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Newspaper celebrates 70 yearsBack in 1939 when the Florida Catholic newspaper was started, if anyone on the staff talked about “the net” they likely meant the kind one might use to snag a catch out of the Intracoastal Waterway or the waters off the Keys. Now, the Florida Catholic staff uses the Internet every day to gather and disseminate news from around the state and around the world. In the past 70 years, the way we put the news together has changed: from typewriters to computers, from film cameras to digital still and video. The way the news goes out also has changed over the years. The newspaper used to be produced as a broadsheet — using hot lead. The process has gone through a few changes over the years, replaced by desktop publishing, which itself has evolved a few times since its introduction. Currently, your diocesan newspaper is delivered as a printed tabloid every other week, but every day, fresh material is posted on the Web or on your closest mobile device, such as a Blackberry, iPhone or cell phone. Your Catholic “newspaper” is no longer just a newspaper, but the primary mission remains as it was in the beginning: inform and educate the faithful in Florida with news that matters to Catholics. The Florida Catholic marks seven decades of publishing this year. We continue the mission we share with diocesan newspapers all around the country — in fact all around the world — to serve readers in a specific region. The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada issued a statement in 2007 reinforcing the importance of newspapers. In it, the CPA board said: “The great value of a diocesan newspaper is that it is edited for the needs of a local audience by editors who live within the local church and are sensitive to the information needs of the readers. For many Catholics, the diocesan publication is the only Catholic reading material that comes into their homes. These Catholics may not seek out a subscription to their diocesan publication, but the bishop — as a good shepherd should — seeks them out and offers inspiration, encouragement and guidance through the pages of the diocesan publication.” Two Catholic publications ought to be a staple in your household — your local parish bulletin and your local diocesan newspaper. We also encourage our readers to read and subscribe to other Catholic publications, of which there are many, from general–interest newspapers and magazines to publications aimed at very specific interests. Those who wish to pray the liturgy of the hours every day may find Magnificat helpful; those interested in current trends in Catholic research might try The CARA Report. Publications on Catholic history, apologetics, education, liturgy, health care, rural life and hundreds more reach out to readers longing for solid information from a faithful perspective. These days, when anyone can post a blog online, often full of inaccurate information, it helps to have Catholic publishing from a perspective you know and trust. Not every blog is inaccurate, and some are quite good, even helpful. However, the key benefits offered by your local diocesan newspaper staff are expertise, editing and accountability. At the Florida Catholic, the staff consists of full–time journalists and business staffers, many of whom have worked in Catholic journalism for years. That expertise and institutional wisdom helps us serve our readers better because, unlike a lot of reporters for secular papers, we know the territory; we cover it every day instead of only occasionally. Good editing makes all the difference in the world. Some blogs don’t have editors at all; some editors at other papers wouldn’t know the difference between a chalice and a ciborium. And accountability tops it off: the five bishops for whose dioceses we publish own this newspaper, and each one is the publisher of his local edition. We are connected directly to the local church. As the Florida Catholic begins its 70th anniversary year, it is appropriate for us to remember the past, as we look toward the future. And we promise to continue our mission to help you understand how your faith affects the world beyond the walls of your domestic church and your local parish, to help you spread the Gospel to others. We’re the indispensable source to help you tie together your faith, your life and your community.
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