Grace Thompson
The National Catholic Register is a Catholic newspaper in the United States that was founded in 1927. It has undergone several changes in ownership and editorial focus over the years. The Register's current ownership and political leanings have sparked debate among critics and readers, with some characterizing it as conservative or right-wing, while others view it as having a liberal or centrist bias. This paragraph introduces the topic by providing a brief overview of the National Catholic Register's history and the ongoing discussion surrounding its political orientation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Editorial focus | Conservative |
| Political alignment | Right-wing |
| Political spectrum rating | Right |
| Political bias | Conservative |
| News coverage | Anti-abortion, anti-fetal tissue measures |
| Reporting style | Utilizes strong loaded words, publishes misleading reports, omits information that may damage conservative causes |
| Factual reporting rating | Mixed |
| Pseudoscience reporting | Yes |
| Country freedom rating | Mostly free |
| Media type | Newspaper |
| Traffic/Popularity | High traffic |
| Credibility rating | Medium credibility |
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What You'll Learn
The National Catholic Register's conservative bias
The National Catholic Register is a Catholic newspaper in the United States that was founded on November 8, 1927, by Matthew J. Smith. The newspaper has undergone several changes in ownership, with its editorial focus shifting from progressive to conservative under Patrick Frawley's ownership in 1970.
The National Catholic Register has been consistently rated as having a right-leaning or conservative bias by multiple media bias rating organizations. Ad Fontes Media rates the publication as "Skews Right," while AllSides gives it a bias rating of 4.00, with -6 being the furthest "Left" value and 6 the furthest "Right" value. Media Bias/Fact Check also rates the publication as "Right Biased," noting that it promotes a conservative perspective through story selection and political affiliation. These ratings are supported by the newspaper's coverage of conservative issues such as abortion and politics, as well as its use of emotional and moderately loaded language in its articles.
The conservative bias of the National Catholic Register is also reflected in its ownership and association with conservative Catholic organizations. The newspaper is currently owned by the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), which is the world's largest Catholic news organization. EWTN has been described as a "gateway drug" for conservative Catholics, and its programming and content align with right-wing political agendas. The National Catholic Register's association with EWTN further reinforces its conservative leanings and influence on its readers.
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The newspaper's ownership
The National Catholic Register is a Catholic newspaper in the United States that was founded on November 8, 1927, by Monsignor Matthew J. Smith as the national edition of the Denver Catholic Register. The newspaper's first national edition was circulated on November 8, 1927, with four pages of national and international news. In 1931, Msgr. Smith founded the Register School of Journalism at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. The newspaper's chain, known as the Register System of Newspapers, included at least 34 diocesan editions, reaching its peak in the 1950s with a combined circulation of over 700,000 or 850,000 households, according to varying sources.
Following Msgr. Smith's death in 1960, the Register System of Newspapers entered a period of decline. By 1970, the chain had been dismantled, and each diocesan edition was transferred back to local diocesan management. On August 6, 1970, California businessman Patrick Frawley of Twin Circle Publishing Co. purchased the financially struggling newspaper, changing its editorial focus from progressive to conservative. In 1995, Frawley sold the newspaper to Circle Media, a ministry of the Legion of Christ.
During the church sex abuse scandals of the 2000s, the National Catholic Register downplayed allegations of sexual abuse by Legionary founder Marcial Maciel, defending him against the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. As a result, benefactors cut ties with the newspaper, and in 2010, its publisher, Father Owen Kearns, issued an apology for its coverage.
On February 1, 2011, the National Catholic Register was acquired by the Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. (EWTN), a global Catholic multimedia organization based in Irondale, Alabama. EWTN is the world's largest Catholic news organization and religious media network, providing multimedia services to over 140 countries and territories. It owns and operates various television channels, radio services, and websites, including the Catholic News Agency. The acquisition of the National Catholic Register marked the fourth change of ownership in the newspaper's history, with EWTN stepping in to preserve and expand its service to the Church.
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The Register's history
The National Catholic Register was founded on November 8, 1927, by Matthew J. Smith as the national edition of the Denver Catholic Register. Monsignor Matthew J. Smith was its first editor. The newspaper began publication with four pages of national and international news. In June 1929, the Diocese of Monterey–Fresno requested to bundle local news with the National Catholic Register, and other dioceses followed suit. This arrangement turned into a chain known as the Register System of Newspapers, with dioceses across the United States wrapping their own diocesan newspapers around the national edition.
In 1931, Msgr. Smith founded the Register School of Journalism at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. The chain's circulation peaked in the 1950s, with the national edition and at least 34 diocesan editions reaching 850,000 households. After Msgr. Smith's death in 1960, the chain entered a period of decline. By 1970, the chain had been dismantled, with each diocesan edition being transferred back to local diocesan management.
On August 6, 1970, Patrick Frawley's Twin Circle Publishing Co. purchased the financially struggling National Catholic Register, changing its editorial focus from progressive to conservative. At the point of sale, the paper had a circulation of 112,000. The National Catholic Register has been described as having a right-leaning conservative bias, promoting anti-abortion and anti-fetal tissue measures, and reporting on pseudoscience such as the abortion-breast cancer link.
In 1995, Frawley sold the paper to Circle Media, a ministry of the Legion of Christ. During the church sex abuse scandals of the 2000s, the paper downplayed allegations of sexual abuse by Legionary founder Marcial Maciel. After new revelations in 2009, benefactors cut ties with the paper, and in 2010, the paper's publisher, Father Owen Kearns, issued an apology for its coverage. The current owner of the National Catholic Register is the Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. of Irondale, Alabama, which also owns the Catholic News Agency.
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The Register's coverage of the Catholic Church abuse scandal
The National Catholic Register is a conservative Catholic newspaper in the United States. It was founded in 1927 as the national edition of the Denver Catholic Register. During the church sex abuse scandals of the 2000s, the paper downplayed allegations of sexual abuse by Legionary founder Marcial Maciel and defended him against the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
In 2020, the National Catholic Register published a series of blog posts about a "new sex abuse scandal" involving cover-ups, child rape, and evidence being "bagged up and thrown into dumpsters". The posts also criticised the media for their coverage of sex abuse scandals involving the Catholic Church, arguing that other organisations, such as "family planning" and abortion centres, were also implicated in such scandals.
In contrast, the National Catholic Reporter, a separate publication, has been credited with first exposing the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal 40 years ago, in June 1985. A series of three articles on its front page detailed abuse cases in several U.S. dioceses and included the results of an investigation by freelance journalist Jason Berry into Gilbert "Gil" Gauthe. The coverage ultimately expanded into an international sexual abuse crisis that shook the foundations of the worldwide Catholic Church and raised questions about the management of the institution.
The National Catholic Reporter has continued to cover the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, reporting on the financial impact on dioceses, the number of victims, and the steps taken to prevent future abuse.
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The Register's online presence
The National Catholic Register, founded in 1927, is a conservative Catholic newspaper based in the United States. Its website, NCRegister.com, is updated daily and covers a range of topics, including news and features from the United States, the Vatican, and worldwide. The online content includes various blogs, breaking news, culture, education, books, arts, and entertainment, as well as interviews.
The Register's website is part of a larger media organization, EWTN Global Catholic Network, which reaches over 350 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. The network includes television, radio, print, and digital media outlets, all dedicated to reporting news and information through the lens of the Gospel and the Catholic Church.
The National Catholic Register's online content has been criticized for utilizing emotional language and misleading reports, as well as omitting information that may damage conservative causes. They have also been criticized for going against scientific consensus and promoting pseudoscience in some of their articles. However, the Register's website provides a platform for a variety of perspectives within the Catholic Church, including more conservative and traditional viewpoints, which may appeal to their audience of Catholic readers and viewers worldwide.
Overall, the National Catholic Register's online presence through its website, NCRegister.com, serves as a daily updated source of news and information for Catholics worldwide, presenting a conservative perspective on various topics and issues.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Catholic Register is a Catholic newspaper in the United States. It was founded on November 8, 1927, by Matthew J. Smith as the national edition of the Denver Catholic Register.
The National Catholic Register is considered to hold a right-leaning, conservative bias. Its editorial focus was changed from progressive to conservative in 1970 when it was purchased by Patrick Frawley's Twin Circle Publishing Co.
The National Catholic Register covers national and international news, focusing on conservative issues such as abortion and politics. It also features content on culture, education, books, arts, and entertainment, as well as interviews.
The National Catholic Register is owned by the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), a Catholic media organization that reaches over 350 million households in more than 145 countries.
