Christian Broadcasting Network History

Christian Broadcasting Network was established by Pat Robertson in 1960 and debuted in 1961 on WYAH-TV. With the help of local supporters it went on live broadcasting from 7 pm to 10 pm every night. Eventually as it gained popularity and more supporters, broadcasting time became 5 pm to midnight every night. In 1963, in an effort to solve its financial difficulties, since Robertson refused to have commercials in the show, CBN launched its first telethon in order to raise the needed cash for the following year.

This gave birth to what would become "The 700 Club". At that time Robertson called upon viewers to join the club of 700 contributors who are willing to contribute $10 every month for the program. The following year, "The 700 Club" was born. It was a program of prayer and evangelization with the telethon. With The 700 Club's audience grew and other television stations also started airing the show. The success of The 700 provided financial gains to CBN and allowed the station to improve its transmission power and to acquire eight radio stations, six in the US, 1 in Colombia and 1 in South America.

By 1976 it started broadcasting internationally, with its first international broadcast beginning in the Philippines. During this time, CBN also bought 142 acres of land in Virginia which became its new headquarters studio. The following year, it launched CBN Cable. Also in 1977 Robertson founded the Regent University in Virginia. Then in 1978, Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation was created. By 1982 it started broadcasting in the Middle East, with the launching of Middle East Television Network in Israel and Lebanon. By 1994 CBN Asia was launched and the following year CBN WorldReach. With the success of CBN globally, its programs were broadcasted in more than one hundred languages to more than two hundred countries in the world.

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