Catholic Diocese of Youngstown to expand TV programming

The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown and the national Catholic TV channel recently completed a deal that will allow Catholic programming to be viewed over cable television across the six northeast Ohio counties of the Catholic diocese.

According to the diocese media spokesperson, the partnership will allow the Catholic TV Network, produced by the Archdiocese of Boston, to be provided over two major regional cable companies – Spectrum and Armstrong cable outlets.

On Spectrum, Catholic TV programming will be found on Channel 380, while Armstrong Cable is broadcasting the contact along with the Diocese of Youngstown’s Ecumenical Television Channel over Armstrong channel 45.

According to Meagan Farrell, the Youngstown diocese communications manager, the programming will include the televised daily and Sunday Masses, Rosary and other faith-based programs. Jay Fadden, chief operating officer of Catholic TV, noted the long relationship between Catholic TV and the Youngstown diocese. He said all involved will benefit.

The agreement followed months of negotiations between the parties, including representatives of Spectrum and Armstrong cable companies. The diocese ETC netwrok ceased ofperation in September 2022. Father James Korda, retired president of the Catholic Television Network of Youngstown, stated Catholict TV had worked with him in the past providing porgramming for his operation.

Recently, the Youngstown diocese had been reaching “its flock” through a weekly televised Mass over WFMJ-TV of Youngstown and through social media and through its website at www.doy.org. The diocese’s new communications effort includes livestreaming and other programs through its Catholic Echo website (www.catholicecho.org).

Catholic Echo is the new publication that replaced the old Catholic Exponent newspaper in February 2023. The Youngstown diocese is made up of six counties, Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Ashtabula, Stark, and Portage.