By Megan Erbacher, The Message editor
For the past 10 years, Steve Leugers said WTJW 93.1 FM in Jasper has worked to provide “good, quality, sound truth about the Catholic Church and point (listeners) to, ultimately, the only true source of hope, which is Jesus Christ.”
This year, WTJW is celebrating 10 years since joining the airwaves.
Steve Leugers serves as president of Tri State Catholic Radio, the nonprofit that owns and operates WTJW.
“We’re trying to be a lighthouse in a world that often has more evil and more bad news than most of us really want to palate or handle in a day’s time,” he said. “Ultimately, our only hope is in Jesus Christ.”
A 10th Anniversary Celebration for WTJW 93.1 FM Catholic Radio in Jasper is Oct. 2. Dr. Ray Guarendi, host of “Living Right with Dr. Ray” on EWTN TV, as well as “The Doctor is In” on radio, will be the keynote speaker for the celebration. The event, “Laughter — The Sanity of the Family,” is at St. Joseph Parish Activity Center, 1029 Kundek St., Jasper, IN 47546. Doors open at 5 p.m. EDT, with dinner catered by Tim Flick at 6 p.m. EDT.
WTJW broadcasts Dr. Ray’s radio show — “The Doctor is In” — weekdays at 1 p.m. EDT.
The mission of WTJW is to “spread the Gospel (Good News) to all the listeners in the Dubois County and surrounding area. We are an affiliate of the EWTN Global Catholic Network and our goal is to broadcast the beauty of the teachings of the Catholic Faith and to inform, inspire and challenge listeners so that all who hear it may be brought into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.”
In October 2015, WTJW took to the air on 93.1 FM. The station broadcasts 24/7, and the coverage area is Dubois County and into Dale and Santa Claus, Steve Leugers explained. WTJW is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as a Low Power FM station.
Ralph Turpen serves as vice president/engineer of the station. While Linda Leugers and Julie Stone serve as administrative coordinators.
WTJW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and it’s completely listener supported. The station offers talk radio, so music isn’t broadcast from the station.
In addition to EWTN Radio programming, the station offers live broadcasts of special local events throughout the year. WTJW also broadcasts public service announcements for local Catholic events and ministries.
Steve Leugers described the station as having “cafeteria-style programming,” meaning it offers a mix of different types of programming. He explained programs like the SonRise Morning show, which airs weekdays from 6-8 a.m. EDT, provides news from a Catholic perspective.
“In other words, they will report the news, but they’ll also include what the Catholic take is,” he said. “What is the Catholic reporter sharing about this story that may or may not be covered exactly the same way, and often is not, in our liberal media network?”
Linda Leugers said she believes Catholic radio is important because many people listen to learn how to cope with things going on in their lives.
“People have come to us, and myself also, listening to Catholic radio (to learn) how to deal with everyday problems. … Catholic radio teaches us how to deal with it in a respectful, spiritual way,” she said.
Steve Leugers said a goal for the next 10 years is to raise more awareness of the excellent quality of programming EWTN offers.
“Much like a good restaurant, if you never try it, you never know really how good the programming is,” he said. “All we’re trying to do is bring awareness. God willing, we’re not going anywhere. We all lead such busy lives, maybe catch the radio on your way to work, on your way home from work or on a Saturday morning. If it’s a blessing to you, if it helps you better understand your Catholic faith or grow closer to Jesus Christ, then we think we’re doing our purpose, our mission.”
Add WTJW 93.1 FM to your smartphone
Here’s how:
- On iOS devices, such as iPhones, in the Safari Browser, visit WTJW’s website, tap the share button, scroll and select: Add to Home Screen. Then click add.
- On Android devices in the Chrome browser, visit WTJW’s website, tap the Menu, and select Add to Home Screen. Then click add.
For tickets to the 10th anniversary celebration or for more information on WTJW, call 812-556-0552 or visit https://wtjwradio.com/.