Christian Broadcasting Network

Founded in 1960 by Pat Robertson, the Christian Broadcasting Network started operations as a local UHF broadcast television in Portsmouth, Virginia. It did not take commercial advertising, and conducted its first fundraising "telethon" in 1963. Listeners were told that 700 subscribers, paying $10 per month, would pay the station expenses. This appeal was successful, and provided the name for Robertson's key "700 Club" program.

1964 saw the "televangelism" component develop, in which the audience began both offering contributions and asking for prayer. Robertson formalized the prayer, ministry and television response in 1965, which continued to grow into the present cable, broadcast and satellite distribution to 200 countries.

In 1977, CBN started the nation's first basic TV cable network with satellite transmissions of religious and syndicated family TV shows. By 1981, CBN Cable reached nearly 10 million homes. Renamed the CBN Family Channel in 1988, the commercial cable operation continued to prosper and was sold in 1990 to International Family Entertainment Inc. (IFE), a publicly held company that trades on the New York Stock Exchange. IFE was sold in 1997 to Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc.. Disney acquired the Fox Family Channel and it was named ABC Family on November 10, 2001.

The core CBB remains a nonprofit organization, built around the 700 Club

Evangelism

In 1995, CBN launched CBN WorldReach with a mission of converting 500 million people to Christianity using Gospel programming to targeted international audiences.

Middle East Television (METV), a television station in Southern Lebanon, broadcasts news, sports, family entertainment, and religious programming by satellite to a potential audience of 200 million people in 15 nations including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Cyprus. METV also distributes free videotapes and religious literature and provides food and clothing -- through CBN’s humanitarian affiliate, Operation Blessing International -- throughout the Middle East. METV was sold to a like-minded ministry, LeSEA Broadcasting, in July 2001.

700 Club operations

Here in America, The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Centers in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Nashville, Tennessee provide prayer, scriptural counsel, and literature to people who call CBN's toll free telephone prayer line. The center's phones are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by a staff of paid, volunteer, and “on call” workers who are trained in offering comfort and encouragement from a biblical perspective.

Humanitarian operations

Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation is an affiliate organization founded by Pat Robertson in 1978. Operation Blessing was originally set up to help disadvantaged people by matching their needs for clothing, appliances, vehicles and other items with articles donated by viewers of The 700 Club. However, as requests for assistance grew, Robertson and CBN's board of directors decided to make a financial commitment to Operation Blessing that reached $1 million in 1982. In 1992 a fleet of refrigerated tractor-trailer trucks was added to Operation Blessing and called the Hunger Strike Force (HSF). The HSF hauls millions of pounds of food and disaster relief across the U.S. Operation Blessing later purchased and retrofitted an L-1011 airplane into a hospital. “The Flying Hospital” was commissioned in 1996 by former President George Bush and took its first medical mission to El Salvador. The Flying Hospital was sold to a charitable not-for-profit organization in 2000.

Education

CBN Historical Highlights

THE 1960s • CBN founded and goes on the air from WYAH-TV in Portsmouth, Virginia. • Portsmouth facility renovated and transmission power boosted. • Full color television production begins. • CBN acquires six radio stations in U.S. and one in Colombia, South America. • The first "700 Club" telethon leads to a daily show called The 700 Club.

THE 1970s • A new tower and higher transmission power increases CBN's coverage area. • CBN acquires TV stations in Dallas, Atlanta and Boston. • National Counseling Center begins 24-hour telephone prayer line. • The 700 Club becomes the first religious program in English to be carried by cable in Israel. • CBN buys 142 acres of land in Virginia Beach and builds a new studio headquarters building. • CBN International is established and delivers CBN programming to the Far East, Canada, South America, Mexico, Africa, and Europe. • CBN becomes the first Christian ministry to build and operate its own satellite earth station. • 24-hour Christian programming begins by satellite. • CBN University opens. • Operation Blessing is established. • CBN Cable is established.

THE 1980s • The 700 Club changes to a news/magazine format and opens a news bureau in Washington D.C. • Middle East Television begins operations in Southern Lebanon and Israel. • CBN begins producing animation programs to share the Gospel with "Superbook." Airs in Japan. • CBN buys additional acreage for future expansion and builds the Corporate Support Building. •"Don't Ask Me, Ask God" airs. It is the most-watched religious special in broadcast history. •CBN Cable becomes The Family Channel. • CBN receives Emmy Award for "Never Say Goodbye," produced for CBS.

THE 1990s • CBN University becomes Regent University and Law & Government Building opens. • The Family Channel is sold to International Family Entertainment (IFE) in 1990. • The Soviet government opens door for a CBN ministry center in Moscow. CBN airs a Christmas special and "Superbook” on Soviet television. One hundred million people view CBN's television specials in 1991 and 1992. • Philippines and Romania broadcasting blitzes reach millions. • The Founders Inn opens. • Regent University receives a $117 million endowment gift from CBN?the largest to a private university. • Operation Blessing Hunger Strike Force trucking line founded and launches an 18-city food distribution campaign, delivering more than four million pounds of food. • Operation Blessing Medical Strike Force founded. First medical mission is to Russia. One of the first humanitarian organizations to assist in Rwanda refugee crisis. • An L-1011 aircraft is purchased and converted into a "flying hospital." The Flying Hospital takes its first mission to El Salvador in 1996. • Middle East Television begins broadcasting by satellite to a potential audience of 200 million people in 15 nations in the Middle East.

• "Micah's Christmas Treasure," "The Easter Promise," "Alabastor's Song," and “Spunky’s First Christmas” animation specials air in U.S. and internationally.

• CBN WorldReach worldwide campaign is launched October 1, 1995?goal is to win 500 million souls to Christ. • IFE is sold in 1997 to Fox Kids Worldwide, Inc. • Regent University receives $109.3 million from sale of IFE stock. •“Spunky’s First Christmas” animation debuts Christmas 1997 in the United States and 20 other nations. • CBN joins Campus Crusade for Christ in national prayer and fasting event March 1-April 9, 1998, called Pray USA `98. •“1000 Years in the Killing Fields” docudrama airs in Cambodia to minister to survivors of the Killing Fields. • Second Spunky animation, “Spunky’s Camping Adventure,” broadcast on television in the United States during the summer. • CBN WorldReach conducts media blitz programming during bombing of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. • CBN sponsors Y2K conference in October, 1998. • CBN WorldReach conducts crusade in Hyderabad, India, during medical mission to 350,000 people. • Book of Hope Campaign, in partnership with Tyndale Publishing, distributes over 10 million books making it the largest Bible reading campaign in America?as well as the largest promotion of any secular or religious book. • CBN launches magazine format website, CBN.com.

THE 2000s • CBN celebrates its 40th anniversary since inception on January 11, 2000. • Pat Robertson celebrates his 70th birthday on March 22, 2000. • Pat Robertson reaffirms his ordination vows on March 27, 2000. • Regent University acquires ownership of the Founders Inn on August 1, 2000. • Regent University dedicates new graduate center in Alexandria, Va. on March 19, 2001. • METV licensing and operations transferred to a like-minded ministry, LeSEA Broadcasting in South Bend, Ind. in July 2001. • CBN launches Living the Life, a 30-minute magazine style show for women, produced by CBN. Living the Life was launched in September 2001. • Terrorist Attacks hit New York City and Washington. CBN News responds with live two hour morning broadcast. They also provide news every hour on the hour as well as 11 p.m. live broadcast-September 11, 2001. • On September 11, Operation Blessing mobilizes to help victims of terrorist attacks against the US. In the following days OB delivers over 210 thousand pounds of relief supplies such as: blankets, nutritional bars, drinks, adhesive bandages, medical kits, toiletry items, coveralls, and respirators • CBN celebrates its 40th Broadcast Anniversary on October 1, 2001. • Regent University begins construction on The Communication and Performing Arts building in March 2001. Construction was completed in the fall of 2002. • Disney acquires the Fox Family Channel and names it ABC Family on November 10, 2001. • Over 10 Christian Broadcasters unite in an unprecedented effort to reach out to the American people with, Where is God Now?, a two-hour primetime special produced by CBN. The program airs November 21-24, 2001. • Living The Life wins prestigious Telly Award in May 2002. • NorthStar Productions, state-of-the-art broadcast facility, opens its doors in May 2002. • First via satellite interview from NorthStar Productions with Pat on Fox News Hannity & Colmes, May 17, 2002. • First 700 Club broadcast featuring Kathy Troccoli from NorthStar studio, June 16, 2002. • Robertson presented with The State of Israel Friendship Award by the Chicago chapter of the Zionist Organization of America, July 14, 2002. • CBN News launches CBN NewsWatch, a new half-hour weekend program, in October 2002. • Living The Life wins three Telly Awards in March 2003. • United States goes to war in March 2003 and CBN News covers Operation Iraqi Freedom extensively on The 700 Club by adding daily program--CBN NewsWatch--to their lineup and bringing on Col. William Taylor, military analyst, to contribute to news reports. • CBN’s domestic One Cubed launches on September 18, 2003. One Cubed is a cutting edge magazine style program which features extreme sports, music videos, and celebrity interviews. • Pat Robertson speaks to Israeli leaders at the Herzliya Conference at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy on December 17, 2003. • Living the Life wins five Telly Awards for 2003. • The Ten Offenses, Dr. Robertson’s cutting edge book regarding the Ten Commandments is released, January 2004. • 2004: Pat Robertson’s 16th book, “Courting Disaster,” is released by Integrity Publishers in January 2004 • Israeli Cabinet Member and Minister of Tourism, Benny Elon, presents Pat Robertson with honorary Ambassadors Award at the NRB convention on February 15th.. • Operation Blessing readies tons of emergency relief supplies for Hurricane Frances in September. • November 2004 sweeps show tremendous ratings growth for The 700 Club. December reaches ten year ratings high • Operation Blessing begins providing emergency relief for Tsunami victims in Asia on December 26th. • On January 7, 2005: John Tesh, Connie Sellecca and family travel with Operation Blessing to Sri Lanka to aid Tsunami victims • Pat Robertson speaks at The National Press Club luncheon on February 15th. • On March 11th The 700 Club features an exclusive interview with Mel Gibson • Pat Robertson celebrates his 75th birthday on March 22nd. • In April, Pat Robertson, Bono, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and a host of other leaders join together for ONE: The campaign to make poverty history—www.one.org • 700 Club Hoy now airing on Azteca America-Hispanic Network in the U.S. in May • On May 15th, Christian World News pioneers global news alliance giving Christian broadcasters the ability to share footage on the Internet—Stan Jeter leads the effort. • Living the Life wins four Telly Awards • Pat Robertson’s new book, “Miracles Can Be Yours Today,” is released in January 2006 by Integrity Publishers • NRB awards The 700 Club with the Best Television Talk Show Award in January 2006 • CBN Animation’s, The Lion’s Den, wins four Telly Awards for Children’s Television Programming, Original Music, Animation and Home Video Production, March 2006 • CBN Animation’s, The Lion’s Den, wins four OMNI Awards for Outstanding Children’s Programming, May 2006 • Pat Robertson celebrates his 77th birthday, March 22nd. • On April 29, 2007, CBN celebrates 400th Anniversary of the English settlers erecting a wooden cross at Cape Henry and dedicating America to God. CBN has “Reclaiming The Covenant” ceremony outside by the cross with partners and CBN employees. • On April 30, 2007, First Landing, CBN and Regent University produced movie, airs on ABC Family and various syndicated stations across the United States • 1 Cubed USA wins two Telly Awards for exceptional programming, May 2007. • CBN Animation wins two Telly Awards for Beyond the Manger, May 2007.