The network was founded in 1980 by Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA (born Rita Antoinette Rizzo), and began broadcasting on 15 August 1981 from a garage at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama. Initially, it broadcast for only four hours a day, but by 1987 EWTN had begun broadcasting around the clock. The shortwave radio station WEWN was established in 1992, and in 1996 the network began broadcasting on conventional AM/FM radio. EWTN is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio, with Spanish-language programming offered across its platforms. EWTN HD became available on 8 December 2009. EWTN is a member of the World Catholic Association for Communication.
The Development of EWTN
During the 1970s, Mother Angelica taught and produced educational audio and video recordings. She was a frequent guest on the local station WBMG (later WIAT), as well as on programmes of the Christian Broadcasting Network and Trinity Broadcasting Network. After several interviews in Chicago, she decided to create her own network: “I walked in and saw that it was just a little studio. I remember standing in the doorway and thinking that it would not take much for the Good News to reach human hearts. I simply stood there and said to the Lord: ‘Lord, I have to build this studio.’”
Mother Angelica obtained a satellite broadcasting licence, and EWTN began broadcasting on 15 August 1981 with four hours of daily programming. The schedule included her own programme, “Mother Angelica Live,” twice a week, Sunday Mass and reruns of older Catholic programmes such as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s “Life Is Worth Living.” The remaining airtime was filled with programmes produced by dioceses throughout the country and programmes from Protestant sources which, according to Mother Angelica, were consistent with Catholic principles, as well as children’s programmes such as “Joy Junction” and “The Sunshine Factory.” Around one third of the airtime was devoted to secular programmes, including “The Bill Cosby Show,” film reviews, cooking shows and western-themed programmes. Secular content was gradually reduced between 1986 and 1988.
EWTN then began broadcasting twenty-four hours a day. It introduced the daily Rosary and added a range of educational programmes. Production of new programmes steadily increased. Holy Mass, previously broadcast once a week, began to be broadcast daily in 1991 from the chapel on the monastery grounds. From that point, all programmes from non-Catholic sources were removed, and the network gradually developed a more conservative profile.
Radio
In 1992 EWTN established WEWN, the largest privately owned shortwave radio station, in the Birmingham area. In 2004 EWTN announced an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio.
MORE INFORMATION
Telephone: 044 573 79 93
www.ewtn.org.ua