Christian Broadcasting Network

=== Beginnings ===
CBN was founded in 1960 in [[Portsmouth, Virginia]] by [[Pat Robertson]], who had recently become a [[born again|born-again]] Christian.<ref name=":0" /> CBN entered into the broadcasting industry in October 1961, when '''[[WYAH-TV]]''' (WTOV-TV) in Portsmouth – the group's [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] station – signed on the air.<ref> Randall Herbert Balmer, ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition'', Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 157</ref> Its programming was funded by small donations from individuals and local churches.<ref name=":0" />

In August 1962, WYAH-TV was joined by an [[FM broadcasting|FM]] sister station, [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]-licensed '''WXRI''',<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Media Pioneer - PatRobertson.com |url=http://www.patrobertson.com/mediapioneer/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.patrobertson.com}}</ref> which broadcast a format of Christian music and teaching programs.

In 1966, a daily talk program began on WYAH, which eventually became known as ''[[The 700 Club]]''.<ref name=":3" />

On July 7, 1968, CBN acquired the '''Neuvo Continente''' radio station in Bogota, Colombia (which was the first evangelical radio station in that country).<ref name=":3" />

In 1969 the organisation established '''CBN Northeast''', a simulcast network of five FM radio stations in upstate [[New York (state)|New York]] (WBIV in [[Wethersfield, New York|Wethersfield]], WEIV in [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]], WJIV in [[Cherry Valley, New York|Cherry Valley]], WMIV in [[South Bristol, New York|South Bristol]] and WOIV in [[DeRuyter, New York|DeRuyter]]). (The stations were previously the [[Rural Radio Network]].)

CBN signed on [[WHAE-TV]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] in June 1971. In January 1973, CBN purchased KBFI-TV in [[Dallas]] and changed its callsign to [[KXTX-TV]]. The ministry signed on its final station, [[WXNE-TV]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], in October 1977.

The ministry's broadcasting subsidiary, the '''Continental Broadcasting Network''', ran its four over-the-air outlets as family-oriented [[Independent station (North America)|independent stations]] – featuring a mix of religious programming (which took up most of its stations' Sunday schedules) and secular acquired programs, including [[western (genre)|westerns]], sitcoms, drama series and children's programming. (This format that would be later adopted by the LeSEA Broadcasting Corporation when it began launching its own television stations in the 1970s.)

CBN transferred Neuovo Continente to Colombian pastor and broadcaster Ignacio Guevara on June 7, 1972.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pastor Guevara – Nuevo Continente |url=https://www.nuevocontinente.org/pastor-guevara/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |language=es}}</ref>

''The International 700 Club'' was first broadcast on November 7, 1976, in the Philippines.<ref name=":3" /> This 30 minute version of the US show was to go on to be broadcast in many other countries. This later became known as ''The 700 Club International''.

On April 29, 1977, CBN launched a religious channel in the United States, the '''[[History of Freeform (TV channel)|CBN Satellite Service]]'''.

Also that year, '''[[Regent University|CBN University]]''' was founded. It was established for "the specific purpose of preparing leaders who would not only succeed in their professions but also advance as Christians equipped to effectively impact their world."<ref name="regent.edu">{{cite web |date=2010-08-01 |title=Regent University - History |url=https://www.regent.edu/about_us/overview/history.cfm#today |access-date=2015-11-13 |publisher=Regent.edu}}</ref> Its first classes began in September 1978.<ref name="regent.edu" />

Affiliated charity ''[[Operation Blessing International|Operation Blessing]]'' was set up on November 14, 1978. It was initially intended to help struggling individuals and families by matching their needs for items such as clothing, appliances, and vehicles with donated items from viewers of ''The 700 Club''. Coordinating with local churches and other organizations, OBI expanded their matching funds program to also include food provisions and financial assistance for low-income families.

In June 1979, CBN joined George Otis Ministries to build a combined radio and TV station in Southern Lebanon. It then began to broadcast Christian programming 28 hours a week in Hebrew.<ref name=":3" />