Vatican Television Center Reaches America

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 15, 2001 (ZENIT.org-FIDES).-
The Vatican Television Center (CTV) has arrived in America.

With its "CTV to America" project, it begins the post-Jubilee era with an important technological innovation, which extends linkups between Vatican City and the world.

A new CTV linkup earth station is ready and able to telecast through inter-Atlantic Ku-band satellites, which can be easily received in the Americas.

As of Jan. 17, almost every television network in North and South America will be able to receive, free of charge, and broadcast the Pope´s teaching at the weekly Wednesday general audiences and the Sunday Angelus prayer at noon.

The new linkup system was used for the first time Jan. 7, the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, to broadcast the celebration of Mass and administration of baptism to 18 infants from various countries, presided over by John Paul II in the Sistine Chapel.

"The project is important," said CTV director general Monsignor Ugo Moretto. "CTV is always seeking new ways to fulfill its duty to evangelize and promote the presence of the Apostolic See in the television and audiovisual field throughout the world."

CTV is also studying the possibility of receiving programs on the life of local churches and missionary churches.