EWTN

The Eternal Word Television Network, more commonly known by its initialism EWTN, is an American basic cable television network which presents around-the-clock Catholic-themed programming. It was founded by Mother Angelica, PCPA, in 1980 and began broadcasting on August 15, 1981, from a garage studio at the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama, which Mother Angelica founded in 1962.[4] She hosted her own show, Mother Angelica Live, until suffering a major stroke and other health issues in September 2001.[5] Repeats now air as either the Best of Mother Angelica Live or Mother Angelica Live Classics. From then until her death on Easter Sunday of 2016, she led a cloistered life at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama.

This article is about the television network. For its sister radio network, see WEWN.
EWTN
Launched15 August 1981 (1981-08-15)
Owned byEternal Word Television Network Inc.
Picture format480i (SDTV)16:9/4:3
1080i (HDTV)
SloganThe Global Catholic Network
Live Truth. Live Catholic.
CountryUnited States
Canada
Latin America
Africa
Asia-Pacific
Germany
United Kingdom
Ireland
Italy
France
Belgium
Netherlands
LanguageEnglish
Broadcast areaWorldwide
HeadquartersIrondale, Alabama
Websitewww.ewtn.com
Availability
Terrestrial
WEWN (Eternal Word Radio Network)Shortwave radio frequencies
AM/FM affiliates
Satellite
DirecTV (US)Channel 370
Dish Network (US)Channel 261
Tata Sky (India)Channel 559
Optus D2 (152°E)12519 MHz V 22500[1]
AsiaSat 5 (100.5°E)3700 MHz V 30000
Intelsat 19 (166°E)3940 MHz H 27690[1]
Intelsat 20 (68.5°E)4064 MHz H 19850[2]
Sky Direct (Philippines)Channel 23
Cignal Digital TV (Philippines)Channel 181
Sky ItaliaChannel 965
Sky (UK & Ireland)Channel 588
Astra 2G (28.2°E)11264 V 27500 2/3
Shaw Direct (Canada)Channel 559
Cable
First Media (ID)Channel 29[3]
BiG TV (ID)Channel 617
Sky Cable/Destiny Cable (Philippines)Channel 76
Verizon Fios (US)Channel 285
Xfinity (US)Channel 33 (SD)
Channel 291 (SD)
Channel 1668 (HD)
Cablelink (Philippines)Channel 75
Satellite radio
Sirius XM Satellite RadioChannel 130
IPTV
eir Vision (Ireland)Channel 589
Streaming media
Digital media receiverRoku

Regular network programs include a daily Holy Mass and sometimes Tridentine Mass format, the traditional Stations of the Cross, a taped daily recitation of the Rosary, and daily and weekly news, discussion, and Catechetical programs for both adults and children. Christmas and Easter programming; the installation Masses of bishops and cardinals; coverage of World Youth Days; and papal visits, deaths, funerals, conclaves, and elections are also presented. Spanish language broadcasts are available on all platforms.[6] On December 8, 2009, EWTN began broadcasting high-definition television.[7]

The network's current chairman of the board and chief executive officer is Michael P. Warsaw.[8] While the network has trustees, it does not have shareholders or owners. A majority of the network's funding is from viewer donations about which it advertises 100% viewer supported, which keeps it from advertising secular or non-Catholic programming. Its traditional plea for donations is "Keep us between your gas and electric bill".[9][note 1]

EWTN contributes to the publication of the National Catholic Register newspaper, which it acquired in January 2011, and to reports of Catholic News Agency, which it also owns.[10] The network maintains an online presence through its primary site, EWTN.com, and it has a dedicated commercial site, EWTNReligiousCatalogue.com.[11] EWTN also has a 24 hour radio network, offering Catholic talk and worship programming to about 350 radio stations around the U.S. as well as SiriusXM Satellite Radio and shortwave radio.[12][13] Some of the schedule is the audio from EWTN television shows and some is original programming for radio listeners.

As of 2017, Michael P. Warsaw, who is a consultant to the Vatican's Dicastery for Communications, leads EWTN.[14]

Development
EWTN's main studio in Irondale, Alabama

Mother Angelica made her profession of vows in 1953. In 1962 she established Our Lady of the Angels monastery. During the 1970s, she was an in-demand lecturer and produced pamphlets and audio and video tapes. She had been a guest on local station WBMG (currently WIAT, Channel 42), and on shows on the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Trinity Broadcasting Network. After she gave an interview on then-Christian station WCFC (Channel 38) in Chicago, she decided she wanted her own network. "I walked in, and it was just a little studio, and I remember standing in the doorway and thinking, 'It doesn't take much to reach the masses'. I just stood there and said to the Lord, 'Lord, I've got to have one of these'".[15]

Mother Angelica purchased satellite space and EWTN began broadcasting on August 15, 1981, with four hours of daily programming, which included her own show, Mother Angelica Live (aired bi-weekly), a Sunday Mass, and reruns of older Catholic programs such as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's Life Is Worth Living. The remainder of the time was filled with shows produced by dioceses across the country, shows from Protestant sources which Mother Angelica determined were in concert with Catholic teachings, and children's shows such as Joy Junction and The Sunshine Factory. About one-third of programming time consisted of secular content, such as re-runs of The Bill Cosby Show, public domain films, and cooking and western-themed shows. EWTN eventually increased its broadcast schedule to six hours per day and then to eight hours per day by 1986. Secular content was gradually reduced from 1986 to 1988, and satellite distribution was expanded late in 1987, after which EWTN acquired a far more desirable satellite channel and began broadcasting around the clock. At this point, EWTN began broadcasting the praying of the rosary on a daily basis and added a number of educational shows. In-house production of original programming gradually increased. The Mass became televised daily in 1991 from a chapel on the monastery grounds. Most shows from non-Catholic sources were eliminated and a more theological image gradually developed.

Radio
Main article: WEWN

In 1992, EWTN established the largest privately owned shortwave radio station, WEWN, in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1996, Mother Angelica announced that EWTN would make its radio signal available via satellite to AM and FM stations throughout the United States at no cost.[16]

In 1999, programs included Mother Angelica Live and "Life Is Worth Living" with Fulton J. Sheen. WGSN in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was an affiliate.[17] Current radio programs include Open Line in which callers can have their questions regarding the Catholic Faith answered.

In 2004, EWTN announced an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio, which thereafter merged with XM Satellite Radio to become Sirius XM Satellite Radio. EWTN broadcasts on Channel 130 on Sirius XM.[18]

As of 2016, EWTN Radio is affiliated with more than 350 stations in the United States and more than 500 stations globally.[19]

Newspapers
Main article: National Catholic Register

In January 2011, EWTN acquired the National Catholic Register, a newspaper founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1924 as a periodical for local Catholics, and which became a national publication three years later. EWTN officially assumed total control on February 1, 2011.[10] EWTN also owns 'Catholic News Agency' which is a Catholic news service with bureaus across America, Latin America and Europe.

News coverage

The EWTN news department produces a daily news service for television and radio, featuring news sources including Vatican Radio. It also produces The World Over Live, which reports relevant current events. Journalist and author Raymond Arroyo, who is EWTN's news director, hosts the program. The program is conservative in its political orientation and generally conservative in its religious orientation. Notable guests have included Robert Rector of The Heritage Foundation, author and activist George Weigel, political commentator Laura Ingraham, conservative political commentator Pat Buchanan, and the late columnist and commentator Robert Novak, a Jewish convert to the Catholic Faith.

History of programming
Capitol Hill reporter Erik Rosales interviewing Congresswoman Debbie Lesko in 2020.

In its early history, EWTN broadcast Catholic programming from a great variety of Catholic sources, which ranged from Catholic charismatic programming, such as that of Fr. Michael Manning, to programs focusing on social reform and social justice, such as Christopher Closeup, to doctrinal programs hosted by clergy.

In the early 1990s, EWTN began producing more of its own programs. This effort marked a conspicuously conservative shift in its overall orientation, with programs on topics of social reform and justice gradually eliminated and replaced by programs on doctrine and programs of dialogue. The shift was apparent in the daily televised Masses, which, in 1992, began incorporating Latin into the liturgy and gradually eliminated contemporary music. Some untelevised Masses are totally in English and some include more contemporary music. On Christmas Eve of 1993, Mother Angelica and the nuns of her order reverted to traditional habits. From 1992 on, the Latin portions of the Mass included the Gloria, introduction of the Gospel readings, the Sanctus, and the remainder of the Mass after the Great Amen, beginning with the Lord's Prayer.

Among its notable weekly programs are The Journey Home and Life on the Rock. The Journey Home, hosted by Marcus Grodi, presents converts to the Catholic Faith. Grodi is a former Presbyterian minister who converted to the Catholic Faith in 1992.[20] Although most guests are former Protestants, former members of non-Christian faiths (such as Judaism) and former atheists occasionally appear. Life on the Rock is hosted by Rev. Mark Mary, MFVA.

The HD feed first became available to Comcast customers in Richmond, Virginia, and its vicinity on May 11, 2010.[21]

In October 2011, EWTN became available through the Roku streaming player. The player provides six live channels of EWTN at no cost, including English, Spanish, and German languages, thus permitting users to view the channel on their televisions. In addition, select EWTN programs can be viewed through the video on demand option, and a live feed of EWTN Radio is available.[22]

Often, EWTN airs special programming — holiday-specific programs; coverage of the deaths of Supreme Pontiffs; Papal conclaves, Papal elections, inaugurations, and visits; Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Easter Masses; installations of bishops, archbishops, and cardinals; and World Youth Days.

EWTN's top news program EWTN News Nightly[23] was hosted by veteran journalist Lauren Ashburn, who was previously with Fox News Channel. The show is produced by Rodney Harris and Anna Laudiero. Ashburn left EWTN in July 2019 in order to spend more time with her children.[24]

Criticism

In a 1993 episode of Mother Angelica Live, Mother Angelica harshly criticized a mimed re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross at the World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, which Pope John Paul II attended. Mother Angelica was angered that a woman was playing Jesus. Archbishop Rembert Weakland of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee criticized Mother Angelica's comment as "one of the most disgraceful, un-Christian, offensive, and divisive diatribes I have ever heard".[25] Mother Angelica responded that "He didn't think a woman playing Jesus was offensive? He can go put his head in the back toilet as far as I am concerned!"[25]

In 1997, Mother Angelica publicly criticized Cardinal Roger Mahony, then Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, for his pastoral letter on the Eucharist, "Gather Faithfully Together: A Guide for Sunday Mass", which she perceived as lacking emphasis on transubstantiation:[26] "I'm afraid my obedience in that diocese would be absolutely zero. And I hope everybody else's in that diocese is zero".[27] Cardinal Mahony regarded her comments as accusing him of heresy.[28] Mother Angelica later conditionally apologized for her comments.

In 1999, Bishop David E. Foley of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, issued a decree prohibiting priests in his diocese from celebrating Mass ad orientem (which literally denotes "to the east" but in this case means with his back to the people) under most circumstances.[29] Although the decree did not specifically name EWTN, supporters and critics generally agreed that the decree, which applied to "... any Mass that is or will be televised for broadcast or videotaped for public dissemination", was authored specifically to target EWTN. Bishop Foley stated that the practice of the priest facing away from the congregation "amounts to making a political statement and is dividing the people."[29]

Case of Francis Mary Stone

In 2007, Francis Mary Stone, an ordained Catholic priest who hosted the network's show Life On The Rock, was suspended from the network after it was revealed that he violated his vow of celibacy and fathered a child with EWTN employee Christina Presnell.[30] While Stone was only forced on leave of absence, Presnell was fired from EWTN.[30] By 2018, he was still reported to be only suspended from his religious order.[30]

Papal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award

In 2000, Archbishop Roberto González Nieves of San Juan, Puerto Rico, performed an apostolic visitation of EWTN. Nieves determined that it had three distinct problems — its actual ownership; the associated monastery's right to donate property to EWTN; and, since she had never been elected, the authority of Mother Angelica.[31] Subsequently, the matter was resolved when, in 2009, the Holy See directly bestowed the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award on Mother Angelica and the leaders of EWTN to express gratitude for their service to the Church.[32]

Viewership

EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world, and it claims a reach of a quarter-billion people in 140 countries. The network is unrated in the United States, though various articles cite millions of viewers watch per month. On YouTube and other social media platforms, EWTN has more than 1,000,000 active followers and online viewers. EWTN is also available on demand on streaming services Roku, Kindle, and Apple TV. EWTN's Internet site is viewed three to four million times monthly, according to SimilarWeb. In the United States, EWTN is available through most cable and satellite providers with a reach of around 70 million households.[33] EWTN had an annual revenue of $60,084,643 in 2016, and holds an 86% positive rating through Charity Navigator.[34]

List of programs
  • EWTN News Nightly, on Mondays through Fridays
  • EWTN Vaticano, on Sundays and available On-Demand
  • The Journey Home — Marcus Grodi, on Mondays
  • Threshold of Hope — Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, on Tuesdays
  • EWTN Live — Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, on Wednesdays
  • The World Over Live — Raymond Arroyo, on Thursdays
  • Life on the Rock — Fr. Mark Mary and Br. John Therese on Fridays
  • The Daily Mass, on daily mornings
  • Sunday Mass, on Sunday mornings
  • Benedictions and Devotions, on Sundays
  • The Holy Rosary with Mother Angelica
  • The Holy Rosary in the Holy Land
  • At Home with Jim and Joy — Jim and Joy Pinto
  • Web of Faith — Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Robert Levis
  • Sunday Night Prime — Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, on Sunday Nights
  • EWTN Bookmark — Doug Keck
  • Mother Angelica Live Classics
  • EWTN Religious Catalogue
  • Angel Force — LaHood Family
  • The Knights of St. Michael- LaHood Family
  • My Little Angels
  • We Are Catholic
  • My Catholic Family
  • The Carpenter's Shop
  • Adventures in Odyssey
  • The Joy of Music — concert organist Diane Bish
  • Pope Fiction — Patrick Madrid
  • Christ in the City with Fr. George Rutler
  • Pequeño Jesús
  • Now That We Are Catholic
  • Jesus Christ  — True God / True Man — Raymond D'Souza
  • G. K. Chesterton: Apostle of Common Sense — Dale Ahlquist
  • Household of Faith — Kristine Franklin and Rosalind Moss
  • The Abundant Life — Johnette Benkovic
  • Does the Church Still Teach This? — Fr. Shannon Collins, FME
  • Catholics Coming Home — Msgr. Frank E. Bognanno
  • Defending Life — Fr. Frank Pavone and Janet Morana
  • Forgotten Heritage — Fr. Owen Gorman and Fr. John S. Hogan ocds
  • Catholicism on Campus — Msgr. Stuart Swetland
  • Finding God through Faith and Reason — Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, Ph. D.
  • The Pure Life — Jason Evert and Crystallina Evert
  • Crash Course in Catholicism — Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Ken Brighenti
  • The Quest for Shakespeare — Joseph Pearce
  • Reasons For Our Hope — Rosalind Moss
  • Council of Faith: The Documents of Vatican II — Fr. John Trigilio
  • Council of Faith: The Post-Consiliar Documents — Fr. John Trigilio
  • Super Saints — Bob and Penny Lord[35]
  • The Friar
  • Genesis to Jesus — Scott Hahn and Rob Corzine

Branding

EWTN's logo has incorporated a globe outline in some form since the network's launch in 1981 to suggest the network's hope of a worldwide reach, usually with an outline of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica within a profile of a satellite dish inside of it. The network had the sub-branding of the "Catholic Cable Network" until 1995, when with the launch of DirecTV and Dish direct satellite broadcasters (where it was a charter network with both providers) it took a new sub-branding of "International Catholic Network", then "Global Catholic Network" in 1996 after uploading its signal for worldwide viewing.

List of EWTN Broadcast Affiliates
gollark: We cancel most time in 2446 anyway, for budget reasons, although we do keep operating a few years like 2446.5.
gollark: Physics treats time differently to spatial dimensions, it doesn't "not exist" in that scenario.
gollark: Paradoxes cause the universe to be rerolled.
gollark: Apart from technically, actually, etc.
gollark: Metaphorically right is the best kind of right.

See also

Notes
  1. According to Father Andrew Apostoli, TV host of EWTN: Sunday Night Prime, the saying is derived from the practice of Mother Angelica asking Jesus Christ for financial help, by placing a letter of request between the gas and electric bill (sometimes gas and telephone bill). The saying was later adopted for benefactors who donate to EWTN, in response to propagating its ministry.

References
Citations
  1. Satellite Information for Asia Pacific, EWTN
  2. Satellite Information for Africa & South Asia, EWTN
  3. EWTN, First Media, archived from the original on 2016-01-09, retrieved 2016-01-07
  4. "Mother Angelica Encyclopedia of Alabama". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  5. "EWTN Press Release — Two Years After Suffering a Major Stroke Mother Angelica Lives Her Life of Prayer". ewtn.com.
  6. "EWTN Red Católica Mundial". EWTN.
  7. "EWTN To Be Made Available in HD". Catholic Online.
  8. "Press Room". EWTN. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22.
  9. "Support EWTN". EWTN.
  10. "National Catholic Register". National Catholic Register.
  11. "Religious Catalogue Featured Highlights". EWTN.
  12. "EWTN Radio". SiriusXM.
  13. "EWTN Shortwave Frequency Guide". ewtn.com.
  14. "Pope taps James Martin and EWTN chief as communications consultants". Crux Now. April 12, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  15. Applebome, Peter (October 8, 1989). "Scandals Aside, TV Preachers Thrive". The New York Times.
  16. "A Signal for the New Evangelization". NCRegister.com. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  17. Toby Eddings, "Time to get back on the 'Soul Train'," The Sun News, May 30, 1999.
  18. "EWTN Radio — Solid Catholic Talk & Info — SiriusXM Radio". SiriusXM.com. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  19. Company, Our Sunday Visitor Catholic Publishing. "Letters to the Editor for December 18, 2016". Our Sunday Visitor Catholic Publishing Company.
  20. "Marcus Grodi — The Coming Home Network". The Coming Home Network.
  21. "EWTN Press Release — EWTN HD Launches on Comcast in Richmond Area". ewtn.com.
  22. Another EWTN First: Catholic Network To Launch on Roku Retrieved October 19, 2011
  23. "EWTN News Nightly | Eternal Word Television Network, Global Catholic Network". www.ewtn.com. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  24. "EWTN — News Room, Press Releases, Articles". www.ewtn.com. Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
  25. Raymond Arroyo (2007), Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve and a Network of Miracles, Crown Publishing Group, pp. 243–244, ISBN 9780307423726
  26. "St. Thomas Aquinas". Archived from the original on January 9, 2006. Retrieved Aug 6, 2019.
  27. Margaret O'Brien Steinfels Liturgical confusion-criticism over a pastoral letter Editorial, Commonweal, January 30, 1998
  28. John L. Allen, Jr. Mahony sees nun's critique as heresy charge-Cardinal Roger Mahony; dispute with televangelist Mother M. Angelica, National Catholic Reporter, Dec 5, 1997. Archived March 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  29. John L. Allen, Jr. EWTN's bishop says priests must face the people-Eternal Word Television Network-Brief Article, National Catholic Reporter November 19, 1999. Archived March 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  30. "Ex-priest, acquitted of abuse, granted custody of son". al. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  31. "Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve and a Network of Miricles [sic]". thefreelibrary.com.
  32. "Papal award validates mission of EWTN, says CEO". Catholic News Agency.
  33. "EWTN Forms New Publishing Group With Sophia Institute Press". National Catholic Register.
  34. "Charity Navigator — Rating for EWTN". CharityNavigator.org. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  35. "EWTN Series". ewtn.com.
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