NEWS RELEASE
January 25, 2024
Contact: Dennis Biviano, Public Relations and Communications Specialist
(330) 744-8451, ext. 320; dbiviano@youngstowndiocese.org
Diocese of Youngstown welcomes CatholicTV
CatholicTV will include diocesan programming and will reach all six counties of the diocese
The Diocese of Youngstown and the national network CatholicTV are pleased to announce an expanded programming partnership, allowing the diocese’s cable television ministry, which dates back to the early 1980’s, to again reach all six counties of the diocese. CatholicTV has long been a contributor to the diocese’s Ecumenical Television Channel (ETC). In agreement with both Armstrong Cable and Charter/Spectrum providers, the Diocese of Youngstown now warmly welcomes CatholicTV onto Spectrum and Armstrong lineups throughout the diocese in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, and Trumbull counties. As part of this renewed partnership, the Diocese of Youngstown will contribute to CatholicTV’s national programming.
Effective immediately, CatholicTV now appears throughout the diocese’s six-county area on Spectrum lineups at Channel 380. CatholicTV is also available on Armstrong Cable at Channel 45, where viewers have been accustomed to finding the Diocese of Youngstown’s Ecumenical Television Channel (ETC), and on Massillon Cable at Channel 117. Daily Mass times are Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. EST and weekends Saturday 7:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00 a.m. and La Santa Misa en Español on Sunday 8:00 a.m.
Father John-Michael Lavelle, Vicar for Missionary Discipleship for the Youngstown Diocese, said, “There has been extensive coordination with both Charter/Spectrum and Armstrong Cable during the past two years, and we are grateful for our longstanding partnerships and the hard work of Armstrong, Charter, and CatholicTV colleagues. This collaboration will allow us to move forward with both our innovative Catholic Echo multimedia efforts and our traditional television and radio ministries.”
In September 2021, the Diocese of Youngstown announced that ETC would be discontinued. At the time, ETC had a shrinking footprint—covering only two of the diocese’s six counties—and the diocese was in the process of developing a new integrated media strategy to more effectively communicate across the entire diocese. This strategy launched in early 2023, with The Catholic Echo print magazine and online multimedia hub, inclusive of features, news, video and podcasts.
After the announcement that ETC would be discontinued, discussions began between Bishop David Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown, Father James Korda (who retired on July 1, 2022, as President of the Catholic Telecommunications Network of Youngstown, CTNY), and Bishop Robert Reed, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston and President and CEO of CatholicTV, along with leadership from the Diocese of Youngstown and CatholicTV. Building on their past partnerships, both organizations sought to find ways to continue serving viewers who rely on Catholic cable television.
Bishop Bonnar notes, “I am delighted that, because of this agreement with CatholicTV, good, quality Catholic television will not only continue to be available in our diocese, but will in fact expand to reach all our counties. I thank Bishop Reed and his team at CatholicTV, as well as our diocesan team, for their hard work. I know that viewers will be strengthened by the great programs offered by CatholicTV, which is a great witness to the Joy of the Gospel.”
CatholicTV Network is recognized nationally as a leader in broadcast television for the purpose of evangelization and outreach. CatholicTV can be seen in more than 13 million households, including those in Massachusetts and most of New England, Michigan, Hawaii, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, the Virgin Islands and Vermont. It is also available via Roku and Google TV.
CTNY was created in 1980—with ETC launching in 1983—and has involved various ecumenical and interfaith partners through its history, as well as the Society of St. Paul in Canfield. CTNY has won over fifty awards for programs related to diocesan events and critical faith and social issues, most recently the Gabriel Award in Lifetime Achievement for Father James Korda. On July 1, 2022, CTNY was consolidated into the diocesan Department of Communications, which continues to produce televised programming, livestreams and videos, as well as the radio program Wineskins and The Catholic Echo Podcast, both hosted by Father Korda.
