TBN Is Sued by Rival Television Ministry Over Youth Channel

A Christian broadcast ministry filed a federal lawsuit in Santa Ana this month alleging Trinity Broadcasting Network took its name -- Jesus Christ Network Television -- to start a youth channel, JC-TV.

Brian K. Tomlinson Sr., chairman of San Diego-based Jesus Christ Network Television, said Friday that he wants Costa Mesa-based TBN to stop using the JC-TV name and pay his small ministry $100 million in damages.

Before the suit, Tomlinson also demanded a prime-time hour on TBN.

A TBN spokesman couldn’t be reached for comment Friday. But an attorney for the world’s largest Christian network denied the accusations in letters written shortly before the suit was filed, claiming no trademarks or similar acronyms exist for JC-TV. The attorney asked Tomlinson to “please stop this insanity.”