Jan Crouch

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Janice Crouch
Born Janice Wendell Bethany
(1938-03-14) March 14, 1938
New Brockton, Alabama
Occupation Co-Founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network
Title Vice President and Director of Network Programming/TBN, and Director/CEO of Holy Land Experience
Religion Christian
Spouse(s) Paul Crouch (1957-2013, his death)
Children Paul Crouch, Jr.
Matthew Crouch

Janice Wendell Bethany "Jan" Crouch (born March 14, 1938) is a religious broadcaster and, with her late husband Paul, co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).

Biography

Early life and ministry

Jan is the daughter of Reverend and Mrs.Edgar W. Bethany, and grew up in Columbus, Georgia. Her father served as a pastor in the Assemblies of God denomination, and was the founding president of Southeastern University (Florida). While attending Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri, Jan met Paul F. Crouch. They married in 1957, and have two sons, Paul Jr. and Matthew, both of whom are high-ranking officials and program hosts on TBN.

Founding TBN

In 1973, Paul and Jan Crouch along with Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker founded The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). In 1974, TBN purchased its first TV station, KLXA-TV (channel 40, now KTBN-TV) in Southern California, and began distribution through cable systems in 1978. Shortly after the network's founding, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker parted ways with Paul and Jan Crouch and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to found the PTL Satellite Network. Under the leadership of the Crouch family, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has grown to become the United States' largest Christian television network, offering 24 hour commercial-free programming,[1][2] and TBN is currently third largest over-the-air Station Group in the United States, with CBS, Fox, and NBC holding the 4th, 5th and 6th place, according to TV News Check's annual listing of the Top 30 Station Groups.[3] TBN owns and operates 5 independent TV networks, each of which adheres to a faith-based message, but reaching separate demographics. TBN networks include TBN itself, JCTV, TBN Enlace, Smile of a Child, and The Church Channel.

TBN is viewed globally on 70 satellites and over 18,000 TV and cable affiliates. TBN is also seen on the Internet globally.[4] TBN is carried on over 287 television stations in the U.S. and on thousands of other cable television and satellite systems around the world in over 75 countries, where their programming is translated into over 11 languages. In the US, TBN is viewed on US satellite and cable subs, and affiliated with major cable and satellite companies such as Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Verizon FIOS, DirecTV, AT&T, Dish Network and Charter. The total TBN audience across the US via broadcast, cable and satellite is 100,564,000.[5]

Work within TBN

For the past 40 years, Jan Crouch has served as TBN's vice president and director of network programming, as well as the director of programming for TBN's affiliated networks, such as the Smile of a Child children's channel,[6] the JCTV youth network,[7] The Church Channel,[8] the TBN Enlace USA Spanish language network,[9][10] and others. She is also the President of The Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, FL, and manages the day to day operations of the park.[11][12]

The Smile of a Child Foundation

Crouch is also the founder and president of the Smile of a Child Foundation, a humanitarian relief organization providing medical supplies, food, clothes, and toys to underprivileged children around the world. Among its recent projects has been a partnership with Friend Ships, a compassion-focused ministry located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that speeds emergency relief aid and medical expertise all over the world in its fleet of dedicated cargo/ministry ships.[13] Friend Ships has been partnering with TBN and Smile of a Child since 1992, shipping tons of relief goods to Haiti. Smile of a Child foundation completed the construction of a medical clinic in Costa Rica. Ongoing projects include construction of the Smile of a Child children’s hospital in Haiti,[14] as well as mobile medical clinics that will be sent to needy countries around the world.[6]

In May, 2009, the United Nations officially recommended the Smile of a Child Foundation, a United States-based organization, seeking to help world leaders alleviate poverty and improve the lives of children.to receive special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council for the Democracy Coalition Project.[15]

Honors

On May 5, 1990, she was awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Oral Roberts University, in Tulsa, Oklahoma for her work in Christian television.

Crouch and TBN have been the recipients of numerous awards and citations of appreciation by both local and national leaders, including the Golden Angel award from the Excellence in Media organization and the Parents Television Council Entertainment Seal of Approval, given to both the TBN and Smile of a Child networks for producing and promoting programming that reflects their socially conservative values.[16]

Charity Navigator Ratings for TBN

Charity Navigator, a national evaluator of charities, gives TBN an overall rating of 2 out of 4 stars. It reports that for the FYE 12/2008, Paul F. Crouch Sr., President of TBN earned $419,500, Janice Crouch, Vice-President, earned $361,000, and Paul F. Crouch Jr., Vice-President, earned $214,137.[17] Crouch has produced products for TBN such as videos that account for a portion of her income.

Hair

Jan is justly famous for the large pink wig she is often seen wearing when in public.

Controversy

In March 2012 Jan Crouch was accused, by her granddaughter, a former employee and chief finance director of the church, of misappropriating church funds to spend on a lavish lifestyle. Items of expenditure included expensive homes, private jets, and a $100,000 air conditioned mobile home solely for Jan Crouch's dogs.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "The BRIDGE - March 2009 - Programming Trends & Top 10s". Mediabiz.com. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  2. ↑ "Heavenly success: TV's largest religious network continues to expand around the world, while adding shows aimed at reaching a much wider audience. (30th Anniversary). - Multic". Highbeam.com. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  3. ↑ "Top Station Groups Stay The Course". TVNewsCheck.com. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  4. ↑ "Watch Us". Tbn.org. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  5. ↑ "TBN - Trinity Broadcasting Network". NCTA.com. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Smile of A Child TV". Smile of A Child TV. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  7. ↑ http://www.jctv.org/flashindex.php
  8. ↑ "A New Digital Network From TBN, the Leader in Religious Television". The Church Channel. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  9. ↑ http://www.enlace.org/#/inicio/
  10. ↑ "Enlace - Kerk/Religieuze organisatie - Irving". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  11. ↑ "Florida Department of State Division of Corporations Detail by Entity Name". Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  12. ↑ "TBN Networks Affiliates - TBN". Tbnnetworks.org. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  13. ↑ "Haiti Mission 2006 - Friend Ships reaches out with tender loving care to the people of Haiti". Friendships.org. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  14. ↑ "Filmmaker’s bond to Haiti". CNN. 
  15. ↑ "COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS REJECTS SPECIAL STATUS FOR GROUP, CLOSES FILE ON ANOTHER, APPROVES 10 APPLICATIONS WHILE DEFERRING 15 OTHERS". Un.org. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  16. ↑ "TBN Awarded Seal of Approval by Parents Television Council". Parentstv.org. 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 
  17. ↑ "charitynavigator.org". Charity Navigator. 
  18. ↑ Nina Golgowski (2012-03-23). "Private jets, 13 mansions and a $100,000 mobile home just for the dogs: Televangelists 'defrauded tens of million of dollars from Christian network' | Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-02-08. 

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