EWTN Radio Network Celebrates 20 Years on Air (thanks to a Dutch Businessman)

NC Register ^ | 03/24/2012 | Joseph Pronechen

[NJ_Dutchman]

EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network marked a huge milestone on March 7 to celebrate its 20th year on the air: It added its 180th affiliate when Bishop Cirilo Flores of San Diego flipped the switch to launch KCEO 1000 AM.

On hand for the festivities were San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, his wife, Tiffany, and attorney Charles LiMandri, the co-chairpersons who helped raise the funds for this new station.

The occasion included another milestone, too. This affiliate also is Immaculate Heart Radio’s 26th station that broadcasts EWTN radio programming throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. Immaculate is EWTN’s largest affiliate group.

“This is a great event to expand in San Diego,” said Immaculate’s president, Douglas Sherman. “The station reaches almost 4 million people, and a million of these are Catholic. That we can reach that many people full time has huge significance in our service to the Church.”

Right after San Diego’s launch, seven more stations, from Delaware to Texas, have either started airing or will air within 45 days, bring the total of EWTN affiliates to 187.

Sherman said the radio group’s partnership with EWTN goes back 17 years, when he and son Branigan visited Mother Angelica to obtain her permission to put EWTN (shortwave) programming on an AM/FM station they wanted to start in the Lake Tahoe/Reno, Nev., area.

“We were the first in the country to sign a contract with EWTN to provide 24-hour programming,” Sherman noted. “Ave Maria beat us to get on the air in fall 1996, and we started Jan. 2, 1997.”

[NJ_Dutchman]

ON THE AIR. Mother Angelica and the late Piet Derksen, a Dutch businessman, devout Catholic and philanthropist who helped Mother Angelica launch EWTN’s worldwide shortwave operation, WEWN, in 1992. EWTN Radio is celebrating its 20th anniversary. He donated about $24 Million to EWTN for this project and about $7 million for one in Rome.

[iowamark]

EWTN television and radio is always available on the internet at:

http://www.ewtn.com/

[the invisib1e hand]

pretty incredible.

[Steelfish]

EWTN is for those interested in the pursuit of serious religious inquiry, discussion, intellectual thought, ritual; theology, veneration, and worship of all that is Catholic and yet it is for Catholics, and non-Catholics alike who share this inquiry.

[mtg]

I love EWTN.

[johngrace]

Amen!! I use to Listen on shortwave On long Island, N.Y. We never could get it on regular radio. Before I retired from Driving I would get EWTN RADIO on Sirius too. Still on Sirius.

Now it's on the internet. In three years on Srius listening to Catholic Answers I learned so much about the Catholic theology.

Praise Jesus!

[Salvation]

**(thanks to a Dutch Businessman)**

AND Mother Angelica!

[Gumdrop]

Sirius Radio and EWTN radio News - what is the station number for Sirius radio? I have it in my new Toyota Camry, and would like to tune in to it.

Thanks for your help!

[johngrace]

Hi Gum- I. Just looked it up. You have Channel 130 is EWTN . Also next to it you have 129 The Catholic Channel. They also. Have other Christian channels next to them . God Bless!! Praise Jesus

[NJ_Dutchman]

YES, that goes without saying!