Emmanuel TV (original) (raw)

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Christian television network in Nigeria

Television channel

Emmanuel TV
Country Nigeria
Broadcast area AfricaNorth/Central AmericaParts of EuropeAsia Pacific
Headquarters Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN)Lagos, Nigeria
Programming
Language(s) English
Picture format 575i (SD – Africa) 480i (SD – US)
Ownership
Owner Emmanuel Global Network
History
Launched 8 March 2006
Availability
Terrestrial
Zuku TV Channel 874

Emmanuel TV is a Christian television network with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. It was founded by T.B. Joshua, former senior pastor of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), in Lagos, Nigeria. It was also the most subscribed Christian ministry channel on YouTube worldwide with well over 1,000,000 subscribers, as of January 2019.[1]

In the late 1990s, the SCOAN began to gain international attention due to the distribution of videotapes showing clips of God's early ministries and miracles. Additionally, Joshua began airing regular programs purporting to show 'miracles' on local Nigerian television. However, when Nigeria's National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), under the instruction of then President Olusegun Obasanjo controversially banned the showing of 'miracles', in 2004, most of his programs were taken off air.[2] This eventually paved the way for the emergence of Emmanuel TV on 8 March 2006 by T.B. Joshua.[3]

In 2015, Emmanuel TV's YouTube channel was the most subscribed Christian ministry YouTube channel worldwide and the third most subscribed in Nigeria. Google ranked one of Emmanuel TV's YouTube videos as the fourth most viewed clip ever within Nigeria.[4]

Since its inception, Emmanuel TV has broadcast Christian programmes, stating that its mission is 'to preach the Good News to all mankind.'[5] From humble beginnings, it has rapidly grown to become one of Africa's most well known brands and popular television stations. [6]

Emmanuel TV broadcasts a range of programmes from Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN). It has gained a reputation for being a Christian station that does not run any on-air campaigns for financial assistance and among the only Christian stations that does not syndicate programs of other pastors.[7]

Emmanuel TV is broadcast worldwide on various satellites. Its programmes air weekly on a number of local television stations across Africa, debuting on DStv and GOtv in November 2015,[8] as well as Startimes in February 2016.[9] Its playout centre is located in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The station is also known for its catch-phrase, 'Distance Is Not A Barrier',[10] encouraging viewers to 'pray along' with T.B. Joshua by 'touching the screen'. There are several claims of people receiving miraculous 'healing' through these prayers,[11][12] including popular Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh who said Joshua's prayers ended her 14-year smoking addiction.[13]

T.B. Joshua has donated televisions to prisons and hospitals so that they will be able to watch the Emmanuel TV broadcasts.[14][15]

In April 2021, YouTube suspended Emmanuel TV's channel as a result of alleged hate speech by Joshua in videos on the channel. At the time the channel was suspended, it had over 1,800,000 subscribers and 400 million views. The allegations of hate speech referred to claims made by Joshua in at least seven videos that homosexuality is the result of possession by demonic spirits and that homosexuality can and should be cured via spiritual deliverance.[16] At the time of the channel's suspension, it was the most-viewed Christian ministry on the platform.[17][18]

In January 2024, days after Joshua's sexual abuse scandal was revealed, Emmanuel TV's satellite channel was removed from DStv by MultiChoice, a South African media company as well as from YouTube for a second time.[19]

  1. ^ Great, Dmaster (9 January 2024). "Multichoice to Stop Broadcasting Emmanuel TV". Daily Report NG. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  2. ^ Olukoya, Sam (8 June 2004). "Nigerians Divided By TV Miracle Ban". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. ^ Baker, Helen (3 August 2016). "Emmanuel TV: Celebrating A Decade of Blessings". PM News (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  4. ^ Mohammed, Amina (21 May 2015). "Patience Jonathan's "There is God" video Nigeria's most viewed YouTube clip ever". Premium Times (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016 – via Google.
  5. ^ "Who We Are". TB Joshua. Emmanuel TV website. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009.
  6. ^ Oladipo, Tomi (17 September 2014). "TB Joshua: Nigeria's best known televangelist". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  7. ^ Baker, Helen (3 August 2016). "Emmanuel TV: Celebrating A Decade of Blessings". PM News (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  8. ^ Nkawihe, Maurice (14 November 2015). "TB Joshua's Emmanuel TV Goes on DStv And GOtv". Nyasa Times (Malawi). Archived from the original on 10 March 2016.
  9. ^ Akwaja, Chima (6 February 2016). "Startimes Unveils Extra Special Offer for Subscribers". All Africa. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  10. ^ Petesch, Carley (19 April 2014). "Nigeria Preacher: Healer or Controversial Leader". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  11. ^ Osazuwa, Nosa (14 November 2011). "Watching Emmanuel TV Works Miracles?". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  12. ^ Allotey, Henry (19 November 2013). "Emmanuel TV, A Channel of Hope". Ghana Web. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  13. ^ Ogunjimi, Opeoluwani (31 August 2012). "TB Joshua's Prayers Ended My 14 Year Smoking Addiction – Tonto Dike". Vanguard (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  14. ^ T.B. Joshua Donates TV Sets To Khami Maximum Security Prison Archived 22 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine NewsDay, Sunday 12 June 2011
  15. ^ Prophet T.B. Joshua Makes Donation To Accra Psychiatric Hospital Archived 5 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ghana News Agency, Sunday, 11 December 2011
  16. ^ "TB Joshua: YouTube blocks Nigerian preacher over gay cure claim". BBC News. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  17. ^ Olowookere, Dipo (27 October 2018). "TB Joshua's Emmanuel TV Hits 1m YouTube Subscribers, 387m Views". Business Post (Nigeria). Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  18. ^ Bruce, James (15 April 2015). "Skewed Stats". World Magazine (US). Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  19. ^ Charlie Northcott & Yemisi Adegoke, TB Joshua exposé: YouTube deletes Emmanuel TV channel of disgraced megachurch leader, bbc.com, UK, January 31, 2024