Miracle Channel is the on-air name of CJIL-TV, the first religious TV station in Canada. Based in Lethbridge, Alberta, it boasts an all-Christian all-the-time programming line up.
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History
Pastors Dick & Joan Dewert founded the Miracle Channel Association in 1995. The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted them a broadcasting license for CJIL-TV and broadcasting began on January 14, 1996 from Lethbridge, Alberta.
It was an accomplishment to get this particular type of broadcasting license and an exciting breakthrough for several religious groups. Along with Willard & Betty Thiessen of It's a New Day, the Dewerts are often credited as the pioneers of Canadian Christian Television.
In the early years, Miracle Channel was primarily supported financially by the Victory Church of Lethbridge, and dedicated viewers that saw Christian television as their cause. Financial partners made operation, production, broadcasting and expansion possible. Although headquarters and main studios remain in Lethbridge, Miracle Channel has expanded to employ staff in their Calgary and Winnipeg offices.
In May 2007, Dick Dewert resigned as President and CEO. Mervyn Mediwake, who was chairman of the board, stepped in as interim leader. After a series of interim leaders, the board of directors of the Miracle Channel Association hired Leon Fontaine, Sr. pastor of Springs Church, as permanent CEO on January 1, 2010.
On July 8, 2013, Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN) announced a programming partnership with Miracle Channel. As a result, Miracle Channel began airing some of TBN's flagship programs, including Praise. TBN's networks picked up some of Miracle Channel's programs, including The Spirit Contemporary Life and The Leon Show on The Church Channel - now known as Hillsong Channel. Plans were also announced for Fontaine to be a regular host on Praise.
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Leon Fontaine
Leon Fontaine and his wife Sally pastor one of the largest churches in Canada. Springs Church has six sites in four cities across the country. Leon is also the president of a two-campus private school and a leadership and management college with campuses in Calgary and Winnipeg.
Two major Canadian newspapers, Calgary Sun and Winnipeg Sun, publish his articles on business and faith on a weekly basis. His leadership training resources are used in organizations worldwide.
With over 30 years in leadership and ministry, Leon is a consultant in business growth, leadership and management. He speaks regularly at leading corporate and non-profit conferences, seminars and other leadership training opportunities. His first book, The Spirit Contemporary Life, was released in 2016.
Current & Upcoming
Program live stream is available 24/7 on the Miracle Channel website.
September 2017 saw the launch of a one-hour news program called Bridge City News: Connecting Our Communities. This local program features news, weather, sports, business news, and interviews. It caters to a Southern Alberta audience discussing current affairs and give a platform for viewers to share their opinions. Bridge City News comes on the heels of long-running program INSIGHT's series finale.
Fall of 2017 will also see the launch of Miracle Channel's new VOD platform. Subscribers can search, view and re-watch an expanded library of programming under a platform called Ignite. Containing family-friendly and worry-free programming for all ages, Ignite offers more flexibility than traditional TV watching.
On-the-Air
Miracle Channel can be seen on:
Programming
Critique
Along with the great deal of support Miracle Channel received from Canadian viewers, criticism was also received, specifically about statements made on-the-air about prosperity. Formal complaints were made and full policy reviews were conducted by the CRTC.
In January 2010, the Miracle Channel's fundraising policy & practices were amended, and no formal CRTC complaints were filed. Miracle Channel claims to have transparent and above-board financial practices, which are audited annually by an independent organization.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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