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Fox Business is airing evangelical broadcaster Daystar’s panel program that warns viewers of the End Times

Fox Business is seemingly profiting from Daystar’s paid programming that has declared that non-Christians should “buy a casket because you won't survive” the coming “tribulation”

Written by Payton Armstrong

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Fox Business has been seemingly profiting from evangelical broadcaster Daystar’s content by airing the network’s panel show Joni Table Talk as paid programming. During this programming, guests have asserted that “we're at the end of the End Times,” warned that there will be “very few survivors of the tribulation,” and claimed that “one of the signs” of Jesus supposedly “coming again” is that “many Jewish people are coming to the Lord now.”

Daystar’s Joni Table Talk has aired at least 40 times on Fox Business since August 2023, according to a Media Matters review. The panel program airs weekly during the network’s paid programming, with a brief generic disclaimer — which appears to be standard for the network — that notes: “The following is a paid advertisement and does not express the views and opinions of the FOX Business Network.”

This is just the latest example of how Fox Business has seemingly profited from broadcasting far-right Christian content. Last year, Media Matters reported that Fox Business had been airing weekly commentary from Christian nationalist pastor Jack Hibbs as paid programming. Hibbs used that platform to push the “great reset” conspiracy theory and tell viewers that they are “living in the last days.” The network aired Real Life with Jack Hibbs at least 27 times between November 12, 2022, and May 20, 2023, and the programming has continued airing on Fox Business.

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  • Right-wing evangelical broadcaster Daystar has promoted conspiracy theories

    • Daystar Television was launched in 1997 by televangelists Joni and Marcus Lamb and has since expanded into an online, cable, and broadcast network “dedicated to spreading the Gospel 24 hours a day, seven days a week – all around the globe, through all media formats possible.” The IRS considers Daystar Television a church, making it a tax-exempt nonprofit for tax purposes; in 2014, NPR reported that Daystar receives an average of $35 million in donations each year. [Media Matters, 3/18/21; Daystar, accessed 5/30/24, 5/30/24, 6/2/24; NPR, 4/1/14; Ministry Watch, 12/14/20]
    • Daystar and the Lambs apparently supported former President Donald Trump and promoted false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. The Lambs participated in Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign events, and Daystar Television posted an online petition to Facebook that gave credence to false claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election. Daystar and the Lambs also have a history of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and advocating against same-sex marriage. [Media Matters, 3/8/21; The Guardian, 3/3/20; Twitter/X, 4/13/15]
    • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Daystar used social media platforms such as Facebook to spread conspiracy theories — including claims that the vaccine was part of a plot to implant people with microchips. In 2021, Daystar made headlines for its vaccine denial after co-founder Marcus Lamb died from COVID. [Media Matters, 3/8/21, 3/29/21; NBC, 11/30/21]
    • Joni Lamb — now president of Daystar — hosts a panel program called Joni Table Talk that frames current events as part of biblical prophecy and claims to reach 70 million subscribers through broadcasting on Fox Business and tens of millions more through other media outlets. Lamb’s program has hosted far-right Christian media figures such as Salem Media host Eric Metaxas, an evangelical adviser to Trump with a history of pushing Christian nationalism. On the program, Metaxas compared atheists to flat Earth conspiracy theorists, while the host declared that “the Bible is not only the greatest history book, but it’s also the greatest science book.” [Daystar, accessed 5/21/24, 6/2/24; Media Matters, 7/12/23, National Catholic Reporter, 9/5/17; Fox Business, Joni Table Talk, 10/2/23]

  • On Fox Business, Joni Table Talk has warned of the End Times, with panelists fearmongering that non-Christians will die in Jesus’ coming “tribulation”

    • “Doomsday prophet” Jonathan Cahn claimed that “for 2,000 years,” Satan has “been trying to keep the Jewish people from coming to their Messiah,” adding that the End Times are near because “one of the signs of him [Jesus] coming again is many Jewish people are coming to the Lord now, which wasn’t the case before.” Panel co-host Kendra Kelly Dean asked, “why is there such a adamant refusal amongst Jews to accept Jesus?” Cahn replied, “It is prophesied they won’t accept him until the end,” adding, “Jesus is the hope of Israel.” Cahn also promoted his book The Return of the Gods, which argues that progressive cultural change in society, such as increasing LGBTQ inclusion in America, is a consequence of the return of ancient gods. [Fox Business, Joni Table Talk, 9/4/23; The New York Times, 3/5/19; Media Matters, 7/14/23]

  • From an episode of Daystar's Joni Table Talk, aired on Fox Business Network on September 4, 2023

    • Pastor Jimmy Evans asserted that “we're at the end of the End Times” and suggested that non-Christians should “buy a casket because you won’t survive … the tribulation.” Evans also warned that there will be “rapture” and that “the Antichrist will probably cut your head off” if you are among the “very few survivors of the tribulation.” [Fox Business, Joni Table Talk, 5/13/24; Christian Post, 3/2/22]

  • From an episode of Daystar's Joni Table Talk, aired on Fox Business Network on May 13, 2024

    • Pastor Vladimir Savchuk, who claimed to be receiving messages from God, said that he witnessed “full-blown demonic manifestations” in youth at his ministry. He claimed that he received “promptings” from God that led him to “radical fastings” and “hearing voices.” Savchuk then claimed: “Six months into it, I started to see radical salvations in this youth group. And then people started getting healed. The words of knowledge started to flow, people started to get delivered. Demons started coming out in our youth group. I'm talking about full-blown demonic manifestations.” [Fox Business, Joni Table Talk, 4/15/24]

  • From an episode of Daystar's Joni Table Talk, aired on Fox Business Network on April 15, 2024

    • Missionary Fred Markert declared that “we are on the verge of civilizational collapse — no scholar believes America can be saved,” and discussed how his ministry is being used to usher in a “great awakening.” Lamb introduced Markert by asking “how is God moving in the world’s most unreached people groups” and suggesting that “God is using his ministry to usher in the next great awakening.” Markert later claimed that America is in a period of “late decadence” and decline, quoted a scripture to suggest the U.S. needs a “revival,” and claimed that God said “if that nation turns from their wicked ways, then I will relent of the judgment and I will spare their land.” [Fox Business, Joni Table Talk, 5/6/24]

  • From an episode of Daystar's Joni Table Talk, aired on Fox Business Network on May 6, 2024