Eternal Word Television Network, the world's largest religious media
provider, announced on Jan. 19 that it would be acquiring the National
Catholic Register from its current owners, the Legionaries of Christ.
“I believe the Register has a bright future and fits quite well under
the EWTN umbrella,” EWTN's President and CEO Michael Warsaw told CNA,
announcing the planned acquisition from the network's headquarters in
Birmingham, Ala.
“Our goal is not only to continue the Register's
legacy, but also to build upon it and to give it a platform for growth
and expansion.”
“In the short term, readers will likely see very few big changes,” he
explained, while noting that “over time, we intend to continue the
Register's digital transition plans and to integrate it more fully with
EWTN's global presence on the internet.”
That presence has already expanded in recent years to include the
network's collaboration with Catholic News Agency, and the recent
creation of the Spanish-language service “EWTN Noticias.”
The Register's previous owners, the religious order the Legionaries
of Christ, ran into financial difficulties at the paper during 2009 and
2010, alongside other troubles caused by the revelation that their
founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel, lived a double life.
In the midst of these problems, EWTN sought to keep the long-running publication from disappearing.
“It was quite apparent to me that the loss of the National Catholic
Register would be a sad development for the Church,” Warsaw said. “As an
apostolate that is focused on using the media to evangelize, we
immediately saw how the Register could fit into what we do, and become
another extension of our mission.”
The network has signed a letter of intent to acquire the publication
from the Legionaries of Christ.
No cash will be exchanged under the
terms of the agreement, which states that EWTN will take over the
Register's operating expenses and subscription liabilities on Feb. 1.
EWTN will become the fourth owner of the Register, which was first
published out of Denver, Colorado in 1905.
The paper began publishing at
the national level in 1927, reaching its peak circulation as a print
journal during the 1950s.
Patrick Frawley, a California-based investor,
bought the paper in 1970 and moved operations to Los Angeles.
In 1995 the Legionaries took over the Register, moving it first to
Connecticut, and more recently to New York.
Although the Legionaries
have remained optimistic about continued support for the publication
from subscribers and donors, they reportedly lacked the resources to
oversee necessary changes to the Register's business model.
Michael Warsaw said he was “very pleased and excited that the
Register will now be part of the EWTN family.”
He recalled his
long-running discussions with EWTN's founder Mother Angelica, dating
back to the early 1990s, as to how the network best could incorporate
the Gospel message with world-class news coverage.
“It was Mother Angelica herself, who, many years ago, insisted that
the words 'news service' should be placed on our letterhead alongside
the words 'television,' 'radio,' and 'Internet,' to describe the core
services EWTN provides.”
“I think the acquisition of the National Catholic Register is another
step forward in executing that vision of Mother Angelica,” he said.
SIC: CNA/USA-INT'L