JCTV connects youth to cutting-edge music, comedy and sports

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Look out parents, Christian Gen-Xers may share the faith of their fathers and grandfathers, but be prepared—when it comes to ministry it’s gotta be done on their terms.

Just ask Brandon Crouch and Logan Sekulow, two young believers who have stepped out from the shadows of their famous patriarchs, grandfather Paul Crouch, founder of Trinity Broadcast Network, and father Jay Sekulow, a prominent public policy attorney, who has his own TV and radio shows.

At 22, Brandon Crouch hosts his own show, "Top 3," a talk and music show that he describes as a youth version of TBN’s "Praise the Lord" program. Brandon’s show is broadcast on JCTV, a 24-7 music television network developed exclusively for Gen-Xers by his grandfather’s network, the world’s largest faith-based and family friendly network.

“This is highly charged stuff, with great rock and hip-hop music, well-known guests from a wide variety of venues, and lively talk that sparks and sizzles," Brandon Crouch said in a news release.

In addition to his show, the grandson also works with JCTV programming director Mark McCallie to design exclusive cutting-edge shows that appeal to viewers from 13 to 29 years old. TBN has broken new ground with its round-the-clock mix of high-energy Christian telecasting geared for youth.

"Many young people, Christian or not, may not tune in to some of the other Christian programming offered on cable," Brandon Crouch said. "But if they’re channel surfing and stop at JCTV, I can almost guarantee they’ll get hooked.”

One of the shows they will see on JCTV is the popular "The Logan Show," hosted by 20-year-old funnyman Logan Sekulow. Leno and Letterman are not the only late-night gigs going.

"The ‘Logan Show’ is a late-night thrill ride, a one-hour, fast-paced show, featuring hilarious comedy sketches, dynamic music, live performances, and exclusive interviews with today’s hottest Christian artists," McCallie said in a news release.

According to JCTV literature, the channel is hip, edgy and full-throttle Christian. The format’s accent is on clean comedy, cutting-edge music videos, extreme sports, and challenging spiritual adventure, helping it to become one of the most-watched Christian channels in the nation.

Outlandish and creative

Citing the relative dearth of youth-based Christian programming, Crouch said the JCTV team had to be outlandishly creative.

“We crafted shows that are edgy and relevant to youth while at the same time family-friendly and wholesome,” Brandon Crouch said.

While too young to remember the beginnings of cable television’s music video craze of the early 1980s, Brandon appreciates the evolution of music-video networks from little more than rock radio with pictures to the smart, sharp venues.

“Our vision for JCTV is to bring the same intensity that viewers see on secular music networks,” Crouch said.

The channel also boasts the edgy offering, "Xtreme Life," an extreme sports show that producers believe rivals anything now on television.

"I’ve been on location for some of these video shoots and, let me tell you, they’re the real deal," the young Crouch said, adding that the athletes are all committed Christians who offer an uplifting faith message to viewers.

Other programming includes:

• “Damascus Roads,” a fast-paced and challenging program that recounts amazing testimonies of salvation ranging from professional athletes to former mob bosses.

• "G-Rock," a mixture of extreme sports and music videos featuring skate boarding, rollerblading, and snowboarding cut to alternative and rap-style music—all with a faith-filled message.

• “Rewind," a monthly look at classic Christian music videos from the ’80s and ’90s as researched by Christian Video Magazine. See the hottest rock, pop, and urban Christian music videos from the “Wonder Years” of Christian rock.

Crouch said he has received a lot of encouraging feedback about JCTV from parents of kids who’ve been tuning in.

"That means we’re doing our job in getting contemporary, edgy shows out there for teens and young adults," he said.

Paul Crouch Jr., vice president of administration at TBN, said the channel fits a specific niche.

"There’s a massive youth audience out there that readily aligns itself with innovative faith-based programming,” Crouch Jr. said. “They applaud it. They return to it. They tell their friends about it. JCTV is armed with the ability, talent, and technology to do just that— create and deliver."

For more information, log on to jctv.org.

Published by Keener Communications Group, March 2006

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