, covering Central America Central America Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent... , South America South America South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east... , and the Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north... . |
| 1985 | KWHB KWHB KWHB, virtual channel 47, is a television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is an owned-and-operated station of the LeSEA network. The station runs a schedule of Christian programming along with a few hours of secular general entertainment daily.... -TV 47 goes on the air in Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's... . |
| 1985 | KWHE KWHE KWHE is a television station in Honolulu, Hawaii, broadcasting locally on digital channel 31 as a LeSEA owned-and-operated station. KWHE can also be seen on satellite stations KWHD channel 14 in Hilo and KWHM channel 21 in Wailuku, and on Oceanic Cable channel 11 statewide... -TV 14 goes on the air in Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and... . |
| 1987 | WHRI (Angel Angel Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an... 2) goes on the air covering Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... . First year of LeSEAs outdoor Christian music Music Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture... festival, World Harvest, hosted by WHME-FM for free for all their listeners. Fire destroys LeSEA Broadcasting headquarter building. Two years later, the new building is completed and dedicated. WHKE WPXE WPXE-TV, digital channel 40, is the Ion Television O&O station for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the city of license thirty miles south in Kenosha. However, the digital transmitter is situated within the traditional tower farm site on Milwaukee's northeast side with the antenna located on the... in Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,... goes on the air; station also serves Milwaukee. |
| 1990 | KWHD KWHD KETD, channel 53, is a television station based near Centennial, Colorado. Its city of license is Castle Rock, Colorado, serving the Denver market on digital channel 46 .-History:... -TV 53 goes on the air in Denver, Colorado Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... and KWHS-LP KWHS-LP KWHS-LP, channel 51, is a low-powered television station serving Southern Colorado. Its city of license is Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving the Colorado Springs-Pueblo market as a LeSEA owned-and-operated station. The station, which signed on the air in 1992 and maintains a studio in Colorado... 51 in Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado... . |
| 1993 | KWHR (Angel 3) goes on the air covering China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... and Eastern Asia. LeSEA's full-service tour agency is established, LeSEA Tours. |
| 1994 | WHNO WHNO WHNO is a television station in New Orleans, Louisiana, broadcasting locally on virtual channel 20 as a LeSEA owned-and-operated station. As an affiliate of LeSEA, the station airs mostly Christian programming along with a small amount of secular family programming.-Digital television:WHNO-DT... -TV 20 goes on the air in New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population... . |
| 1995 | LeSEA Internet Internet The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide... Services is opened from South Bend. WHKE sold to Paxson Communications, who would re-call the station as "WPXE". |
| 1996 | Dr. Lester Sumrall passes away at age 83 (April 28). |
| 1997 | KWHR (Angel 4) goes on the air covering the South Pacific Oceania Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago... . |
| 1998 | WHRA (Angel 5) goes on the air covering Africa Africa Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area... and the Middle East Middle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East... . |
| 2000 | First phase of Spread the Word campaign is launched to distribute 100,000 Bibles. LeSEA's Annual Christian music festival draws record numbers of 50,000+ for the first time. |
| 2001 | LeSEA acquires Middle East Television Middle East Television Middle East Television is a Christian-based satellite television broadcasting network located in Limassol, Cyprus. Programming on METV includes a mixture of Christian programming, plus non-religious entertainment programs like The Red Green Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Lone Ranger and NFL... (METV Middle East Television Middle East Television is a Christian-based satellite television broadcasting network located in Limassol, Cyprus. Programming on METV includes a mixture of Christian programming, plus non-religious entertainment programs like The Red Green Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Lone Ranger and NFL... ), a Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... -based family channel, from the Christian Broadcasting Network Christian Broadcasting Network The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:... . |
| 2002 | Second phase of Spread the Word campaign is launched to distribute 50,000 Bibles. LeSEA's stations begin converting into a digital format regulated by the Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the... (FCC). |
| 2005 | WHNO WHNO WHNO is a television station in New Orleans, Louisiana, broadcasting locally on virtual channel 20 as a LeSEA owned-and-operated station. As an affiliate of LeSEA, the station airs mostly Christian programming along with a small amount of secular family programming.-Digital television:WHNO-DT... -TV 20 taken off the air due to Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall... ; returns on December 3. |
LeSEA also operates three shortwave locations, including: South Carolina, the Big Island of Hawaii and Palau.
See also
- List of World Harvest Television stations
- List of Sky Angel Channels