National Christian Network
Encyclopedia
The National Christian Network was a religious television network in the United States
which formed in 1979. The channel was founded by Ray A. Kassis and located in Cocoa, Florida
, where it owned studios. The programming was originated from Jewish, Catholic
, and Protestant groups; at the time of launch 54 separate groups had shown interest. The network was the fourth satellite-fed Christian network to be launched, and was a competitor to the Trinity Broadcasting Network
, the PTL Satellite Network
, and the Christian Broadcasting Network
.
NCN shared the same satellite
transponder
with the Playboy
channel. This caused a great deal of trouble for NCN, not because they shared the same transponder
at different times of the day, but rather because NCN attempted to sell satellite
time to Christian programmers who were led to believe (falsely) that every cable company that was carrying Playboy
was also carrying NCN, which was not the case. In fact most cable operators carried the Playboy
feed only during the hours that Playboy was transmitting programming, and they blacked out the NCN portion.
Jerry Falwell
acquired NCN in 1986, renaming it to the Liberty Broadcasting Network and moving it's headquarters to Chesapeake, Virginia
. At that time the network had an estimated 3 million viewers. LBN billed itself as the first "for profit inspirational network".
The Liberty Broadcasting Network was renamed to FamilyNet
in June 1988, and at the same time became a for-profit entity. The network had lost about $3.2 million each year, and Falwell associate / former PTL
manager Dr. Jerry Nims was brought in to head the new network.
FamilyNet was acquired by the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission in 1991. The SBC ran the network alongside its separately programmed American Christian Television System
. In 1995 FamilyNet was available to 35 million homes through broadcast stations. The church sold FamilyNet to InTouch Ministries in 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which formed in 1979. The channel was founded by Ray A. Kassis and located in Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Cocoa was...
, where it owned studios. The programming was originated from Jewish, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, and Protestant groups; at the time of launch 54 separate groups had shown interest. The network was the fourth satellite-fed Christian network to be launched, and was a competitor 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...
, the PTL Satellite Network
PTL Satellite Network
The PTL Television Network -- often referred to as simply PTL -- was a global evangelical Christian television network based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, founded by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in 1974. PTL Satellite Network was dedicated in April of 1977...
, and 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:...
.
NCN shared the same 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....
transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
with the Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
channel. This caused a great deal of trouble for NCN, not because they shared the same transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
at different times of the day, but rather because NCN attempted to sell 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....
time to Christian programmers who were led to believe (falsely) that every cable company that was carrying Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
was also carrying NCN, which was not the case. In fact most cable operators carried the Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
feed only during the hours that Playboy was transmitting programming, and they blacked out the NCN portion.
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
acquired NCN in 1986, renaming it to the Liberty Broadcasting Network and moving it's headquarters to Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
. At that time the network had an estimated 3 million viewers. LBN billed itself as the first "for profit inspirational network".
The Liberty Broadcasting Network was renamed to 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...
in June 1988, and at the same time became a for-profit entity. The network had lost about $3.2 million each year, and Falwell associate / former PTL
PTL Satellite Network
The PTL Television Network -- often referred to as simply PTL -- was a global evangelical Christian television network based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, founded by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in 1974. PTL Satellite Network was dedicated in April of 1977...
manager Dr. Jerry Nims was brought in to head the new network.
FamilyNet was acquired by the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission in 1991. The SBC ran the network alongside its separately programmed American Christian Television System
American Christian Television System
The American Christian Television System was a television network developed in the 1980s by the Southern Baptist Convention . Plans for the network involved a combination of low and full-power stations, most of which were to be built, and carriage on local cable TV networks.Religious denominations...
. In 1995 FamilyNet was available to 35 million homes through broadcast stations. The church sold FamilyNet to InTouch Ministries in 2007.
See also
- American Christian Television SystemAmerican Christian Television SystemThe American Christian Television System was a television network developed in the 1980s by the Southern Baptist Convention . Plans for the network involved a combination of low and full-power stations, most of which were to be built, and carriage on local cable TV networks.Religious denominations...
- FamilyNetFamilyNetFamilyNet 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...
- National Interfaith Cable Coalition
- PTL Satellite NetworkPTL Satellite NetworkThe PTL Television Network -- often referred to as simply PTL -- was a global evangelical Christian television network based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, founded by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in 1974. PTL Satellite Network was dedicated in April of 1977...