FCC investigation
In 2003, Daystar was investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), centering on allegations that Daystar sold air time on its non-commercial educational stations to for-profit groups. The investigation complicated Daystar's US$21.5 million bid for KOCE-TV, a PBS station in Huntington Beach, California which at the time mainly served the suburban area of Orange County,[5][6] and other license renewals. After a lengthy process, Daystar and KOCE-TV eventually came to an agreement where Daystar leased a digital subchannel of KOCE, and broadcast network programming over KOCE-DT3 into Orange County and the Los Angeles area. This agreement has remained in place into the early 2020s, with KOCE since becoming the flagship Los Angeles area member station of PBS in January 2011, replacing KCET after that station defected from the network (the groups eventually merged, with KCET re-joining PBS secondarily).
On December 22, 2008, the FCC and Daystar entered into an agreement whereby Daystar would continue to utilize a multi-level review process to make sure its programming would not breach the underwriting spot guidelines applied by the FCC to non-commercial television stations, and would make additional good faith efforts to review all content received from external providers and remove direct calls for action before broadcasting the programming on Daystar's non-commercial educational stations. Daystar also agreed to pay a fine of $17,500 for past non-compliance.[7]
On March 13, 2012, the FCC questioned whether Daystar, through associated nonprofit companies, was qualified to purchase former PBS outlets KWBU-TV in Waco, Texas (which was renamed KDYW) and WMFE-TV in Orlando, Florida.[8] The WMFE deal was canceled two days later; the station was later resold and returned to PBS as WUCF-TV.[9] On September 7, 2012, KDYW's licensee, the Brazos Valley Broadcasting Foundation, informed the FCC that it would request the dismissal of the license assignment application and the cancellation of the KDYW license, with the cancellation becoming final on September 27.[10]
Israel
Daystar became the first foreign Christian network to be given a broadcast license by the Israeli government in 2006. The announcement was criticized by Jewish leaders in both Israel and the United States, who believed the network aimed at converting Israeli Jews through its numerous Messianic Jewish programs. In 2007, Israeli cable provider HOT announced it would drop Daystar from its lineup, stating that the decision was made after the company received complaints about Daystar's content. Daystar filed a petition with the Israeli Supreme Court to hear the case, accusing HOT of religious discrimination.[11] Two years later, HOT reversed its decision and resumed carrying Daystar.[12]
Lawsuits
On November 30, 2010, Marcus Lamb appeared on Celebration and admitted to having had an extramarital affair several years before,[13] telling viewers that unidentified individuals had attempted to extort money from him over the incident. He said that he had since reconciled with Joni over the matter; the Lambs subsequently appeared on Good Morning America and Dr. Phil to discuss their experiences with marriage counseling.[14]
Lamb's confession sparked a series of legal actions against Daystar. Former Daystar executive Jeanette Hawkins filed a lawsuit against the network, claiming that her knowledge of the affair caused "great emotional pain".[15] In February 2011, Jennifer Falcon, a former Daystar employee, filed a lawsuit claiming to have suffered sexual harassment, as well as demotion and defamation by the Lambs.[16] The following month, Karen Thompson, a former producer for Joni, sued Daystar for wrongful termination, claiming to have been harassed and fired for dating a male co-worker.
Paycheck Protection Program
Word of God Fellowship applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan and received $3.9 million, under the reasoning of meeting employee payroll. Two weeks later, WoGF purchased a Gulfstream V. Inside Edition questioned in an investigation if the organization had used the PPP loan funds to purchase the aircraft rather than for payroll purposes. Shortly after the report aired, the loan was paid back with interest.[19][20]
COVID-19 claims
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Daystar was criticized for airing several programs which featured prominent anti-vaccine personalities such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Del Bigtree, and Simone Gold, who along with Daystar hosts promoted misinformation about the pandemic.[21] In their broadcasts, Marcus and Joni Lamb repeatedly touted discredited COVID-19 treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin; both contracted COVID-19 despite these treatments, with Marcus Lamb dying from COVID-related complications in November 2021. Daystar had also filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over its COVID-19 vaccination mandate, calling it a "sin against God's Holy Word".[22]
In October 2021, Australian pay television company Foxtel, which offers Daystar as part of its channel package, announced that it was conducting a review after receiving complaints about Daystar programs featuring interviews promoting conspiracy theories about, and unproven treatments for, COVID-19.[23]
Sexual abuse coverup allegations
In late November 2024, Jonathan Lamb, son of Daystar founders Marcus and Joni Lamb, and his wife Suzy went on social media and disclosed that their daughter had been molested by a man identified only under the pseudonym of "Pete." They said that when the incident was reported along with a later incident in which "Pete" was found with their daughter, Marcus and Joni Lamb allegedly covered up the abuse.[26] Suzy Lamb made a separate allegation that she had been sexually assaulted by an unlicensed chiropractor hired by her in-laws[27] and that Jonathan had been fired after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. On November 26, Joni Lamb issued a response charging that Jonathan was dismissed following a poor performance review and accusing the younger Lambs of "fabricating a smear campaign"[28] because Jonathan Lamb was disappointed that he was not made president of Daystar after the death of his father.[29] Despite this, several high profile Christian programmers, including Joyce Meyer, Jesse Duplantis, Lance Wallnau, Jack Graham, Baruch Korman
