As  Pope Francis marks the anniversary of his election on Thursday, his popularity is generating a boom for a media niche that rarely gathers much notice.

"We are just working night and day to satisfy demand," said Msgr. Dario Viganò, head of the Vatican's broadcaster, Vatican Television Center, or CTV, which shadows the pope and supplies papal newscasts and images for both Catholic and lay broadcasters.

Revenue at CTV leapt 40% in 2013, as broadcasters as far afield as Tanzania now want the recordings of the pope's weekly audiences. The windfall has allowed CTV to splash out on more modern cameras and a new €1.8 million ($2.45 million) control room.