Daystar, formerly known as the Daystar Television Network, is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcastingnetwork headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas. Its founders are Marcus Lamb and his wife, Joni Lamb.

History 
Daystar's roots can be traced back to 1993, when Marcus Lamb and his Word of God Fellowship ministry purchased a formerly defunctUHF station in Dallas called KMPX, broadcasting Christian programming. Lamb is a Georgia native who first began preaching at age 15 and finished Magna Cum Laude from Lee College at age nineteen. In 1982, he married Joni Trammel, and together they began to travel the US, preaching in churches, conventions, and crusades.

In 1984, they moved to Montgomery, Alabama to begin a television station. In less than a year, WMCF-TV 45 became the first full power Christian television station in the state. The Lambs built the station for the next five years, and in 1990 sold it to Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). They moved to Dallas, Texas, where, in 1993, the Lambs launched their first station in the Dallas market. Channel 29 ran for three years. Then, in 1996, with a large contribution from Kenneth Copeland Ministries, they purchased a station in Colorado, officially turning them into a network. In August 1997, the small staff moved into a 32,000-square-foot (3,000 m2) facility that included production studios; on New Year's Eve Daystar was launched.

Since 1993[clarification needed], Daystar facilities tripled in size, and its broadcast signal reached 200 countries and 670 million households globally[citation needed]. In 2010 Daystar became the first full-time Christian network to build a TV station in Israel.

On March 21, 2011, Daystar announced that it would downsize its production studios in Ashland, Kentucky; Houston, Texas; and Denver, Colorado, effective the following month; the facilities would continue to be used as transmitters, but not broadcasting centers. This, with studios now run by a limited technical staff, led to the layoff of an unknown number of Daystar employees.

Programming 
Daystar transmits programs by ministers and speakers from around the world. Most broadcasts are from groups and individuals aligned with various charismatic and Pentecostalmovements. It airs paid programs from ministries including John Hagee, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, David Reagan, Joyce Meyer, Kerry Shook, Sid Roth, Jack Graham, Hal Lindsey, Jonathan Falwell, and the Pensacola Christian College program Rejoice in the Lord. In addition to paid programmers, special guests on original shows have included Bishop T.D. Jakes, Brian Houston, actor Stephen Baldwin, director Michael Landon Jr., Francine Rivers, former heavy-weight Champion George Foreman, and Joyce Meyer.

Joni Table Talk - Joni Lamb's daily show, Joni Table Talk, is presented by Lamb and co-hosts who are her personal friends. They come from various backgrounds including professional counselors, ministers, and members of the Daystar Singers. This panel interviews guests from diverse backgrounds. The subjects covered include topics such as Christian spirituality, secular culture, music, health and fitness, marriage enrichment, recovery from various addictions, alternative lifestyles, parenthood, and psychological disorders.

Check the Sound - Check the Sound is a half-hour program with interviews and music for young adults transmitted on Friday and Saturday nights. The Lambs' three children, Jonathon, Rachel, and Rebecca, host the program in front of a live audience. Often, the program is devoted to airing new Christian music videos. At other times, musicians and bands are brought into the studio for live concerts and interviews, covering topics about music, Christianity, and cultural issues.

Gospel Music Showcase - Gospel Music Showcase is a southern gospel music program hosted by Guy Penrod of the Gaither Vocal Band. Live performances and interviews of popular artists are transmitted.

Special programming 
Occasionally, Daystar transmits programs of the Lambs at church speaking engagements and broadcasts events such as Christians United for Israel summits. Daystar transmits week-long, semi-annual fundraising telethons called "Share-a-thons".

Controversies 
FCC investigation 
In 2003 Daystar was investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), centering on allegations that Daystar sold air time on its non-commercial educational (NCE) stations to for-profit groups. The investigation complicated Daystar's US$21.5M bid for KOCE-TV, a PBS station in Huntington Beach, California which at the time mainly served the suburban area of Orange County, and other license renewals.

After a lengthy process Daystar and KOCE-TV eventually came to an agreement where Daystar leased a digital subchannel of KOCE, and broadcast network coverage over KOCE-DT3 into Orange County and the Los Angeles area. This agreement remained in place as of 2013, with KOCE since becoming the flagship Los Angeles area member station of PBS in January 2011, replacing KCET.

On December 22, 2008, the FCC and Daystar entered into an agreement whereby Daystar would continue to utilize a multi-level review process for all content aired[clarification needed] and would make additional good faith efforts to review all content received from external providers before broadcasting it on Daystar's NCE stations. Daystar agreed to make a voluntary contribution of $17,500 to the United States Department of Treasury.

On March 13, 2012, the FCC questioned whether Daystar, through associated nonprofit companies, was qualified to purchase former PBS outlets KWBU-TV in Waco, Texas (which was renamed KDYW) and WMFE-TV in Orlando, Florida. The WMFE deal was canceled two days later; the station was later resold and returned to PBS as WUCF-TV. On September 7, 2012, KDYW's licensee, the Brazos Valley Broadcasting Foundation, informed the FCC that it would request the dismissal of the license assignment application and the cancellation of the KDYW license, with the cancellation becoming final on September 27.

Israel 
Daystar faced controversy in Israel when it became the first foreign Christian network to be given a broadcasting license by its government in 2006. The announcement drew criticism from Jewish leaders in both Israel and the United States, who believed the network aimed at converting Israeli Jews through its numerous Messianic Jewish programs. In 2007 Israeli cable provider HOT announced it would drop Daystar from its lineup. HOT said that the decision was made after the company received complaints about Daystar's content. Daystar filed a petition with the Israeli Supreme Court to hear the case, accusing HOT of religious discrimination. Two years later HOT reversed its decision and resumed carrying Daystar.

Lawsuits 
On November 30, 2010, Marcus Lamb appeared on Celebration and admitted to having had an extramarital affair several years before, telling viewers that unidentified individuals had attempted to extort money from him over the incident. He said that he had since reconciled with Joni over the matter; the Lambs subsequently appeared on Good Morning America and Dr. Phil to discuss their experiences with marriage counseling.

Lamb's confession sparked a series of legal actions against Daystar. Former Daystar executive Jeanette Hawkins filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming that her knowledge of the affair caused "great emotional pain". In February 2011, Jennifer Falcon, a former Daystar employee, filed a lawsuit claiming to have suffered sexual harassment, as well as demotion and defamation by the Lambs. The following month, Karen Thompson, a former producer for Joni, sued Daystar for wrongful termination, claiming to have been harassed and fired for dating a male co-worker.

An October 2011 decision, entered after a contested hearing by a Dallas court, dismissed the Hawkins fraud claim. All of the suits were withdrawn two months later when Falcon and Thompson withdrew their suit against the network, and no parties received compensation for the dispute.

Availability 
Main article: List of Daystar Television Network affiliates
Daystar is available on terrestrial and cable television in the United States and worldwide on DBS systems such as DirecTV and DISH Network, and as an unencrypted Free to Airsatellite channel. The network is composed of 2 VHF and 36 UHF television stations, which each broadcast all or part of Daystar's program lineup. Daystar owns a number of US television stations, either directly or through its parent company, Word of God Fellowship, Inc.