# Jay Sekulow on religious TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 17, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512 "2017-09-17T01:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/1 "2017-09-17T01:42:01Z")
I see that WYDN, a religious cable station, is broadcasting a half hour show wherein he is agitating for political causes like investigating Loretta Lynch, etc. Per Wiki WYDN will cease operations in 2018. I’m wondering if this kind of programming is a violation of their license though. It doesn’t seem to be paid, and is described as religious. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/2 "2017-09-17T01:44:28Z")
hes on tbn every weekend too …some sort of attorney for "real religious freedom " ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/3 "2017-09-17T02:54:19Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I see that WYDN, a religious cable station, is broadcasting a half hour show wherein he is agitating for political causes like investigating Loretta Lynch, etc. > > Per Wiki WYDN will cease operations in 2018. I’m wondering if this kind of programming is a violation of their license though. It doesn’t seem to be paid, and is described as religious. Nitpick: WYDN is an over-the-air station, which is also carried on cable. It broadcasts on a physical frequency of channel 47, and picked up on virtual channel 48 through the use of PSIP. It is losing its OTA frequency as a result of the FCC’s 2017 spectrum reallocation, which is reassigning channels 38-51 for wireless broadband. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/4 "2017-09-17T02:58:50Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Nitpick: WYDN is an over-the-air station, which is also carried on cable. It broadcasts on a physical frequency of channel 47, and picked up on virtual channel 48 through the use of PSIP. It is losing its OTA frequency as a result of the FCC’s 2017 spectrum reallocation, which is reassigning channels 38-51 for wireless broadband. Analog-to-digital conversion[edit] WYDN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 48, on June 12, 2009 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/5 "2017-09-17T03:04:48Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Analog-to-digital conversion[edit] > WYDN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 48, on June 12, 2009 Yes, but it displays on digital receivers virtually as channel 48. That’s what the PSIP (Program and System Identification Protocol) is for. Stations can identify as their old analog channel numbers without confusing their viewers who were used to the old channel frequencies. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/6 "2017-09-17T03:34:24Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Yes, but it displays on digital receivers virtually as channel 48. That’s what the PSIP (Program and System Identification Protocol) is for. Stations can identify as their old analog channel numbers without confusing their viewers who were used to the old channel frequencies. I don’t get what you’re trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/7 "2017-09-17T04:40:13Z")
This isn’t the thread to educate you without hijacking it further. My point was, you identified WYDN as a cable station. Although it’s picked up on a few cable systems, it doesn’t originate there. It’s an over-the-air station. And I did say I was nitpicking, so I’m done replying here. My apologies for the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/8 "2017-09-17T12:59:05Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I see that WYDN, a religious cable station, is broadcasting a half hour show wherein he is agitating for political causes like investigating Loretta Lynch, etc. > > Per Wiki WYDN will cease operations in 2018. I’m wondering if this kind of programming is a violation of their license though. It doesn’t seem to be paid, and is described as religious. What aspect of an FCC license governs religious programming and payments and in what way would it be a violation? Religious organizations are prohibited from publicly endorsing candidates for office if they wish to maintain a tax-free status, but I am unaware of any other restrictions. (There may be such, but i would be interested in seeing them.) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/9 "2017-09-17T16:45:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > This isn’t the thread to educate you without hijacking it further. My point was, you identified WYDN as a cable station. Although it’s picked up on a few cable systems, it doesn’t originate there. It’s an over-the-air station. And I did say I was nitpicking, so I’m done replying here. My apologies for the hijack. I cited that it was not an over the air station any more since 2009. So it is a cable station. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/10 "2017-09-17T16:53:43Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > What aspect of an FCC license governs religious programming and payments and in what way would it be a violation? > > Religious organizations are prohibited from publicly endorsing candidates for office if they wish to maintain a tax-free status, but I am unaware of any other restrictions. (There may be such, but i would be interested in seeing them.) I’ll have to look into it. But I have never seen such bald politicking and fundraising on TV before. And listed as “Religious.” I don’t think it’s good for Christianity if religious broadcasting is a home for the alt right. A religious cable station must have more guidelines than “Sounds good let’s do it.” Do you think they operate under the same freedoms as entertainment and news stations? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/11 "2017-09-17T17:19:54Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > A religious cable station must have more guidelines than “Sounds good let’s do it.” Do you think they operate under the same freedoms as entertainment and news stations? Yes, why wouldn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/12 "2017-09-17T17:58:31Z")
> [@drad dog](#): > > WYDN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 48, on June 12, 2009 at which time, along with every other full power U.S. TV station, it switched to transmitting, still over-the-air, a digital signal. in this case over UHF channel 47. (For consistency’s sake, over-the-air converter boxes still display its channel as 48.) Since it is an active over-the-air station, Federal Communication Commission “must carry” rules require local cable systems to carry its transmissions. WYDN is owned by, and carries the programs of, the Daystar TV network. There are about 40 Daystar TV broadcasting stations throughout the United States. “ACLJ This Week with Jay Sekulow” is carried by the Daystar network stations at 9:30 Eastern on Saturdays. (Sekulow also has a daily radio program). “ACLJ” stands for the “American Center for Law and Justice”. It considers itself to be a conservative analog (and counterweight) to the liberal ACLU. In early 2018 WYDN will go off the air after selling its spectrum space to be used for wireless telephones. Although not mentioned in the Wikipedia article, WYDN has the option of “doubling-up” with one of the other TV stations by continuing to broadcast over-the-air using one of the other station’s sub-channels. (With the switch to digital in 2009, a single TV station can now broadcast up to 5 or 6 separate over-the-air signals). Or Daystar can make an affiliation agreement with another station, most likely going over one of the sub-channels. There are few restrictions on the over-the-air programming due to First Amendment considerations. And the FCC is even less involved with the content of cable TV stations. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/13 "2017-09-17T18:10:51Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I cited that it was not an over the air station any more since 2009. So it is a cable station. When it cut off its analog signal in 2009, it did not go off the air. It switched to a digital signal, as did the majority of over the air stations. I get my TV with an antenna and can pick up 22 channels. > [@whitetho](#): > > at which time, along with every other full power U.S. TV station, it switched to transmitting, still over-the-air, a digital signal. in this case over UHF channel 47. (For consistency’s sake, over-the-air converter boxes still display its channel as 48.) Since it is an active over-the-air station, Federal Communication Commission “must carry” rules require local cable systems to carry its transmissions. What **whitetho** said. You seem to have some difficulty in grasping the difference between an OTA station and a cable station, and indeed a complete lack of knowledge about over the air broadcasting. WYDN broadcasts a digital signal over the air on channel 47 since 2009. It is carried on cable due to FCC regulations. The difference is where the station’s programming originates. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/14 "2017-09-17T18:31:22Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Yes, why wouldn’t they? So you can be a religious cable station and broadcast political propaganda having to do with indicting a former attorney general and asking for money to do it, and posing as a “religious” program? I guess my question then would be why accredit or call any station religious? There is actually no difference in the license of a news channel and a so called religious one? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/15 "2017-09-17T18:37:03Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > When it cut off its analog signal in 2009, it did not go off the air. It switched to a digital signal, as did the majority of over the air stations. I get my TV with an antenna and can pick up 22 channels. > > What **whitetho** said. You seem to have some difficulty in grasping the difference between an OTA station and a cable station, and indeed a complete lack of knowledge about over the air broadcasting. WYDN broadcasts a digital signal over the air on channel 47 since 2009. It is carried on cable due to FCC regulations. The difference is where the station’s programming originates. How does your ability to see it over the air change anything about this topic? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/16 "2017-09-17T18:54:09Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I guess my question then would be why accredit or call any station religious? There is actually no difference in the license of a news channel and a so called religious one? “Religious” is purely how they are marketing the station. There is nothing in an over-the-air station license that refers to its programming. The only license categories are “commercial” and “noncommercial educational”. WYDN is broadcasting on an noncommercial allocation assigned to Wooster, Massachusetts. I suspect its programming doesn’t meant your personal definition of “educational”, but the network has met FCC standards. In any event, there are both commercial and non-commercial religious stations. There are virtually no government restrictions at all for cable transmissions, which is why you see a lot more naked bodies on HBO, a cable-only station, than over-the-air networks like ABC, NBC and CBS (or Daystar, for that matter). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/17 "2017-09-17T18:59:43Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > How does your ability to see it over the air change anything about this topic? If you can see it over the air, it’s not a cable station? From your cite, which you didn’t even bother linking to: > [@](#): > > WYDN shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 48, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. **The station’s digital signal continued to broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 47. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station’s virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 48.** > **[WYDN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYDN)** > > WYDN (channel 48) is a religious television station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts, United States, broadcasting the Daystar Television Network to the Boston area. It is owned and operated by the Educational Public TV Corporation, a subsidiary of Daystar sister company Word of God Fellowship, Inc. WYDN's studios are co-located with those of local public access channel Dedham TV on Sprague Street in Dedham, and it shares transmitter facilities with Concord, New Hampshire–licensed Ion Televisio... Did you read the entire article, or just the part you believe supports your argument? Don’t just take my word for it, though. **whitetho** has the facts straight. It’s taking longer than we thought, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/18 "2017-09-17T19:11:55Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > If you can see it over the air, it’s not a cable station? > > From your cite, which you didn’t even bother linking to: > > [WYDN - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYDN) > > Did you read the entire article, or just the part you believe supports your argument? Don’t just take my word for it, though. **whitetho** has the facts straight. > > It’s taking longer than we thought, indeed. So you are taking exception to the phrase “cable station” in the OP? This is your mountain? I have cable. I see it on cable. I described it as a cable station. What’s the problem, as you see it, I mean technically? What does this issue mean to you exactly? What is tearing you away from the actual topic? You have something to say but you aren’t ready yet? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/19 "2017-09-17T19:42:55Z")
OK, you win. In **drad dog** world, it’s a cable station. For the rest of us, it’s over-the-air. I give up, you’re hopeless. I can’t seem to get through to you, so I won’t try anymore. I did say I was nitpicking. It’s not worth the effort trying to fight ignorance when it keeps fighting back. I’ll know to avoid one of your topics from now on. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512/20 "2017-09-17T20:02:54Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > There is actually no difference in the license of a news channel and a so called religious one? I dunno, is there? I doubt it. Cite, please. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-sekulow-on-religious-tv/796512.md?page=2)