Give Us This Day Our Daily App Reminder

Catholic TV uses iPhone and video widget to shepherd new users

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/8/2010 12:00:00 AM

Boston-based Catholic TV, which airs on cable systems in nine states and has video-on-demand in most markets through Verizon FiOS, also sees a distinct advantage in reaching viewers/users through the multi-media clarion call. The network recently launched its own iPhone app that provides viewers with the day's mass, a daily Rosary and reflection, and news about the channel and Catholic TV's Website.

Also, this past November the channel launched a video widget, CatholicTVjr, which consumers can add to their own sites. The widget allows viewers to select which programs they want to feature (selections include Pope Benedict XVI Holy Land Visit, The Rosary and Women in God's Spirit) and then e-mail CatholicTV's Web engineering team, which e-mails back an embed code for users to display the video player.

Says Father Robert Reed, Catholic TV's executive director, about the network's site: "These valuable additions have allowed us to promote Catholic TV through additional areas, firmly expanding brand awareness and increasing traffic back to our Website."