Family Broadcasting Corporation, formerly known as LeSEA Broadcasting, is an American Christiantelevision network.[1] Founded by Lester Sumrall in 1972, Family Broadcasting Corporation is headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, and broadcasts Christian and family programming. Peter Sumrall, son of Lester Sumrall, served as its president and chief executive officer from 2002 to 2015.[2] His son, Drew Sumrall, now serves in the same position.[3]
Family Movie Classics (FMC) is an American cable and satellite television network owned by the Family Broadcasting Corporation. The network features classic movies.[11] FMC launched on October 28, 2021 on Dish Network to 9 million subscribers.[12] In 2022, streaming services Frndly TV, DirecTV Stream and Philo added the movie service to their offerings.[13]
Originally acquired by Family Broadcasting Corporation in 1972, WHMB-TV 40 was the longest, continually operated Christian television station in the United States. WHMB-TV is now affiliated with the Univision network broadcasting Spanish-language programming to Hispanic/Latino viewers in the Indianapolis and Central Indiana viewing area, and soon to have local Spanish-language newscasts every day that will include a two-hour local morning newscast on weekdays, Primera Hora Indianapolis leading into the national morning show Despierta América, with Edición Digital Indianapolis at 12:30pm after Noticiero Univision: Edición Digital and Noticias 40 Indianapolis weeknights leading into the national evening newscasts, Noticiero Univision starts to air, and for weekend evenings at 6 and 11pm. WHMB reaches the entire Indianapolis, Indiana, television market.[14]
On September 10, 1977, WHME-TV 46 South Bend came onto the airwaves with mostly religious programming, as well as some family programming. Today, WHME is Family Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters, housing a number of separate divisions. WHME-TV formerly aired programming that was a blend of religious programming (local and national), local sports, and family entertainment. It is now a Univision affiliate airing Spanish-language programming to Hispanic/Latino viewers in the Michiana viewing area, and soon to have local Spanish-language newscasts every day that will include a two-hour local morning newscast on weekdays, Primera Hora South Bend, leading into the national morning show Despierta América with Edición Digital South Bend at 12:30pm after Noticiero Univision: Edición Digital and Noticias 46 South Bend weeknights leading into the national evening newscasts, Noticiero Univision starts to air, and for weekend evenings at 6 and 11pm.
KWHE TV 14 covers the major population centers of Hilo, Maui, Kona, and Honolulu, with Christian and family programming. The station is carried on Oceanic Cable channel 11 and on Hawaiian Telcom channel 14.
Purchased by Family Broadcasting Corporation in 1985, KWHB 47 is the oldest Christian television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Today, KWHB can be viewed on over 84 cable stations in Oklahoma, serving a potential audience of over 1.5 million people. The station was sold to the Christian Television Network on February 20, 2020.
WHKE signed on in June 1988 and was owned by LeSea. The station was sold to Paxson Communications in 1995, being a temporary affiliate of the paid programming network inTV before the August 1998 launch of PAX TV, today's Ion Television.
WCVI-TV 23 was acquired in 2014 and is the Family Broadcasting Corporation station in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The station was sold to Lilly Broadcasting in 2020.
Since 1985 Family Broadcasting Corporation has operated World Harvest Radio International (WHRI), designed to reach the over 200 million shortwave radio receivers in the world. Family Broadcasting Corporation is the only Christian broadcaster currently operating a global network of shortwave radio transmitters. Transmitter facilities are located in South Carolina and in Palau, Oceania (T8WH). Six transmitters are in operation full-time, named the Six Angels.
Angel 1—Covers Africa, North America, Central America, South America, and Australia
Angel 2—Covers parts of North America, Europe, and parts of Asia
Angel 3—Covers Asia (T8WH)
Angel 4—Covers Australia (T8WH)
Angel 5—Covers Africa
Angel 6—Covers North and Central America
In August 2020, it was announced that WHRI was selling its facilities to Allen Weiner, owner of Monticello, Maine-based shortwave station WBCQ, pending FCC approval.[15]
FBC-owned FM radio stations
Harvest FM
Harvest 103.1 FM, or WHME (FM), began broadcasting in 1968. The radio station, which serves the South Bend, Indiana, area, features a mix of interactive talk, Bible teaching programs, and inspirational music 24 hours a day.
Pulse FM
Founded in 1996, Pulse FM WHPZ 96.9 broadcasts contemporary Christian music to the Michiana market. In December 2004, Family Broadcasting Corporation purchased WDOW 92.1 FM to increase Pulse FM's listening base,[16] and the call letters are now WHPD 92.1. For many years, the radio station hosted World Pulse Festival, a one-day Christian music festival.[17] In 2017, Pulse FM transitioned to a new concert format named Pulse Summer Series, a series of three summer concerts in downtown South Bend, Indiana, at the Morris Performing Arts Center.[18]
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