Vatican’s communications secretariat prioritizes new media

Last updated on: June 30, 2015 at 6:08 am by CNA Daily News

Vatican’s communications secretariat prioritizes new media 2015-06-30T06:08:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Jun 30, 2015 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Internet content and and video production will assume a greater role in Vatican communications in the years to come, suggests the establishment and – particularly – the leadership of the newly established Secretariat for Communications.

At the same time, traditional media, such as the Vatican's newspaper and radio, are likely to diminish in prominence.

On June 27, Pope Francis established the new secretariat via a motu proprio. From June 29, it will oversee the all of the Vatican’s communications offices, including Vatican Radio, L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican Television Center, the Holy See Press Office, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Vatican Internet Service, the Vatican Typography, the Photograph Service, and the Vatican publishing house.

Each of these offices “must continue their own activities, in accordance, however, with the indications given by the Secretariat for Communications.”

The current head of Vatican Television, Msgr. Dario Edoardo Viganò, has been named prefect of the new dicastery, while Fr. Lucio Adrian Ruiz of the Vatican Internet Service, has been appointed its secretary.

The Roman Pontiff also named Paolo Nusiner, director of the Italian newspaper Avvenire – a project of the Italian bishops, rather than the Vatican – as director general. Giacomo Ghisani, head of Vatican Radio’s International Relations Office and Legal Affairs and a member of the board of Vatican Television, is vice-director general.

The absences in the board are perhaps as noteworthy as the inclusions.

The leadershiop of the Secretariat for Communications has no place for Msgr. Paul Tighe, an official of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, though he was a member of the committees and commissions established to evaluate and reform Vatican communications.

The Vatican's publishing house is also poorly represented, and it had not been included in the previous committees beginning the communications reform.

On the other hand, Gian Maria Vian, editor of L’Osservatore Romano. was part of the committee chaired by Lord Patton, but was not included in the subsequent commission. The Vatican's newspaper is expected to become more digital, and its content to be put under central coordination, which should affect Vatican Radio as well.

Vatican Radio is represented by Ghisani, who was also a member of the committee. Ghisani, however, is not a journalist – no members of the board have formation in journalism – and mostly deals with legal issues.

Vatican Television is likely to assume the bulk of the Vatican's communications strategy. A source who works in Vatican communications told CNA June 27 that “Pope Francis is really aware of the power of images, and is constantly in touch with Msgr. Viganò in order to understand how images are delivered. This gives Vatican Television a prominent role among the Vatican media branches.”

It might be foreseen that the narration of the pontificate will be provided by images and a central management of contents, to be delivered via the Vatican internet platform, which would combine all the Vatican's news content, centralized under a single editorial control.

Additional expenses will be cut step by step, though at the moment there are no plans to remove staff.

Vatican

Previous Post

June 29, 2015

Practice what you preach, Pope encourages new archbishops

Next Post

June 30, 2015 What does it look like to be gay – and a practicing Catholic?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am a donkey that spoke to rebuke my master, a prophet. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A prophet's beast Balaam's donkey A miracle donkey A talking animal