Christian television broadcaster and magnate Andre Roebert has fallen out with the Los Angeles-based Trinity Broadcasting Network International (TBNI) over millions of rands the Americans claimed to have shelled out to grow Roebert’s East London-based TV businesses.
Roebert said that after requesting $1-million from TBNI towards a new roof for the broadcasting house in Fleet Street earlier this year, he was surprised by the “odd” request from the organisation for a “detailed financial analysis”.
Roebert and his board declined, saying they were accountable only to SARS and “had nothing to hide”.
Meanwhile, Roebert said the rebranding and renaming of their network from TBN Africa to Faith Broadcasting Network had been an instant and spectacular success.
He called the move one of East London’s greatest and most positive stories.
On Friday Matthew Crouch roasted Roebert and “his River Corporation ” for unilaterally renaming and rebranding TBN Africa as the Faith Broadcasting Network on DStv’s channel 341. Crouch said Roebert had done so without “prior notice, or consent from the TBN board” despite the fact that since 2002 TBNI had given Roebert “approximately” $10-million to launch TBN Africa.
Despite also funding monthly licensing fees for TBN Africa, TBN Eastern Cape and CTV, as well as providing Roebert with broadcast equipment, infrastructure and broadcast facilities, their request to Roebert and his affiliated organisations for “audited financial documentation” was refused.
Crouch said their request was in response to Roebert asking TBNI in February for R6.6-million to build a roof.
Crouch lashed out at Roebert, saying he had compromised TBNI’s responsibility as a global Christian broadcaster to be accountable, and that they were terminating “all association, content rights and brand usage” with Roebert, the River Corporation and The Faith Broadcasting Network.
Roebert is no longer be permitted to broadcast any content from any of the 32 TBNI channels; trade or use the TBN Africa, TBN or Trinity Broadcast Network brand name; or represent TBN as an “affiliate, agent or representative”.
Crouch said these decisions were to ensure TBNI’s “integrity”.
Crouch vowed to regain their viewership by rolling out a new broadcasting strategy for TBN Africa, saying viewers “will be notified shortly” of the rollout.
In early November, DStv announced that since launching TBN Africa in 2002, viewership had grown 39% to command 5% of the total DStv viewership.
MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, were approached for comment yesterday, but had not replied by deadline.
Christian TV network war
Roebert said that after requesting $1-million from TBNI towards a new roof for the broadcasting house in Fleet Street earlier this year, he was surprised by the “odd” request from the organisation for a “detailed financial analysis”.
Roebert and his board declined, saying they were accountable only to SARS and “had nothing to hide”.
Meanwhile, Roebert said the rebranding and renaming of their network from TBN Africa to Faith Broadcasting Network had been an instant and spectacular success.
He called the move one of East London’s greatest and most positive stories.
On Friday Matthew Crouch roasted Roebert and “his River Corporation ” for unilaterally renaming and rebranding TBN Africa as the Faith Broadcasting Network on DStv’s channel 341. Crouch said Roebert had done so without “prior notice, or consent from the TBN board” despite the fact that since 2002 TBNI had given Roebert “approximately” $10-million to launch TBN Africa.
Despite also funding monthly licensing fees for TBN Africa, TBN Eastern Cape and CTV, as well as providing Roebert with broadcast equipment, infrastructure and broadcast facilities, their request to Roebert and his affiliated organisations for “audited financial documentation” was refused.
Crouch said their request was in response to Roebert asking TBNI in February for R6.6-million to build a roof.
Crouch lashed out at Roebert, saying he had compromised TBNI’s responsibility as a global Christian broadcaster to be accountable, and that they were terminating “all association, content rights and brand usage” with Roebert, the River Corporation and The Faith Broadcasting Network.
Roebert is no longer be permitted to broadcast any content from any of the 32 TBNI channels; trade or use the TBN Africa, TBN or Trinity Broadcast Network brand name; or represent TBN as an “affiliate, agent or representative”.
Crouch said these decisions were to ensure TBNI’s “integrity”.
Crouch vowed to regain their viewership by rolling out a new broadcasting strategy for TBN Africa, saying viewers “will be notified shortly” of the rollout.
In early November, DStv announced that since launching TBN Africa in 2002, viewership had grown 39% to command 5% of the total DStv viewership.
MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, were approached for comment yesterday, but had not replied by deadline.
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