GEORGIE WOOD
THE most exciting thing have encountered in
America is the fact that Catholic doctrine is disseminated from more than 2.000 radio and television stations.
How is this made possible ? Ever heard of the Catholic Broadcasters' Association ?
It's purpose is: "lo promote truth through radio and television. To provide services to members by facilitating co-operation among Catholic Broadcasters. To aid in the promotion and increase of Catholic broadcasts. To cooperate whenever possible with all other Catholic communicator media—St. Gabriel, Patron of Telecommunications 'pray for us".
The C.B.A. Co-Ordinator is William Murphy who is in charge or the TV Station of the Catholic University of Detroit. He left a job with the National Broadcasting Company to make this Catholic vocation his life's work.
In this capacity he trains young Catholics to learn the job of TV in all its branches. They actually produce and transmit TV programmes on a non-commercial wave-length.
His producer-director Tom Sutton gave up a job with the Hamilton Ontario station of the Canadian Broadcasting Company to be part of this Catholic Service with "Bill".
Popularity
AS the popularity' of Detroit's Channel 56 grows so does the popularity of the programmes put out by the University of Detroit.
They share this TV outlet with other educational organisations in Detroit. Fr. Steiner. S.J the principal of this University of more than 10,000 Catholicstudents. has been most encouraging in the progress and expansion of this wonderful Catholic TV Studio., As Co-ordinator of the Catholic Broadcasters' Association Bill Murphy provides hundreds of scripts and gives advice to priests and station controllers.
What is the picture of Catholic TV in the US.A.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is on the air every Sunday momMg from 9.15 to 10 over WNACTV Boston. More than 300,000
televiewers share in the benefits of this Mass in six New England States. True, it does not subs( an obligation for the able-bodied but what a, consolation for the shut-in
Converts
BISHOP Fulton Sheen shares with Fr. Payton's Family Rosary Hour the distinction of beating " popular " programmes in consistency of high viewing " ratings ". The immense value
of Bishop Sheen and Payton on TV is demonstrable sin the number of converts through the medium of their programmes.
Then there is the Catholic " Family Theatre " radio plays over the Mutual Network. Only recently comedian Jimmy Durante acted as "host" to the play "First Law of the Jungle ".
Mr. William Murphy is married with four sons aged tO, 12. 15 and 21, and a charming daughter of 25 years.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. December R. is Dedication Day for the University of Detroit.
Fifteen thousand square feet of floor space provide four television studios, a radio studio, workshops, traffic room and offices.
Completely air conditioned, equipped with all the facilities of a modern commercial TV studio, this is a centre for liberal arts students training in radio and WIC.' kt,iion.
More than 100 are at present working as announcers, actors, writers. engineers, floor managers, directors and producers.
Impressed
OU RTEEN live programmes are sent out weekly over W.T.V.S. I was much impressed by this station, by the Catholic Broadcasters' ASsOCialion, but especially by William Murphy. Let me finish on one of his stories: "A Canadian Priest tells of hearing the confession of a rugged
man who said it was Iwo years since he last confessed. He explained that it took him two weeks travelling on foot. by canoe. train and bus and he could not afford to leave his trap lines that long.
"The priest pointed out that the trapper could fly there and back in 36 hours. only to get the reply: ' I've thought of that, Father, but for venial sins it's too expensive— and for mortal sins it's too risky '."