[1] It was estimated that by the mid-1970s, the Southern Baptist Convention received approximately $10 million in donations annually in the form of 2,500 free weekly broadcasts.

"[4] The plan for establishing the network revolved around building 100 or more low power (LPTV) and a small number of full-power stations throughout the United States.

[5] However, some of the SBCs LPTV plans were held back when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) changed some of the regulations regarding the licensing of such stations.

It was hoped that the multidenominational composition would attract large cable companies, some of which had shied away from carrying the network citing concerns about the SBC's singular control over content.

[11] To some extent, this meant that conservative faith traditions such as Lutherans, Presbyterians and Methodists, as well as Catholics and Jews were represented in the network's programming.

[12][13] Under the terms of the agreement, the SBC would continue to provide the majority of the programming and receive a small portion of revenues from the network.

[14][15] The new management immediately switched satellites to Galaxy III, a move intended to increase ACTS' viewing potential.

[13] FamilyNet was sold off to In Touch Ministries (operated by Dr. Charles Stanley) in 2007, representing the end of the SBC's direct ventures in television.

[19] The Southern Baptist Church would provide eight hours of programming daily for the network,[20] which would produce substantial savings.

[20] The new deal would add over 1,000 cities to ACTS' audience,[19] and the number of cable providers carrying the channel increased from 655 to 1,374.

Whereas ACTS had specific content guidelines based on the views of the SBC,[23] VISN did not rely on any form of creed or universal statement of faith.

[24] VISN was represented by member organizations of 54 faiths including non-Christians, ranging from Muslim groups to Buddhists, to others that some conservative Baptists considered cultish.

[22] Also, partially because the Baptist Press had been prohibited from reporting on the matter,[22] those local affiliates were not informed about the deal until after it was signed.

[25] VISN-ACTS went through several relaunches in the 1990s including its 1992 revamp as the Faith and Values Channel and the 1996 format change into the Odyssey Network, with direct religious content erosion occurring along the way.