Praise Broadcasting Network

What Praise Broadcasting Network does

Praise Broadcasting Network, Inc. (PBN Radio) is a private, family-owned Christian broadcasting ministry headquartered in Asheboro, North Carolina. The organization operates a 24/7 online radio network broadcasting curated worship music, devotional teachings, and Christian radio content free of charge to a global audience. The technical foundation is two continuous audio streams — PBN Classic (traditional Maranatha-style worship) and PBN Pure (contemporary Bethel/Vineyard-style worship) — delivered via MyRadioStream.com and Squarespace-hosted podcasts including Praise Until Dawn (hosted by founder Pat Rutherford), A Time Apart, and syndicated programs Unshackled (Pacific Garden Mission) and Nightsounds (Bill Pearce).

Distribution is multi-platform and direct-to-consumer: live streams on pbnradio.com, plus podcast availability on TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, iTunes, Google Play, and Roku devices, providing reach into the United States and at least 11 other countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The organization is operated by a small team (1-10) led by founder Pat Rutherford and his wife Claudia, with a long-tenured engineer who has maintained satellite and internet streaming since 1996.

The business model is donation-based and non-commercial: all content is offered free, with no products or services sold, no subscription tiers, and no advertising. Revenue (undisclosed) is derived entirely from voluntary listener contributions, positioning PBN as a hobbyist-scale missionary endeavor rather than a commercially scalable media business. There is no outside equity, no institutional backing, and no public listing; ownership is founder-controlled. The organization's structural fragility — dependence on a tiny team and voluntary donations — is offset by very low operating costs and multi-platform reach that requires no incremental distribution spend.

Name

Praise Broadcasting Network

Legal name

Praise Broadcasting Network, Inc.

Website

https://pbnradio.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Praise Broadcasting Network (PBN Radio) is a family-owned, donation-funded Christian broadcasting ministry that operates 24/7 online worship music streams and podcasts free of charge to global listeners via website and major audio platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Christian Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAIAEAF

Religious Radio Broadcasting

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Radio & Audio Broadcasting (Terrestrial, Satellite, Digital Radio)

SECONDARYMPABABAC

Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Broadcast Radio Networks

SECONDARYMPABALAA

Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Religious/Faith-Based Broadcasting

Keywords

• Christian radio broadcasting
• Worship music streaming
• Online religious media
• Christian podcast network
• Devotional content distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations: Praise Broadcasting Network is a family-owned network that relies on the support of its listeners through donations. Monthly contributions large or small help shape the future of PBN Radio and enable God's word to be shared worldwide.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Praise Broadcasting Network operates a 24-hour online Christian radio ministry broadcasting continuous worship music via two distinct streams — PBN Classic (traditional Maranatha-style worship) and PBN Pure (contemporary Bethel/Vineyard-style worship) — alongside original and syndicated podcast programs such as Praise Until Dawn, A Time Apart, Unshackled, and Nightsounds. Content is delivered free worldwide through its website and third-party streaming platforms, with the ministry funded entirely by listener donations.

Product overview

Praise Broadcasting Network operates as a 24-hour live broadcast radio network featuring two streaming channels: PBN Classic (Maranatha-style worship music) and PBN Pure (Bethel/Vineyard-style contemporary worship music). The network also distributes multiple podcast programs including Praise Until Dawn (hosted by founder Pat Rutherford), A Time Apart, Unshackled by Pacific Garden Mission, and Nightsounds with Bill Pearce. Listeners worldwide can access content via the website, mobile apps, TuneIn Radio, I Heart Radio, iTunes, Google Play, and Roku devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PBN Classic: Maranatha style worship music - the classic PBN format with traditional worship music played for over 25 years. Streams live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• PBN Pure

Products and services

• PBN Classic A 24/7 live streaming radio broadcast featuring Maranatha-style traditional worship music, available online worldwide for individual Christian listeners seeking intimate worship programming.
• PBN Pure A 24/7 live streaming radio broadcast featuring contemporary Bethel/Vineyard-style worship music ranging from upbeat praise to deep reverence, available online worldwide for individual Christian listeners.
• Praise Until Dawn Podcast A daily podcast hosted by Praise Broadcasting Network President and founder Pat Rutherford, featuring worship music, testimonies, teachings, and preaching for Christian listeners worldwide.
• A Time Apart A broadcast program dedicated to testimonies, teachings, and preaching, airing 10am and 10pm ET daily and available on-demand as a podcast designated with 'ATA' before the title, intended for individual Christian listeners seeking spiritual encouragement.
• Unshackled A syndicated podcast program from Pacific Garden Mission featuring testimonies of changed lives, broadcast on PBN Radio just after midnight ET and distributed through the PBN podcast page for individual Christian listeners.
• Nightsounds with Bill Pearce A syndicated late-night devotional program hosted by Bill Pearce featuring Christian music and teachings, broadcast on PBN Radio just after Unshackled and distributed through the PBN podcast page for individual listeners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free global access to worship music

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pacific Garden MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Garden Mission produces 'Unshackled,' a radio drama featuring testimonies of changed lives. This program is broadcast on PBN Radio just after midnight ET, providing inspirational content to PBN listeners.
• Nightsounds with Bill PearcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNightsounds is a program hosted by Bill Pearce featuring teachings and encouragement. It airs on PBN Radio just after Unshackled, providing late-night devotional content for listeners.
• TuneIn RadiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTuneIn Radio is a streaming audio platform that distributes PBN Radio content to its user base, expanding PBN's reach to listeners who prefer this platform.
• iTunes/Apple PodcastsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple's podcast platform distributes PBN's podcast episodes to iOS users worldwide, providing on-demand access to PBN programming.
• I Heart RadiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoriHeartMedia's podcast platform distributes PBN's Praise Until Dawn podcast to listeners within the iHeart Radio application ecosystem.
• Google PlayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoogle Play Music distributes PBN podcast episodes to Android users, expanding accessibility for mobile device listeners.
• RokuminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoku devices provide PBN Radio as a channel, allowing listeners to access live worship music broadcasts through their television streaming devices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ChristianHitsFM / Worship Radio: Worship Radio and similar online-only worship music streamers offer 24/7 worship and Christian hits programming via internet streams. They are direct peers to PBN's two streams in format, distribution model, and target listener.

Broad incumbents

• EWTN Radio: EWTN operates a global Catholic religious broadcasting network on TV, radio, and online. While denominationally distinct, it is a relevant broader incumbent in religious radio broadcasting and donation-supported media ministry.
• K-LOVE: K-LOVE is one of the largest Christian contemporary music radio networks in the US, broadcasting worship and Christian music online and via FM affiliates. It is a broader incumbent offering comparable worship music streaming at far greater scale than PBN.
• Moody Radio: Moody Radio is the broadcasting arm of Moody Bible Institute, offering Bible teaching, Christian music, and worship programming across terrestrial and online channels. It is comparable to PBN as a faith-based online radio broadcaster with donations as a key funding source.
• Bott Radio Network: Bott Radio Network is a long-running US Christian radio network broadcasting Bible teaching, worship, and praise programming on AM/FM stations and online streams. It is comparable to PBN in mission and content focus, but operates at a much larger scale with terrestrial infrastructure.
• WAY-FM Media Group: WAY-FM is a national Christian music radio network with contemporary worship and positive Christian hits formatted streams. It is a relevant comparator for PBN Classic and PBN Pure because of its online worship and contemporary Christian music programming.
• 3ABN (Three Angels Broadcasting Network): 3ABN is a religious broadcasting network delivering faith-based music, teaching, and family programming via TV and radio/online streams. It overlaps with PBN in religious worship music broadcasting and listener-supported ministry model.
• Salem Communications / Salem Music Broadcasting: Salem Media Group operates a portfolio of Christian and conservative-format radio stations and online streams across the US. It is comparable to PBN as a multi-station Christian broadcasting entity, although it operates at significantly greater scale and breadth.
• Air1 Worship Music: Air1 is a major Christian music radio network operated alongside K-LOVE, focused on positive, encouraging and worship-flavored contemporary Christian music. It directly competes for online worship-music listeners and donor support.

Others

• Pacific Garden Mission (Unshackled): Pacific Garden Mission produces the "Unshackled" radio program carried on PBN and many other Christian broadcasters. It is adjacent to PBN as a faith-based content producer that distributes worship and teaching audio to listeners via partner stations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pbnradio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/praise-network-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Praise Broadcasting Network