Florida Catholic | Editorial

Catholic press provides depth, context

Published: 02.22.08

…the Florida Catholic and the rest of the Catholic press provide depth and analysis you can’t get anywhere else.

The media landscape is changing faster than ever anticipated. Along our freeways, we see digital billboards that change every 30 seconds or so with rotating messages, some with real-time information, such as the name of the song playing on a certain radio station, or breaking news from a TV station.

“Traditional” print media outlets leave tradition behind as well. I can’t think of a newspaper or magazine site these days that does not have at least a rudimentary Web site. More and more, print media are developing Web extras, e-mail newsletters and other alternative methods of delivering news to readers. The publisher of the New York Times went so far last year as to say that within five to 10 years, the stalwart publication won’t even produce a print edition, but rather will produce and deliver everything electronically.

That may be an overestimation or may have been said to spur some creative thought within his company. I think some people will always want to hold a newspaper in their hands at the kitchen table, or pick it up from the coffee table when they have a few minutes to spare. But we acknowledge the many ways people get their news and this points to significant changes in our industry. We in the Catholic press are attentive to and concerned about these changes, and are developing responses.

Each February, the Catholic Press Association and its members commemorate Catholic Press Month to call attention to the work of Catholic newspapers, magazines and book publishers. We celebrate what we offer our readers, and we look to the future. While Catholic publishers may not have the resources of news giants such as the New York Times or Tribune companies, we realize that we must develop new ways of reaching readers via digital methods.

At the Florida Catholic, we have taken steps in the last year to completely revamp our Web edition (www.thefloridacatholic.org) — to visually improve it, make it easier to navigate with fresh, bold content. We added slide shows and audio components and will soon add e-newsletters for readers. On our site, you can find local news and calendars, as well as links to national and international stories. Recently, during the annual March for Life in Washington, Miami bureau editor Ana Rodriguez-Soto provided a daily blog of reports and photos from the road. Right now, our site features more than two dozen meatless recipes — submitted by readers — to help you with your Lenten Friday abstinence.

We revamped our print edition about 18 months ago and we continue to look at ways to reach readers with print products. Our regular and special editions keep subscribers informed about what’s going on in the church locally, nationally and globally. Our staff of Catholic journalists brings the necessary expertise to put the news in the context of faith — what do the events of today mean for a person who’s Catholic and how can a Catholic affect the events in today’s world?

This kind of expertise will come in handy when Pope Benedict visits the United States in April. The secular media will likely focus on what his visit means to the presidential election — and that is not what his visit is about. Our journalists will get it right, and give our readers the full context. The same will hold true for World Youth Day in Australia later this year.

We know we cannot stand still in this time of media transition and convergence. Things are changing. In a world that sometimes has the attention span of a freeway digital billboard, the Florida Catholic and the rest of the Catholic press provide depth and analysis you can’t get anywhere else.

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Catholic press provides depth, context

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