BOSTON — If cable viewers let their local cable providers know that they desire another Catholic network, Boston’s CatholicTV could soon be airing across the country.
The network recently signed an affiliation agreement with cable giant Comcast and is signing a similar agreement with Charter Communications.
“We’ve been working with Comcast for two to three years,” said Bonnie Rodgers, director of marketing and programming at CatholicTV. “Now that the agreement has been hammered out, we’re reliant on Catholics to tell their local carriers that they want our programming.”
With the addition of CatholicTV, that brings Comcast’s Catholic content to two stations. Comcast already carries the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). The agreement did not cost CatholicTV any money, but will allow the network to bring its content to more people nationally.
“Catholics make up 25% of the population,” said Rodgers. “We deserve more than one station, and probably more than two.”
CatholicTV has a long history. It began broadcasting on Jan. 1, 1955, originally airing the Mass for homebound Catholics. Later, it acquired a license and began broadcasting on its own channel. In 1983, the network began supplying television via cable. Currently, it is seen on cable systems in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, California and Louisiana.
“Everyday, CatholicTV hears from viewers around the country who are anxious to benefit from the programming our network provides,” said Father Robert Reed, director of CatholicTV. “We are honored to provide Comcast with uplifting entertainment and compelling family programming that reflects the diversity of our nation.”
One viewer who is delighted about the addition is librarian Mary Casey of Hanson, Mass.
“With all of the pain and challenges facing the Church, I view CatholicTV as a bright light for Boston and the Catholic Church as a whole,” said Casey. “They use every means of communication to bring the important Gospel message. I’m always looking for ways to deepen my Catholic faith and really feel like I’m part of their family.”
Casey said that she has been watching the network since she was a child. She said she frequently watched CatholicTV with her teenage sons, who are now 20 and 14.
In addition to watching it on TV, Casey said she appreciates the station’s outreach with new media.
“They’re using bold, innovative and creative means to evangelize and deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Casey. “They’re meeting the younger generation on Facebook and Twitter, with their on-demand programming on the website, and their iPhone application.”
In addition to offering streaming content and on-demand programming over the Internet, CatholicTV has created Carrier Faith, their iPhone application, and CatholicTVjr, a widget (online tool that can be added to a website; see this Register story) that’s offered free of charge to Catholic parishes, communities, organizations and dioceses.
The Diocese of Grand Rapids, Mich., and a diocese in India are currently utilizing the widget on their websites.
The network also publishes a monthly magazine that highlights the station’s programming, and it has experimented with 3-D on television and the Internet.
The network was recently awarded a Gabriel Award for “Religious Television Station of the Year” by the Catholic Academy for Communications Art Professionals.
The station offers news, talk, entertainment, international event coverage and devotional series, as well as live Sunday Mass and the Rosary. The network’s schedule includes creative content such as religious cartoons, a Catholic trivia game show (see this Register article), a movie review program featuring two Archdiocese of Boston priests, and a reality-style show featuring local Catholic families.
In addition to its regular programming, the network has made vocations promotion a priority.
“Cardinal Sean O’Malley has said that vocations are everybody’s business,” said Rodgers. “That’s our goal.”
CatholicTV has created a block of programming known as “The Call,” during which they allow vocation directors and lay apostolates to tell others about their charism and ministry. The programming airs five times per week.
Rodgers said that it’s less likely for youth to encounter religious in schools today, so new methods need to be found of reaching them with the vocation message.
“If they have that encounter in their living room [via TV], there might be an opportunity to plant this little seed,” said Rodgers.
CatholicTV’s website features a page where they are encouraging individuals to sign a petition that asks their local cable operators to include CatholicTV as part of their programming. They hope that the network will be available across the country within five years.
“We get notes from people all over the world who watch CatholicTV from our website,” said Rodgers. “That motivates us to seek out these cable agreements, knowing that our programming is making a difference for the universal Church.”
Tim Drake is based in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
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I have not seen it yet. Is this network authentically Catholic, faithful to all the teachings of the church, or is it Catholic “lite?” I don’t want to waste my time watching it if I have to wonder all the time whether what they are teaching is correct.
This is great news! I was away from the Catholic Church for nearly 40 years. It is because of EWTN that I returned. Having another Catholic Channel will help reach even more fallen away Catholics. God Bless Comcast!
I live in Michigan, and I recently discovered Catholic TV on the internet. To Marcy K., it appears to be authentically Catholic, as they have Fr Benedict Groeschel hosting a show (never knew he did double duty at two networks!), and they also rerun Fulton Sheen. I have AT&T U-Verse, and I pray Catholic TV will get picked up by U-Verse as well as Comcast! Protestents have several networks, its time us Catholics get to have more than just EWTN.
Relax, Marcy K. I’m here in Sunny Southern California, but I lived in the Bay State years ago and fondly remember the birth of Boston’s TV channel.
Excellent. I’m really glad to hear we have another good network to watch. The more outlets for the truth the better. Thanks, Bill for responding. I’m looking forward to watching it.
How do I let my cable company know that I’d like this network added?
All I can say is, IT’S ABOUT TIME! This might very well signal the death of the stigma that Catholic Entertainment is boring, old-fashioned, arrogant and extremely one sided, hopefully. For all of it’s good programs and upsides, EWTN does not and doesnt plan to provide programming for all catholics. They have stated numerous times they target the elderly generation of catholics and catholics who are very intune to dogmatic teaching. CatholicTV on the other hand seems to be for anyone who is catholic (or at least christian) and wants to watch clean, good entertainment and also intuitive, thought-provoking shows. Im 21 years old, and I must be completely honest and real, There are only 2 shows I will watch on EWTN, Franciscan University Presents and The show they have on G.K. Chesterton. That’s it!! And no, Life of the Rock is not the same since Fr. Francis Mary Stone left the show. That show has gone down the tubes FAST since he left. EWTN just aint cutting it anymore (if they ever did in the first place.) What upsets me most about them is, they dont have one single funny or humerous part of any program they do. They dont even have a funny quip from anyone on that channel. that’s why no one watches it!!!! it’s boring!!! I’m not saying they should turn into comedy central, but a little leavity never hurt anyone. I wont even get into how anti-protestant and anti-morman they are….... so YAY for CatholicTV!!!!!!!!
All i can say is, IT’S ABOUT TIME!!!!!! THis might forever end the stigma that catholic entertainment is boring, cheesy, extremly one-sided, arrogant and oh yeah, i said boring!! And yes, the main culprit of this is EWTN. I Am 21 years old, and there is only one show on that channel i wanna watch, Franciscan University presents. But they even get me upset sometimes. They have stated too, that they gear their lineup for the elderly generation of catholics or catholics who are familiar with church teaching. Well if that isn’t the most obvious newsflash of the century. And no, Life on the Rock is just not the same since Fr. Francis Mary Stone left the show. That show now has gone down the tubes, FAST! For one thing though, EWTN televises things that no one would ever watch! Who watches a rosary being said on tv!?!?!?! I’m not even gonna go there with how anti-protestant and anti-every-other-religion-except-catholic they are because we dont have enough bandwidth for that here! So I applaud Catholic TV for trying to provide solid, moral, good entertainment to those of us who dont see it that often.
Johnny Catholic,
What shows on Catholic TV do you watch and would recommend to other young Catholics? What content do you think is especially needed for your demographic? What info are you and other young Catholics looking for?
To Mary Frances, You can click on the link you will receive when I finish this. That will take you back to The National Catholic Register and go up to the next to the last paragraph and click on the Red “PAGE”. That will take you to Catholic TV website where there is a petition you can sign, or you can call your local cable company and make the request. Better yet, get up a petition at your parish, then submit it to your local cable company. God Bless You!
I hope Catholic TV gets picked up by AT&T U-verse. I like the show “Going My Way”, which is like a Catholic version of the Tonight Show, hosted by priests. And rest assured, Catholic TV is every bit as faithful to the faith as EWTN. It’s the now defunct CTNA that was the center-left Catholic lite network.
Greetings.
I work with Fr. Lou Scurti, a priest of the Diocese of Paterson NJ. We have been uploading his “homily of the week” for some time now. I would like to invite you to listen to them, with the possibility of using them on CD’s, or another evangelization tool.
Let us know. His site is:
Fr. Lou Scurti’s Ministry page:
http://frlouscurtiministry.com/
thank you
Gerard F. Reynolds
His info:
Louis J. Scurti, Ph.D., M.Div., Ed.S., LMFT
P.O. Box 7994
Haledon, NJ 07538
cell: 973 981 5003
alternate email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
I sincerely hope this programing is AUTHENTIC Rome-based magesterial teachings of the Roman Catholic Faith faithful to the Holy Father. EWTN brings such a blessed wealth I am very very skeptical to watch something coming out of liberal liberal Boston of all places. I for one have had more than enough of the Americaan Catholic LIBERAL garbage(Like Abortion, open practicing gays is JUST FINE) Church. It is not of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church just another pail of garbage to dump right out and pass by on with the television clicker. For it IS MOST terrible in that it masquerades as true authentic stuff and harms the young so very much. Me? I will vote for life and keep company at EWTN…..
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