IRONDALE, Ala.—EWTN Global Catholic Network has signed a letter of intent to acquire the National Catholic Register newspaper.
“All of us at EWTN have great respect for the Register and the role it has played throughout its history,” said Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN president and chief executive officer. “It’s a tremendous legacy that deserves to not only be preserved, but also to grow and to flourish.”
In a press release, Warsaw said EWTN will provide the stability that the Register needs and support its growth.
“We’re proud to be able to step in and carry on both the Register’s name and its tradition of faithful Catholic reporting on the issues of the day,” he said.
Under the terms of the transaction, no cash will be exchanged between the parties. EWTN will take over the ongoing operational expenses of the Register and will assume the paper’s future subscription liabilities.
The acquisition is the latest in EWTN’s efforts to expand its presence in the global Catholic digital and multimedia market. At the start of 2010, they entered into a partnership with the Catholic News Agency, a Denver-based independent Catholic media outlet with bureaus in North and South America and Europe. Under that agreement, EWTN and CNA are sharing resources and have created a joint service found at www.ewtnnews.com. That arrangement was expanded to include a new Spanish-language news service, EWTN Noticias, www.ewtnnoticias.com, launched in January 2011.
The National Catholic Register grew out of Denver’s Catholic Register, which began on Aug. 11, 1905. Under the leadership of Msgr. Matthew Smith, the Register System of Newspapers was developed, with the first national edition appearing on Nov. 8, 1927. It was acquired by the Legion of Christ in 1995.
EWTN Global Catholic Network provides multimedia services to more than 140 countries and territories. The Network transmits nine television channels in several languages. It also operates multiple radio services including hundreds of AM and FM stations, a Sirius satellite radio channel, and a global shortwave radio service.