TV MARIA, the Filipino Catholic TV channel celebrates its 15 years of broadcasting this 2021, as the Philippines also celebrates the 500 years of Christianity in the nation. TV Maria was created to fulfill the vision of being the Filipino Catholic TV Channel. And it has served this purpose not just within the Philippine archipelago but has also reached many Filipinos across the globe.

On January 1, 2006, TV Maria started its first broadcast over Dream Satellite and became accessible to more than 300 local and provincial cable operators.

TV Maria Foundation Philippines, Inc., or simply TV Maria, is a non-profit, non-stock organization, owned and managed by the Archdiocese of Manila through the guidance of then Archbishop of Manila, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, DD. who recognized the importance of developing the means to reach out to the Filipino faithful through TV and the internet. The station started out by gathering productions from different Catholic media organizations including Catholic schools. It became the platform for broadcast of Catholic productions that promoted faith, values and morals.

On December 8, 2007, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, DD, blessed and officially opened the production studio of TV Maria. Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio took charge of the planning and construction of the facility within the Caritas Manila compound in Pandacan, Manila. In commemoration of one of its founder, the studio was named after Fr. James Reuter. This also marked the official launching of TV Maria on-air, which by that time was also being carried by Destiny Cable.

Recognizing the difficulty of sustaining a 24/7 programming, the need for new programs was never ending. True to its mission to lead people to the fullness of life, TV Maria started in-house production of materials which were faith-based: Salita ng Diyos, Salita ng Buhay, Catholic Special events and Catholic Documentaries.

Other programs in the channel include live Papal masses and a full coverage of the 2015 Papal visit. His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, meanwhile, started live studio broadcasts and the daily 12:15 on live Misa Nazareno from Quiapo Church. In the same year, the annual Traslacion of the Black Nazarene and Holy Week services at the Manila Cathedral and other significant church events have been aired on TV Maria both on the channel and its website.

In 2009, the channel started airing on Sky Cable and Cignal TV and in 2018, started airing via Sky Direct and SatLite TV.

During the pandemic lockdowns, TV Maria continue airing daily masses and programs that would inspire and enrich their spiritual life amidst the fear and uncertainties. Responding to this need, TV Maria continued producing contents and broadcasting programs to feed the Filipino spiritual life. Moreover, additional daily masses were aired from The Manila Cathedral, Quiapo Church and from the Society of St. Paul. A weekly interactive recollection, entitled Faith Factor, and Church social service program called Charity in Action, in-partnership with Caritas Manila, were produced. The programs were particularly produced to give hope and inspiration to people amidst the pandemic.

On March 2020, TV Maria was launched on digital terrestrial television in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces through a partnership deal with Rajah Broadcasting Network (RJTV), paving the way to air on Digital boxes like ABS-CBN TV Plus and GMA Affordabox and other provincial cable providers like A&L Cable, Accutronics System, Angeles City Cable TV Network (ACCTN), Leal Cable Television Network, Cable Star, Homechoice CATV, Air Cable, Cotabato Cable and Calapan Cable to name a few.

TV Maria also gained significant viewership over the internet as it continues to expand its reach to Filipinos locally and worldwide through social media like Facebook and YouTube. It became a go-to page for Church events gaining more than 300,000 plus followers and more than 70,000 subscribers.

To know more about TV Maria, visit www.tvmaria.pht

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR