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82-578: Family Radio is a non-profit Christian radio network based in Franklin, Tennessee with network operations located in Alameda, California , United States . Established in 1959, Family Radio airs Calvinist teaching and Christian music. The network is most widely known for its false 2011 end times predictions . At one time the 19th largest broadcaster in the United States, with 216 radio stations,

164-568: A K-Love affiliate station. In January 2012, Family Radio applied to the FCC to change the license of station WFME in Newark, New Jersey , near New York City , from non-commercial to commercial . The application quickly prompted conjecture from radio industry monitors that the station would soon be sold. The application was approved in February. Those rumors were confirmed on October 16, 2012, when it

246-598: A new religious movement . James Richardson writes in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Society that after the publication of Lofland's work, "The term doomsday cult has become a part of everyday parlance, used by the media to refer to apocalyptic religious groups." A psychological research study by Festinger, Riecken, and Schachter found that people turned to a cataclysmic world view after they had repeatedly failed to find meaning in mainstream movements. Leon Festinger and his colleagues had observed members of

328-586: A French doomsday cult, Néo-Phare . On September 5, 2002, Arnaud Mussy told his followers based in Nantes, France to look forward to voyagers from Venus who would collect them before the end of the world on October 24, 2002. Though Mussy denied any plans for a mass suicide , both police and the media drew parallels to the Order of the Solar Temple. In Apocalypse Observed , authors Hall and Schuyler discuss

410-513: A Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World . Social scientists have found that while some group members will leave after the date for a doomsday prediction by the leader has passed uneventfully, others actually feel their belief and commitment to the group strengthened. Often when a group's doomsday prophecies or predictions fail to come true, the group leader will simply set

492-402: A Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World . Lofland published his findings in 1964 as a doctoral thesis entitled: "The World Savers: A Field Study of Cult Processes," and in 1966 in book form by Prentice-Hall . It is considered to be one of the most important and widely-cited studies of the process of religious conversion , and one of the first modern sociological studies of

574-587: A White man. A memorial to Confederate soldiers was erected in 1899 by fourteen women of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Confederate soldiers, including the 6,125 casualties of the Battle of Franklin. A news report described how as the last piece of the statue was being raised, a buggy ran into a rope, causing the statue to swing into the shaft, breaking out a piece from the hat of

656-464: A doomsday cult may actually affect the outcome of violent events related to the group. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service Report on Doomsday Religious Cults reported: Sanctions applied by authorities are often interpreted by a movement as hostile to its existence, which reinforces their apocalyptic beliefs and leads to further withdrawal, mobilization and deviant actions, and which in turn elicits heavier sanctions by authorities. This unleashes

738-519: A factory in Franklin in 1928. The factory was later developed as a Magic Chef factory, producing electric and gas ranges. (Magic Chef was prominent in the Midwest from 1929.) When the factory was closed due to extensive restructuring in the industry, the structure fell into disuse. The factory complex was restored in the late 1990s in an adaptation for offices, restaurants, retail and event spaces. It

820-547: A log house in 1798, the first in the new settlement. Cameron was born February 23, 1768, in Bogallan, Ferintosh , Scotland . He emigrated to Virginia in 1785 and came to Tennessee shortly after it was admitted to the Union. Cameron died on February 28, 1846, after living 48 years in the same house. He and his second wife, Mary, were buried in the old City Cemetery. Some of his descendants continue to live in Franklin. This area

902-666: A marketplace showcasing local crafts. Franklin's Main Street Festival involves artisans, four stages, two carnivals, and two food courts installed in the historic Franklin Square and Downtown District. Arts and crafts booths run from First to Fifth Avenue. Pumpkinfest is an annual fundraiser for the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, held on the Saturday before Halloween . The holiday theme

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984-1030: A median income of $ 66,622 versus $ 43,193 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 36,445. About 5.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. Less than 5.0% of the eligible workforce was unemployed. Franklin is home to health-care-related businesses such as Community Health Systems , Acadia Healthcare , Iasis Healthcare , Tivity Health , Home Instead Senior Care, MedSolutions Inc, and Renal Advantage Inc. Nissan , Mitsubishi Motors , Clarcor , CKE Restaurants , Jackson National Life , Triangle Tyre Company, Provident Music Group , World Christian Broadcasting , Mars Petcare , Franklin American Mortgage, Kaiser Aluminum, Lee Company, Ramsey Solutions, Video Gaming Technologies , and Atmos Energy also have corporate or regional headquarters in Franklin. According to

1066-421: A new date for impending doom, or predict a different type of catastrophe on a different date. Niederhoffer and Kenner say: "When you have gone far out on a limb and so many people have followed you, and there is much ' sunk cost ,' as economists would say, it is difficult to admit you have been wrong." Festinger and other researchers have attempted to explain the commitment of members to their doomsday cult after

1148-429: A profit-hungry racketeering gang more than a fanatic doomsday cult." In James R. Lewis ' The Order of the Solar Temple , Jean-François Mayer writes that the media made use of the term doomsday cult to characterize the movement, though former members and outsiders did not know what kind of event would occur. Some see the use of the term itself as a self-fulfilling prophecy , where the characterization of being called

1230-495: A reluctance to allow their shows on the network while Camping's programs aired, stating "so much of it still contains elements that are very difficult." The flagship station for the network of both full-power and low-power translator stations is KEAR in San Francisco. With the sale of KEAR-FM to CBS Radio in 2005, broadcasts from San Francisco moved to an AM radio frequency. Due to FCC rules regarding translator stations,

1312-771: A result of spending millions of dollars to promote his "end of the world" theory, many people sold everything they owned and donated it to Family Radio, sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The California Attorney General's office has been asked by the Freedom from Religion Foundation to investigate Camping and Family Stations, Inc. for "Fraud and Deceit". After leaving the Christian Reformed Church in 1987, Camping taught doctrines that largely conflicted with traditional Christian teaching. The principles of Biblical hermeneutics upon which Camping framed his present teachings are: Following Camping's death,

1394-405: A spiral of amplification, as each action amplifies each action, and the use of violence is facilitated as the group believes this will ultimately actualize its doomsday scenario." Eileen Barker has compared these concepts to the notion of a deviancy amplification spiral in the media and its effects on new religious movements , and James Richardson has also discussed this effect. In the case of

1476-747: A system that provides water and wastewater services to a majority of city residents and some residents of surrounding areas. Some areas of Franklin may receive water and wastewater services from the Mallory Valley Utility District, the Milcrofton Utility District, and the HB&;TS Utility District. Electricity is provided by the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTEMC), which serves several of

1558-408: Is a cult. Two days after the forecast "Rapture" failed to happen, A Bible Answer, a Bible teaching ministry who had been tired of the "Rapture" predictions, offered to buy 66 full-powered radio stations from Family Radio founder Harold Camping in an effort to get him to resign from preaching this doctrine. The offer came with a catch – they were not to take possession of the stations until October 22,

1640-535: Is an earthly story with a Heavenly meaning." In Camping's publication, "We are Almost There!", he stated that certain Biblical passages pointed unquestionably to May 21, 2011, as the date of " Rapture ", and pointed to October 21, 2011, as the end of the world. This event did not occur on May 21 or October 21 of that year, and no acknowledgment of false teaching has yet been offered concerning the October 21 event. As

1722-545: Is carried through activities including music, children's amusements, local artisans, and food. Dickens of a Christmas is an annual event that attracts approximately 50,000 visitors. It takes place in Historic Downtown Franklin and is celebrated during the second week in December. Costumed volunteers masquerade as figures from Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol . Music and dancing are a big part of

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1804-402: Is considered a "model historic preservation adaptive reuse project". Since the late 20th century, however, Franklin has rapidly developed as a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. Franklin's population has increased more than fivefold since 1980, when its population was 12,407. In 2010, the city had a population of 62,487. As of 2017 Census estimates, it is the state's seventh-largest city. In 2017,

1886-850: Is coterminous with Williamson County, and held by Republican Jack Johnson , the current Senate Majority Leader. For grades K-8, most of the city is served by the Franklin Special School District ; high school students attend Williamson County School District . Outerlying portions of the city are in the Williamson County district for grades K-12. Franklin's private schools include Battle Ground Academy , Franklin Classical School , Franklin Christian Academy, Montessori School of Franklin, and New Hope Academy. Interstate 65 passes through

1968-799: Is home to an armed forces memorial, on the grounds of the Williamson County Archives. It honors Williamson County men who served in American wars from the Creek War to the Gulf War . Around the seal of Franklin are placed engraved bricks that radiate in a circle. The largest brick is in honor of George Jordan , an African-American man and former slave. As a Buffalo Soldier , he fought in the Indian Wars in New Mexico . He

2050-665: Is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee . As of 2020 , its population was 83,454. It is the seventh-most populous city in Tennessee . Franklin is known to be the home of many celebrities, mostly country music stars like Billy Ray Cyrus and Pop Singer Miley Cyrus . The city developed on both sides of the Harpeth River , a tributary of the Cumberland River . In

2132-700: Is part of Middle Tennessee , and farmers prospered in the pre-Civil War years, with the cultivation of tobacco and hemp as commodity crops, and raising of livestock. During the Civil War , Tennessee was occupied by Union troops from 1862. Franklin was the site of a major battle in the Franklin–Nashville Campaign . The Second Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, resulting in almost 10,000 casualties (killed, wounded, captured, and missing). Forty-four buildings were temporarily converted to use as field hospitals . The Carter , Carnton , and

2214-409: Is postponed. In Experiments With People: Revelations from Social Psychology , Abelson, Frey and Gregg explain this further: "...continuing to proselytize on behalf of a doomsday cult whose prophecies have been disconfirmed, although it makes little logical sense, makes plenty of psychological sense if people have already spent months proselytizing on the cult's behalf. Persevering allows them to avoid

2296-563: Is the only man from Williamson County to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor . Historic preservation and church leaders developed the "Fuller Story", a project to recognize the lives and contributions of African Americans to Franklin. In October 2021 a statue of a soldier of the United States Colored Troops was installed in front of the old Williamson County Courthouse on Franklin Square. It marks

2378-519: Is time to get new leadership at Family Radio." On August 3, 2011, the radio industry website Radio-Info.com reported that Family Radio was putting two of its full-powered FM stations up for sale. These stations were: WKDN in Camden, New Jersey (covering Philadelphia ), and WFSI in Annapolis, Maryland (covering Baltimore and Washington, D.C. ). The article indicated that the network may have sold

2460-682: The City Administrator , a professional manager hired by the Board of Aldermen. In the Tennessee House of Representatives , Franklin is divided between three districts; District 61, currently represented by Republican Brandon Ogles , District 63, represented by Republican Glen Casada , and District 65, represented by Republican Sam Whitson . Franklin is included in Tennessee Senate District 23 , which

2542-688: The Concerned Christians , use of the term "doomsday cult" as a characterization of the group served as a justification for deportation of its members by the Israeli government. In the book The Copycat Effect: How the Media and Popular Culture Trigger the Mayhem in Tomorrow's Headlines , author Loren Coleman discusses the effect the media can have on the seemingly innocuous intentions of

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2624-656: The Great Tribulation began in May 1988, and that the rapture would occur on September 6, 1994, later adjusting the predicted date to between September 15 and 27, 1994, and telling listeners not to make any long term plans. The network's promotion of these predictions caused some nations in Asia to prevent Family Radio from commencing operations in their countries. Beginning in the late 1990s, Family Radio began gradually dropping outside ministries because of doctrinal changes in

2706-665: The Lotz houses from this era are still standing and are among the city's numerous examples of period architecture. After the Civil War, slavery was abolished and the franchise was extended to African-American men. Most joined the Republican Party, which had gained their freedom. On July 6, 1867, a political rally of Union League Black Republicans in Franklin was disrupted by Conservatives, who were mostly White but included some Blacks. Later that evening, what became known as

2788-696: The Radio Disney format. The sale was approved on February 10, 2015, and the station returned on the air on February 27 as the new WFME (AM) , thus giving Family Radio full coverage of the New York City metropolitan area for the first time in two years. Concurrent with the sale, the FCC converted WFME's broadcasting status from commercial to non-commercial. WFME has since been taken off the air, following Family Radio's sale of its transmitter site. During 2016, Family Radio moved its corporate offices and main studios from Oakland, where it had been based since

2870-568: The Reconstruction era and Jim Crow , and civil rights in Franklin. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 41.4 square miles (107.3 km ), of which 41.2 square miles (106.8 km ) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km ), or 0.52%, is covered by water. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 83,454 people, 32,690 households, and 23,675 families residing in

2952-610: The WFME-FM callsign. After 40 years on the air, WYFR , Family Radio's shortwave station located in Okeechobee, Florida, ceased operations on July 1, 2013. In December 2013, Radio Miami International , purchased the shortwave transmission complex and began broadcasting from there; the complex now operates under the WRMI call letters. Harold Camping died from a fall on December 15, 2013, in his home in Alameda, California . His death

3034-464: The "Franklin Riot" broke out. Black Union League men were ambushed by Whites at the town square and returned fire. An estimated 25 to 39 men were wounded, most of them Black. One White man was killed outright, and at least three Black people died of wounds soon after the confrontation. On August 15, 1868, in Franklin, Samuel Bierfield became the first Jewish man to be lynched in the United States. He

3116-408: The 16,128 households, 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were not families; 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09. In

3198-440: The 19th century, Franklin (as the county seat) was the trading and judicial center for primarily rural Williamson County and remained so well into the 20th century as the county remained rural and agricultural in nature. Since 1980, areas of northern Franklin have been developed for residential and related businesses, in addition to modern service industries. The population has increased rapidly as growth moved in all directions from

3280-700: The City of Franklin was ranked the 8th fastest-growing city in the nation by the U.S. Census Bureau , increasing 4.9 percent between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017. After the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, some Franklin residents have worked to identify and preserve its most significant historic assets. Five historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places , as are many individual non-historic but older structures. Franklin

3362-532: The Just Society , Eric Carlton debates whether or not the term is appropriate to describe these types of groups. Carlton writes that the event is only seen as a "doomsday" for the "wicked and unrepentant," whereas members of the group itself often regard it as a "day of deliverance," or a "renewal of the world." He regards these groups as "the ultimate in exclusivity," and while the future will be bleak for nonbelievers due to an unforeseen cataclysm , members of

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3444-536: The Tokyo subway , and the Heaven's Gate incident, "Reporting on so-called doomsday cults became a mainstay of the media, just as satanic cults had been a decade before." Jenkins regards the Order of the Solar Temple as more of an example of organized crime than a doomsday cult. In Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld , the authors also make a comparison to organized crime, writing that Aum Shinrikyo "...often resembled

3526-530: The assistance of Harold Camping and Lloyd Lindquist as fellow members of the initial Board of Directors, Family Radio began obtaining FM broadcasting licenses on commercial frequencies in 1959, and by 2006, was ranked 19th among top broadcast companies in number of radio stations owned. Its first radio station, KEAR in San Francisco, California , then at 97.3 MHz , came on the air on Wednesday, February 4, 1959. In 1992, Family Radio began teaching that

3608-601: The city to Columbia to the southwest, and serves as an alternative to US 31. State Route 441 begins in the northern part of the city, and connects to Brentwood . State Route 397 , also designated as US 31/431 Truck and Mack Hatcher Memorial Parkway, serves as a bypass around the business district of the city to the east. Other major thoroughfares in Franklin include Cool Springs Boulevard and McEwen Drive, both of which have interchanges with I-65. The City of Franklin Water Management Department operates

3690-406: The city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The city is run by a mayor, elected at-large in the city, and a board of eight aldermen . Four of the latter are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal population, and four are elected at-large. All electoral offices are for four-year terms, with the ward alderman elected in one cycle, and

3772-413: The city, the population was distributed as 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $ 75,871, and for a family was $ 91,931. Males had

3854-472: The city. As of the census of 2010, 62,487 people, 16,128 households, and 11,225 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,393.3 inhabitants per square mile (538.0/km ). The 17,296 housing units averaged 575.9 per square mile (222.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.53% White, 10.35% African American, 4.84% Latino, 1.61% Asian, 0.24% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.17% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Of

3936-479: The concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy and the theory of a deviancy amplification spiral . The term "doomsday cult" was first used in the title of a 1966 scholarly study of a group of Unification Church members by John Lofland , entitled: Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith . In 1958, Leon Festinger published a study of a group with cataclysmic predictions: When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of

4018-548: The contributions of thousands of African Americans in ending the Civil War and reuniting the Union. The square was the site of a former slave market and it holds the Confederate monument. The "Fuller Story" project was approved by the Franklin Board Of Mayor and Aldermen. Before the statue was erected, in 2018, the first of several planned historic plaques was installed; these mark the history of slavery,

4100-435: The core. Despite recent growth and development, Franklin is noted for its many older buildings and neighborhoods, which are protected by city ordinances. The City of Franklin was founded October 26, 1799, by Abram Maury Jr. (1766–1825). Later a state senator, he is buried with his family in the current Founders Pointe neighborhood. Maury named the town after national founding father Benjamin Franklin . Ewen Cameron built

4182-536: The day after Camping's revised set-date for the end of the world. A Bible Answer's website called for Camping to resign from the Family Radio board, citing "the self-proclaimed expert on the Bible has brought reproach upon Christ, the Bible, and the church," and added "After taking the money of his supporters, let Harold give up all he has, to show he believes what he is preaching. He does not or else he would sell. It

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4264-479: The disaster or a continued belief in the leader when the date for disaster is postponed. Some researchers believe that the use of the term by the government and the news media can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy , in which actions by authorities reinforces the apocalyptic beliefs of the group, which in turn can inspire further controversial actions. Group leaders have themselves objected to comparisons between one group and another, and parallels have been drawn between

4346-440: The eastern part of the city and provides four exits in the city. U.S. Routes 31 and 431 intersect in the city, and form a concurrency , connecting the city to Nashville to the north. U.S. Route 31 connects the city to Spring Hill and Columbia to the south, and US 431 connects to Lewisburg to the south. State Route 96 connects the city to Murfreesboro to the east, and Dickson to the west. State Route 246 also connects

4428-435: The embarrassment of how wrong they were in the first place." The common-held belief in a catastrophic event occurring on a future date can have the effect of ingraining followers with a sense of uniqueness and purpose. In addition, after a failed prophecy members may attempt to explain the outcome through rationalization and dissonance reduction. Explanations may include stating that the group members had misinterpreted

4510-416: The failed 1994 rapture prediction, but before long the organization was again growing at a fast rate. By the time of his second campaign, the organization boasted 216 AM and FM radio stations, along with two television channels. Financial strength hit a peak in 2007 when Family Radio reported $ 135 million in assets. As net assets declined from that point forward, listener contributions steadily increased. Upon

4592-590: The festival, and local school and church musical groups often perform. Victorian cuisine is served to visitors, and an arts and crafts bazaar features prominently in Public Square. Franklin is an active participant in the Sister Cities program. Sister Cities of Franklin & Williamson County was founded as an outgrowth of Leadership Franklin in March 2002. The City of Franklin has relationships with

4674-622: The figure. This event resulted in many nicknaming the monument as "Chip". Population growth slowed noticeably from 1910 to 1940 (see table in Demographics section), as many African Americans left the area in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities for jobs and to escape Jim Crow conditions. One of the first major manufacturers to establish operations in the county was the Dortch Stove Works , which opened

4756-424: The following municipalities: Doomsday cult The phenomenon of continued commitment to the "doomsday cult", even after the prophecy fails, has been attributed to the coping method of dissonance reduction, a form of rationalization . Members often dedicate themselves with renewed vigor to the group's cause after a failed prophecy, rationalizing with explanations such as a belief that their actions forestalled

4838-679: The group are promised existence in a new utopia . In Globalisation and the Future of Terrorism , Brynjar Lia notes that "Doomsday cults are nothing new," but also states that they are "relatively few." In Mystics and Messiahs , Jenkins writes that as a result of events between 1993 and 1997 including the Waco Siege involving the Branch Davidians , violence involving the Order of the Solar Temple , Aum Shinrikyo 's sarin gas attack on

4920-415: The group for several months, and recorded their conversations both prior to and after a failed prophecy from their charismatic leader. The group had organized around a belief system which foretold that a majority of the Western Hemisphere would be destroyed by a cataclysmic flood on December 21, 1955. Their work was later published in the 1956 book When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of

5002-453: The lead up to the predicted day of the rapture, many followers of Family Radio's teachings spent their life savings to donate to Family Radio or personally advertise the predicted rapture date. Others quit their jobs, sold their homes, and went into debt, relying on Camping's predictions. Several suicides were attributed to the station's apocalyptic teachings, and a woman in California tried to kill her two daughters and herself, believing that she

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5084-462: The leader's original plan, that the cataclysmic event itself had been postponed to a later date by the leader, or that the activities of the group itself had forestalled disaster. In the case of the Festinger study, when the prophecy of a cataclysmic flood was proved false, the members pronounced that their faith in God had prevented the event. They then proceeded to attempt to convert new members with renewed strength. In his book Politeia: Visions of

5166-412: The leader's prophecies have proven false. Festinger attributed this phenomenon to the coping method of dissonance reduction, a form of rationalization . Members often dedicate themselves with renewed vigor to the group's cause after a failed prophecy, rationalizing with explanations such as a belief that their actions forestalled the disaster or a continued belief in the leader when the date for disaster

5248-456: The legal primary station for the translators was changed to KEAR-FM in Sacramento, after the former primary FM station in San Francisco was sold to CBS Radio . Notes: In addition to its full-powered stations, Family Radio is relayed by an additional 20 FM translators: Franklin, Tennessee Franklin is a city in and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee , United States. About 21 miles (34 km) south of Nashville , it

5330-538: The mayor and at-large aldermen elected two years later. The city's policies and procedures are decided by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Resolutions, municipal ordinances, and the municipal code are carried out by the city's various departments. These are: Administration, Building and Neighborhood Services, Engineering, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law, Planning and Sustainability, Parks, Police, Sanitation and Environmental Services, Streets, and Water Management. These 14 departments are overseen by

5412-436: The network reaffirmed its commitment to his teachings, specifically the belief that all churches had become apostate, and that true Christians should not attend church. For several years after Camping's death in 2013, Family Radio continued to air some of his past broadcasts and distribute his literature. But in October 2018, Family Radio discontinued using any of Camping's commentary and content, after outside ministries expressed

5494-789: The network's inception, to the adjacent East Bay city of Alameda. In September 2018, Family Radio announced it would no longer air programs featuring the voice of Harold Camping, and would no longer distribute literature of Camping's teachings. The decision was made as part of an effort to both move away from Camping's theology, and to reintroduce programs from outside ministries into the network's schedule. The changes went into effect on October 8, 2018. In 2019, Family Radio announced that it would be moving its headquarters from Alameda, California to Franklin, Tennessee , though they kept their satellite up-link facility in Alameda, California. In 1994, Family Radio owned forty radio stations nationwide. The listenership of Family Radio understandably declined after

5576-675: The network. As board members left the organization, they were not being replaced. Harold Camping's controversial teachings, as they were changing, became the focus of the entire network. Up until the late 1980s, Family Radio endorsed local church attendance but once Camping stated that the church age was over and that Satan had taken over the churches, he went on to say that people could no longer be saved within churches and that Christians should not be members or attend church services of any type. His actions led to mounting criticism from former supporters and led some Family Radio staff members to resign, as well as prompting some outside ministries to leave

5658-405: The network. The loss of these programs from the Family Radio schedule gave Camping more airtime to express his teachings. Around this time, former Family Radio employees, pastors, cult specialists, and others, began to publicly describe Family Radio as a cult . Leading up to May 2011, Family Radio spent in the vicinity of $ 100 million to advertise the now-discredited 2011 end times prediction . In

5740-436: The number of stations in the network has dropped drastically following their failed end times predictions. One of Family Radio's oldest broadcasts was a telephone-talk program called Open Forum in which Harold Camping , the network's co-founder, president and general manager, responded to callers' questions and comments, as they relate to the Bible, and used the platform to promote his various end-time predictions. The program

5822-536: The outset of the second campaign, the organizations assets dropped while contributions simultaneously rose indicating an increased level of spending by the organization, far surpassing the increase in income. In 2008, total contributions were well over $ 15 million. 2009 saw an annual budget of $ 36.7 million with $ 117 million in assets and $ 18.4 million in contributions. IRS records also indicate that Family Radio employed 348 persons in 2009. In 2010 assets were down to $ 110 million while contributions rose to $ 18.7 million while

5904-518: The overnight program Nightwatch ; Echoes , which features recordings of sermons delivered by pastors from churches around the world); Music to Live By , an afternoon program; the nighttime program The Quiet Hours ; Family Bible Study ; and Beyond Intelligent Design . Outside programming broadcast over the Family Radio network was limited as Camping considered the organized church apostate, and therefore devoid of God's Spirit and under Satan's control. Originally founded by Richard H. Palmquist , with

5986-506: The station maintained 346 employees. In 2011 contributions fell to $ 17.2 million and assets dropped to $ 87.6 million, while the organization also lost 26 employees. By the end of 2011 the organizations assets had dropped to $ 29.2 million, and the next year was forced to take out a $ 30 million loan. Central to Camping's teaching was the belief that each sentence in the Bible is not to be understood only literally, but rather conveys multiple levels of cryptic meanings. In Camping's words, "the Bible

6068-624: The stations to pay off "operating deficits accumulated over the last several years". WFSI would be purchased in November 2011 by CBS Radio , which converted the station to a Spanish language dance music format under the WLZL call sign . Merlin Media, LLC struck a deal in December 2011 to acquire WKDN, which was relaunched with a talk format under the WWIQ call sign. WWIQ was later sold to Educational Media Foundation in late 2013, and became WKVP ,

6150-641: The suburban counties of Nashville and purchases power from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Natural gas service is provided by Atmos Energy . Pilgrimage is a music festival put together by Kevin Griffin , who lives and works as a musician in Franklin. Premiering in 2015, it draws nationally prominent acts from a variety of genres. Pilgrimage is held in late September and takes place at The Park at Harlinsdale. In addition to musical acts, it features children's activities, food, and

6232-496: The turn of the century, and whites used intimidation and attacks to keep Blacks away from voting. Five African Americans were lynched in Williamson County from 1877 to 1950, most during the decades around the turn of the century. It was a time of high social tensions and legal racial oppression in the South. These murders took place in Franklin, when men were taken from the courthouse or county jail by mobs before trial. Among them

6314-409: Was Amos Miller , a 23-year-old Black man who was forcibly taken from the courtroom by a White mob during his 1888 trial in a sexual assault case. He was hanged from the railings of the balcony of the county courthouse. The alleged victim was a 50-year-old woman. On April 30, 1891, Jim Taylor , another African-American man, was lynched on Murfreesboro Road in Franklin by another mob, accused of killing

6396-555: Was announced that Family Stations would sell WFME to Atlanta -based Cumulus Media for an undisclosed price. A November message from Camping posted on the Family Radio website admitted, "Either we sell WFME or go off the air completely." The 94.7 signal would be relaunched as country-formatted station, WNSH . Concurrent with 94.7's sale to Cumulus, Family Radio purchased FM station WDVY in Mount Kisco, New York from Cumulus, which would soon after adopt Family Radio's programming and

6478-434: Was confirmed by an employee of the network. Following Camping's death, the network reaffirmed its commitment to his teachings, specifically the belief that all churches had become apostate, and that true Christians should not attend church. On November 21, 2014, The Walt Disney Company announced it would sell WQEW in New York City to Family Radio for $ 12.95 million, part of Disney's decision to end terrestrial distribution of

6560-449: Was fatally shot by a large group of masked men believed to be Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members. They attacked him for treating Blacks equally to Whites in his store. Bowman, a Black man who worked for Bierfield and was with him at his store, was fatally wounded in the attack and soon died. After the Reconstruction era , white violence continued against African Americans , as the minority struggled to retain dominance. Violence increased toward

6642-450: Was finally cancelled not long after Camping's third failed "rapture-less" prediction and a stroke which he suffered in June 2011. Other programs that have aired on Family Radio over the years include the morning programs Rise and Rejoice and The Christian Home ; Family Bible Reading Fellowship , a half-hour Bible reading program; Radio Reading Circle , featuring readings of Christian books;

6724-459: Was sparing them the tribulation that would occur following the rapture predicted by the station. The network's apocalyptic predictions, and its followers reactions to them, led to media descriptions of the network as a doomsday cult . Scholars of apocalyptic groups found the various responses among Family Radio's followers to be consistent with what they expected to see among members of a cult, with disillusioned followers concurring that Family Radio

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