EWTN - or The Eternal Word Television Network - is a television and radio operation that broadcasts Catholic religious programming, via satellite.
EWTN began in 1981 and transmits 24 hour programming to 104 million homes in 110 countries and 16 territories on cable, satellite, and low power TV .
In the beginning
The founder of EWTN, Mother Angelica , founded Our Lady of Angels Monastery near Birmingham, Alabama and began developing short written religious teachings. As these short books became more popular, Mother Angelica's fellow nuns looked at technology to enable worldwide distribution.
Television
Mother Angelica began receiving requests for speaking engagements, which turned into a video series of her talks taped at a local Birmingham television station. Eventually, she built a TV studio on monastery property in Irondale, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. This developed into the worldwide brodcast center that EWTN is today.
Radio
In 1992, EWTN established the world's largest privately owned short wave radio station in the Birmingham area. The station broadcasts Catholic programming 24 hours a day in English and Spanish. In 1996, EWTN launched a free satellite-delivered AM/FM radio network to stations worldwide, also in English and Spanish.
In 2004, EWTN announced an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio, which allows Sirius to carry EWTN programming. (In a quirk of fate, one of Mother Angelica's persistent irritants, Howard Stern is slated to begin broadcasting on Sirius in 2006.)
News
The EWTN News department produces a daily news service for the television and radio network, featuring news sources including Vatican Radio.
Criticism
Critics of the network say it displays a highly intolerant attitude towards non-Catholics, especially Protestants and Atheists.
Programming
- Mother Angelica Live
- Daily Catholic Mass
- Life on the Rock with Fr. Francis Mary
- EWTN Live with Fr. Mitch Pacwa
- The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi
- The World Over with Raymond Arroyo - News
The network also airs coverage of Church events worldwide, documentaries, music specials, the Rosary, and other devotional segments.
External links
Last updated: 06-04-2005 09:09:44
