On Saturday, April 24, CatholicTV was featured in a front-page article by the Boston Globe. The article entitled “Ambition, Redemption and CatholicTV” was written by Lisa Wangsness. In early 2010 Lisa was named as the religion reporter for the Boston Globe.
The story looks at CatholicTV from several perspectives, including input from CatholicTV viewer Mary Casey from Hanson, Massachusetts; Stewart Hoover, a professor from Boulder, Colorado; Michael Warsaw, Chief Executive at EWTN; Sister Mary Ann Walsh from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; and Father Robert Reed, Director of CatholicTV. The article begins with an overview of CatholicTV’s roots.
WATERTOWN — A half-century ago, Boston’s Catholic television organization broadcast Sunday Mass once a week on borrowed airwaves. Today, The CatholicTV Network is a fill-your-plate buffet of 24/7 Catholic content, including not only the full menu of prayer and services, but also religious cartoons, a Catholic trivia game show for children, and “House + Home,’’ a decidedly wholesome “reality-style show’’ featuring local Catholic families. CatholicTV is on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube; there is an iPhone application, as well as an active blog.
Within the next five years, CatholicTV’s leaders want their network to be available across America. This week, they signed a deal with Comcast that marks a first step toward that goal, the opportunity to pitch local Comcast service providers around the country for a spot in their channel lineup. In the process, the station hopes to encourage creative Catholics in dioceses nationwide to contribute content.
The Rev. Robert Reed, the station’s ambitious 50-year-old director, says CatholicTV has moved far beyond its initial mission, as Boston Catholic Television, of providing a way for Boston’s elderly and ailing Catholics to participate in worship from home. Today, he says, CatholicTV is a form of evangelization and outreach, seeking to show the joyful side of the church in the United States and to remind estranged Catholics of the “beauty and diversity and wealth’’ of the institution that was once their spiritual home.
Also, as the Vatican is struggling to deal with the sexual abuse crisis that exploded eight years ago in Boston, Reed sees an opportunity for Boston Catholics to help rebuild the archdiocese’s image.
“I think the CatholicTV network can be one of the ways that we can redeem ourselves as an archdiocese,’’ he said. “I want people to look at the Archdiocese of Boston and be able to smile and say, ‘You know, that’s a great church, those are good people,’ because we are.’’
For the rest of the article click here.
CatholicTV also recently received national media coverage from National Public Radio and the Associated Press as well. The CatholicTV Network also made a recent affiliation agreement with Comcast.
CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at CatholicTV.com. Heeding Pope Benedict XVI's call to greater utilize the power of television and new media, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget. Celebrate Mass online; pray The Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America's Catholic Television Network.
CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at CatholicTV.com. Heeding Pope Benedict XVI's call to greater utilize the power of television and new media, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget. Celebrate Mass online; pray The Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America's Catholic Television Network.
CONTACT: Chris Pham, Public Relations Coordinator, CatholicTV, 617.923.0220