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Based in California, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is the largest Christian TV network in the United States of America. TBN boasts five million household viewers every week during prime time and that is just viewers from the United States. TBN was started in 1973 by Paul Crouch, Jan Crouch, Jim Bakker, and Tammy Faye Bakker and is broadcasted in eleven languages around the world.
TBN features the biggest names in the evangelical world but somehow still manages to make their programs have a personal feel to them. If you are looking for a religious network TBN is definitely the way to go.
Since its start TBN has almost constantly been in controversy with Christian watchdog groups, the main controversy being finance. TBN accumulates about $200 million per year, this is mainly because of the "prosperity gospel" that is preached on the network. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability has been trying for years to get TBN to disclose the exact amount of money they collect each year and what is done with it. But that has not happened, and every year TBN gets an "F" grade on financial accountability from many financial groups that deal with TBN and the likes.
TBN has also been buying a lot of small television stations around the US; they are doing this to expand their presence on cable television. To access TBN just call your local cable provider and ask them what channel TBN is located on, because the FCC's must-carry rule states that all cable providers must carry locally-licensed television stations.
All things considered I give TBN an 8/10, their programs are well presented and they do keep up with all the major secular networks around. It is no surprise that they are the ninth largest over-the-air broadcaster in the United States. But trusting them with my money... maybe not.
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