Miami, Fla., Jan 6, 2011 / 11:28 am
Radio Paz, a ministry of the Archdiocese of Miami, has become the newest radio affiliate of the EWTN Global Catholic Network.
The station will expand the amount of programming from EWTN’s Spanish-language network, Radio Católica Mundial, from three hours per day to up to 12 hours per day. Radio Paz has had a 13-year relationship with the global media network.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami commented on the change, saying:
“As Radio Paz and EWTN move forward as a team, I know you will enjoy and appreciate the new productions.”
EWTN president and CEO Michael P. Warsaw said that many people are aware of the network’s English-language radio feed, broadcast by 148 affiliates. But EWTN also has two Spanish radio networks as well as a Spanish television network.
“We are especially pleased to include the Miami Archdiocese as part of our family,” Warsaw said.
Almost 85 percent of U.S. Catholic radio stations use programming from EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network or Radio Católica Mundial. This programming is supplied to affiliates free of charge.
Warsaw credited the growth of Catholic radio in the U.S. to EWTN foundress Mother Angelica.
“Mother launched the world’s largest privately-owned shortwave radio facility on Dec. 28, 1992,” he noted. “Approximately three years later, on Feb. 27, 1996, EWTN launched a worldwide AM/FM radio service. Mother’s vision was to build Catholic radio in this country, and around the world, by offering quality Catholic programming and advice free of charge.”
EWTN began its Hispanic outreach on Feb. 1, 1989 with a three-hour block of programming. The network’s round-the-clock Spanish-language television and radio has been available in Latin America and Spain since 1996 and in the U.S. since 1999.
There were fewer than 10 Catholic-formatted radio stations in the U.S. in 1996, according to Warsaw. Now 148 out of 175 Catholic AM/FM radio stations in the country are EWTN affiliates. EWTN Catholic radio can also be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 160 and on the internet.