Monday, February 14, 2011

Vatican Radio marks 80 years, looks to new media

Vatican Radio, which broadcasts the pope's message in 45 languages around the globe, is looking ahead to a future in new media as it celebrates its 80th birthday. 

A top Vatican official said Thursday the broadcaster must embrace new media - "from the podcast to the iPad, from social networks like Facebook to micro-blogging platforms like Twitter" - to take advantage of the opportunities offered for evangelizing.

Monsignor Peter Wells of the Vatican's secretariat of state spoke at a ceremony launching the broadcaster's anniversary, which is being marked by a small exhibit inside the entrance to the Vatican Museums.

The exhibit showcases among other things the microphone used by Pope Pius XI when he inaugurated the broadcaster on Feb. 12, 1931.