{"id":10788,"date":"2015-05-30T22:02:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-30T22:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age-79129\/"},"modified":"2015-05-30T22:02:00","modified_gmt":"2015-05-30T22:02:00","slug":"the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vatican’s arduous task of communicating in the modern age"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old?<\/p>\n

\tThese and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms \u2013 a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWe were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do \u2013 to use a sporting phrase \u2013 to up our game,\u201d Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops\u2019 World Communication Day.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWe wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,\u201d continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would \u201caim at excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe committee was given a \u201cclear mandate\u201d to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline \u201ca best possible configuration\u201d that builds on the Vatican\u2019s existing assets while aiming for the gains that \u201ccloser integration and cooperation could make possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tOne of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is \u201cunderstaffed and under huge pressure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said \u201cshould operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe Vatican\u2019s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L\u2019Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\tAmong Lord Patten\u2019s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the \u201cstrong compartmentalization\u201d of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it \u201cunnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million.<\/p>\n

\tHowever, Lord Patten explained that the committee \u201cquickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 \u2013 an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.\u201d
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe committee\u2019s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops\u2019 conferences.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities.<\/p>\n

\tThe commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican\u2019s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThese two departments would help some of the Vatican\u2019s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe proposed technology department would support \u201cthe sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs\u201d and would be responsible for internet security and data.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe media operations department would restructure the Holy See\u2019s \u201ccore media activities,\u201d including media relations, content production and dissemination.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a \u201ccentral content hub\u201d that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media.<\/p>\n

\tA proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican\u2019s media outlets.<\/p>\n

\tHe stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee\u2019s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of \u201cforeseeable opposition and resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tAccording to Lord Patten, the report\u2019s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30<\/p>\n

\tA source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is \u201ccarrying forward its job independently.\u201d It is also working on the committee\u2019s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- What needs to change in the Vatican’s communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that’s 2,000 year-old?<\/p>\n

\tThese and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that’s destined for a long road ahead.<\/p>\n

\t“We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day.<\/p>\n

\t“We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC’s governing body.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.”<\/p>\n

\tThe committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.”<\/p>\n

\tOne of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.”<\/p>\n

\tThe Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.  <\/p>\n

\tAmong Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.”<\/p>\n

\tThe main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million.<\/p>\n

\tHowever, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”
\n\t 
\n\tThe committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.
\n\t 
\n\tThe pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.
\n\t 
\n\tThe administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities.<\/p>\n

\tThe commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.
\n\t 
\n\tThese two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.
\n\t 
\n\tThe proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.
\n\t 
\n\tThe media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media.<\/p>\n

\tA proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences.<\/p>\n

\tLord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets.<\/p>\n

\tHe stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform.<\/p>\n

\tThe committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.”<\/p>\n

\tAccording to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30<\/p>\n

\tA source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Vatican's arduous task of communicating in the modern age<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old? These and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead. “We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day. “We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body. Lord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.” The committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications. Lord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.” One of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said. The committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.” The Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.   Among Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.” The main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million. However, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”   The committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.   The pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.   The administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities. The commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.   These two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.   The proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.   The media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination. The committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media. A proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences. Lord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets. He stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform. The committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.” According to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30 A source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Vatican's arduous task of communicating in the modern age\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old? These and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead. “We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day. “We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body. Lord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.” The committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications. Lord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.” One of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said. The committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.” The Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.   Among Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.” The main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million. However, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”   The committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.   The pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.   The administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities. The commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.   These two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.   The proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.   The media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination. The committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media. A proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences. Lord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets. He stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform. The committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.” According to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30 A source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Catholic News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/size340\/Typewriter_Unsplash_CNA_5_28_15.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/\",\"name\":\"The Vatican's arduous task of communicating in the modern age\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\"},\"description\":\"Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? 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How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old? These and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead. “We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day. “We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body. Lord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.” The committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications. Lord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.” One of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said. The committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.” The Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.   Among Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.” The main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million. However, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”   The committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.   The pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.   The administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities. The commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.   These two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.   The proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.   The media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination. The committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media. A proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences. Lord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets. He stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform. The committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.” According to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30 A source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Vatican's arduous task of communicating in the modern age","og_description":"Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old? These and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead. “We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day. “We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body. Lord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.” The committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications. Lord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.” One of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said. The committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.” The Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.   Among Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.” The main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million. However, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”   The committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.   The pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.   The administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities. The commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.   These two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.   The proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.   The media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination. The committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media. A proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences. Lord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets. He stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform. The committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.” According to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30 A source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/","og_site_name":"Catholic News","article_published_time":"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/size340\/Typewriter_Unsplash_CNA_5_28_15.jpg"}],"author":"CNA Daily News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CNA Daily News","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/","name":"The Vatican's arduous task of communicating in the modern age","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website"},"datePublished":"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00","dateModified":"2015-05-30T22:02:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1"},"description":"Vatican City, May 30, 2015 \/ 04:02 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- What needs to change in the Vatican's communications department to make it worthy of Pope Francis? How are the problems of understaffed and overwhelmed office going to be fixed? What does excellence in communicating look like in 2015 for an institution that's 2,000 year-old? These and other questions were recently tackled by the committee tasked with Vatican media reforms – a hopeful project, but one that's destined for a long road ahead. “We were always conscious that Pope Francis is an extraordinary communicator himself and it made us realize how much the rest of us have to do – to use a sporting phrase – to up our game,” Lord Patten, chair of the Vatican Media Committee, said in a May 27 lecture for the English and Welsh Bishops’ World Communication Day. “We wanted to propose a communications structure that would be worthy of him,” continued the British peer, who is a former head of the BBC's governing body. Lord Patten said the Vatican committee wanted a communications and media structure for the Holy See that would “aim at excellence.” The committee was given a “clear mandate” to propose reforms. These proposals include a unified structure of governance and management for Vatican communications. Lord Patten stressed that the committee sought to outline “a best possible configuration” that builds on the Vatican’s existing assets while aiming for the gains that “closer integration and cooperation could make possible.” One of these assets, the Holy See Press Office is “understaffed and under huge pressure,” he said. The committee envisions a major role for a strengthened press office, which Lord Patten said “should operate in more languages in a way that accommodates a 24-hour news cycle.” The Vatican’s media entities include Vatican Radio, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Television, the Holy See website, and the news aggregator News.va, as well as publishing operations and archival facilities.   Among Lord Patten’s criticisms of the overall Vatican communications structure, he highlighted the “strong compartmentalization” of the various media entities and the absence of cohesive management. The fragmentation of media operations has made it “unnecessarily difficult for the Holy See to produce the type of multimedia content involving the convergence of print, voice and images that is necessary for an effective digital presence and to engage contemporary audiences.” The main goal of the committee was to achieve savings in its annual budget, which exceeds $76 million. However, Lord Patten explained that the committee “quickly realized that major savings would only be possible through cut backs in the staff of over 600 – an approach that we judged not to be ethically appropriate.”   The committee’s structural reform includes the establishment of a unique body for Vatican communication, to be composed of five departments: a pastoral department, an administrative department, a commercial department, a technology department and a media operations department.   The pastoral department would perform many tasks currently done by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, including relations with bishops’ conferences.   The administrative department is intended to carry forward reorganization and to integrate functions that are presently replicated in different media entities. The commercial department would oversee the development of the Vatican’s media operation through partnerships and sponsorships, as well as the management and sale of publishing rights. This department would also have responsibility for archival materials, and the publishing, promotion and marketing of all Vatican products and contents.   These two departments would help some of the Vatican’s media operations pay for themselves, thus addressing savings.   The proposed technology department would support “the sourcing, development and maintenance of suitable technological platforms and programs” and would be responsible for internet security and data.   The media operations department would restructure the Holy See’s “core media activities,” including media relations, content production and dissemination. The committee has proposed a department of content production that would serve as a “central content hub” that oversees the shared production of general news and media content. This would use the skills and expertise of some employees now working mainly in radio, television and print media. A proposed editorial service would centralize the delivery of content that will be distributed through existing channels. Also planned is an integrated social media channel that will customize its content in accord with the particular needs of the media entities and their audiences. Lord Patten also emphasized the need for continued editorial integrity among the Vatican’s media outlets. He stressed that the proposed changes should be gradual, but always made in a way that advances the clear objective of reform. The committee’s final report included an implementation plan whose key first steps include finding a suitable plan in the light of “foreseeable opposition and resistance.” According to Lord Patten, the report’s presentation to the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis received a positive response. The proposals will undergo further reflection by a commission established April 30 A source involved in the Vatican communication reform process told CNA May 28 that this commission is “carrying forward its job independently.” It is also working on the committee’s document to possibly outline a new proposal. In the end, the reform of Vatican communication is a process that will take longer than planned.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2015\/05\/the-vaticans-arduous-task-of-communicating-in-the-modern-age\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Vatican’s arduous task of communicating in the modern age"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/","name":"Catholic News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1","name":"CNA Daily News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"CNA Daily News"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1031"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10788\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}