65,000 people watched RTE’s daily mass broadcast on Tuesday

3rd April 2020

Over 65,000 people watched the broadcast of daily mass on the RTE News Now channel last Tuesday, March 31st, according to Roger Childs, head of religious programming at RTE using figures compiled by Nielsen’s ratings. There was also big audience for mass the previous Sunday with 130,000 tuning in. It is unknown how many people have been watching Mass or other church services streamed online by parishes all over the country.

RTE started broadcasting the daily liturgy after the cancellation of public masses due to the coronavirus.

The mass is followed by a short religious message from representatives of other churches and faith communities.

Roger Childs told Spirit Radio that the figures show the desire among people for faith-based programming at this time.

“Just at a time when many people are feeling most isolated, anxious and in need of some encouragement and community, they are least able to get those things because their own churches, and not just churches, but synagogues, temples, gudwaras, and mosques, are prevented from physical gathering”. He said they started the daily mass and multi-faith reflective slot to meet that need.

“65,000 people is an awful lot of people, so clearly it is fulfilling a need and I am delighted if people are finding something of value and succour and sustenance in that”, he added.