BREAKDOWN HITS CHRISTIAN TV STATION

Tustin-based Christian television station KTBN Channel 40, home of the “Praise the Lord” show, the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart and other television evangelists, went off the air late Tuesday when the station’s transmitter on Mt. Wilson developed technical problems, a spokeswoman said.

The equipment breakdown had still not been repaired by Wednesday afternoon, but the employee said a repair crew expected that the interruption in programming would be less than 24 hours after broadcasting stopped at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.

“The switchboard has been flooded,” said the spokeswoman, who asked not to be identified. “Apparently (the signal interruption) had to do with the heat exchanger in our transmitter, which developed a water leak. Our crew has been up on the mountain since 8 this morning. They thought we would be up by 3 (on Wednesday), but they aren’t quite finished.”

KTBN is part of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, which broadcasts Christian programming exclusively.