The Worship Network (launched through CNI) was founded in 1992 by
Lowell W. "Bud" Paxson, co-founder of
HSN, who later founded the PAX TV network (now ION Television). Paxson, an
evangelical Christian since 1985, wanted to "create an atmosphere in the home to inspire and encourage a quiet time to worship God" and from that vision, Worship was launched. Outlets for the new network increased rapidly. By 1994, there were 50 affiliate stations and Worship had just begun its first
European affiliate, in
Iceland, and a year later, the number had doubled to 100 affiliates and the network had launched in
Asia, in the region of
Taiwan. In 1996, the network began satellite broadcasting, via
Sky Angel. When the PAX TV network was launched in 1998, Worship provided overnight programming, and in 2005, PAX TV and Worship struck a deal where the network would be carried on a digital subchannel of PAX TV stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 2006, the network had more than 250 broadcast affiliates, and is available on every inhabited continent. In 2006, the network began producing shows in HD (high definition), although it does not broadcast in HD. In 2010, Worship was dropped from digital Ion Television owned-and-operated stations. The Worship Network ceased updating its Web site and social media in 2013. In January 2015, in a statement mourning Paxson's death, The Worship Network's parent company stated it was still operating the network and would "continue to do our best" to keep it running according to Paxson's vision. Most of the channels that had carried The Worship Network programming in overnights have since flipped to Radiant TV, an unrelated but similarly formatted network produced by
WLMB. == Programming ==