‘By the grace of God,’ Mason able to run KPLE-TV Posted On: Saturday, Nov. 14 2009 06:07 AM By Matt Goodman
Killeen Daily Herald

It was a one-in-a-hundred chance.

Catherine Mason, the 82-year-old founder of the Christian cable network KPLE-TV in Killeen, had one window of opportunity to win a construction permit that would put her future Christian cable station on the fast track to existing.

To win it, she would have to put her chances in a lottery run by the Federal Communications Commission. There's only so much airspace, she said, so the FCC only approves a small amount of permits. They give all applicants a random chance, by assigning them numbers, sticking said numbers on ping-pong balls and picking one out of a lottery.

But, "by the grace of God," Mason's number popped up and was granted the permit; KPLE-TV would be on the air by June of 1993.

"That's the Holy Spirit," she said.

Over the last eight years, Mason has kept notes on her thoughts, motivations and determination to get the little television station off the ground. Those have now been compiled into a non-fiction novel that she titled "His Little Miracle Station."

For Mason, it's 93 pages that chronicle the challenges in gathering money, permits, property and even a radio tower; all things that are essential in beginning a television station.

In personal interviews and in her book, there's a reccurring theme: "wait on the Lord."

"I was so committed," she said. "I always wanted a ministry ever since I was a little girl and the Lord gave me a second chance."

Before the station's existence, Mason was the chair of the Early Childhood Development department at Central Texas College. She retired from this to start the station, saying that the "Lord kept directing me to do this."

And that direction has led her a long way. KPLE-TV has been an affiliate with the California-based Trinity Broadcasting Network for 16 years. Of the about 700 affiliate stations, KPLE is the oldest.

"She has been one of our strongest and best affiliate stations in the entire United States," said John Casoria, TBN spokesman. "Her story is very inspiring to everyone here at TBN."

Casoria said TBN is the eighth largest television broadcaster in the world and reaches 97 percent of Americans through cable networks.

"Everyone knows Ms. Mason from Killeen, Texas, to Bangalore, India," Casoria said.

On Oct. 19, Mason was treated to a trip to TBN headquarters in Santa Ana, Calif. to be interviewed with the station founder's son, Paul Crouch Jr. She was interviewed on "Behind the Scenes," which runs live every day at 5 p.m., about her book.

"I've seen so many people retire at 60 or 65 who think their lives are over and they have nothing left to do," Crouch said. "Her book dispels that; you keep going as long as God gives you breath."

Mason said she wrote the book to provide inspiration to those who may be wrestling with a project. Even before the reader opens the book, he or she can spot Mason on the front cover, skydiving out of a plane.

"People ask me, 'you're 82; how do you do this," she said. "Well, it's the joy of the Lord."

Contact Matt Goodman at mgoodman@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7550.