TheCatholicTV Network, commonly known asCatholicTV, is aCatholic television network based inWatertown, Massachusetts. CatholicTV first launched locally in Boston in 1955, making it the oldest Catholic television network in the United States.[1] Today, it is distributed on cable television systems,internet television, andbroadcast stations in sixteen U.S. states and theU.S. Virgin Islands and now worldwide.
CatholicTV broadcasts programming relevant to Catholic viewers, including livereligious services, talk shows, devotional programs, educational series, entertainment, and children's programs. The network regularly presents coverage of liturgies and special events at theVatican and duringpapal journeys.
As of 2016, the president of the CatholicTV Network is BishopRobert P. Reed.
The first program of the Catholic Television Center of theArchdiocese of Boston was produced on the morning of January 1, 1955, when ArchbishopRichard J. Cushing celebrated a PontificalLow Mass in studios at 25 Granby Street nearKenmore Square in Boston. From that studio, equipped with three RCA TK31 cameras, the Center produced live and tape-recorded programs, and it purchased time from local commercial television stations to air the Sunday Mass each week. Live programs were transmitted to the broadcasting stations through a leased-line telephone connection. In 1961 the Catholic Television Center's studios became the temporary home of educational broadcasterWGBH-TV when that station's studios were destroyed in a fire.[2][3]
In 1957 the Catholic Television Center acquired a license to operate its own broadcasting station in Boston on channel 38 in the newUHF range of television channels. The Center's station, WIHS-TV, went into service on October 12, 1964, with transmitting facilities on thePrudential Tower in Boston. It was the first full-time Catholic television station in the world employing a general entertainment format along with the daily and Sunday Mass. On July 27, 1966,Storer Broadcasting acquired WIHS for $2,276,513.16 and renamed it asWSBK-TV.[4]
With funds from the station sale, the Catholic Television Center built anInstructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) system for distributing programs to Catholic schools, and it continued to produce live broadcasts of the Sunday Mass under the nameBoston Catholic Television (BCTV). In 1970 BCTV moved into leased studios at 55 Chapel Street inNewton, Massachusetts.[5]
In April 1983 BCTV began offering programs to home viewers several hours a day through its own channel carried by cable television providers, at first in Massachusetts, then elsewhere in New England, and also as far away asMontreal, Quebec. In addition to the Sunday Mass broadcast on conventional (over-the-air) television, weekday Masses were also presented Monday to Friday, originating from a chapel in the Archbishop's residence inBrighton.
In 2006 the channel adopted the brand nameCatholicTV and the sloganAmerica's Catholic Television Network. By 2007 it had entered into a programming exchange agreement with the Canadian channelSalt + Light Television.[6] The channel converted its video format toHDTV on October 13, 2010.[7]
CatholicTV programming is seen on cable systems in Massachusetts, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is broadcast in Fresno, California onKNXT, channel 50 and in Hawaii onKUPU, channel 15. CatholicTV is available to satellite television viewers via the digitalC band satelliteAMC-11. Internet users can view the channel through the web site catholictv.com, or with applications foriOS orAndroid mobile devices. Internet video is also available through the streaming media devicesRoku,Google TV, andApple TV. Select programs are available for download atiTunes. Video-on-demand service is available on Roku and Apple TV (nationally) andVerizon FiOS in most markets.
CatholicTV often broadcasts live coverage of the ordinations and installations of newly appointeddiocesan bishops, and presents programming from theVatican Television Center, including coverage of the journeys ofPope Francis.
The network also presents short television features on general Christian themes andpublic service announcements from theAd Council and other providers related toCatholic social teaching and issues such as family life, health, education, community, and the well-being of children.
