Vatican strengthens Dicastery for Communication

Vatikanstadt - The Vatican has long since realised that a well-functioning media department is essential for proclaiming its own message. Two personnel appointments indicate further efforts in this direction.

Published on 18.07.2024 at 18:05 –

For the first time, the Vatican's media department has a deputy editorial director. Pope Francis appointed Massimiliano Menichetti (53) as Deputy Director of the Dicastery for Communication and Vatican News, as the Vatican announced on Thursday. The Rome-born lawyer and journalist has been working for the Vatican media for more than 20 years, until now mainly as a kind of programme director. His task is therefore to upgrade Radio Vatican/Vatican News.

The prefect and thus head of the communications department has been the journalist Paolo Ruffini (67) since July 2018. He is the only layman at the head of a Vatican dicastery. At the same time, Francesco Valle (52) was appointed Deputy Director for "General Affairs" in the Dicastery for Communication. The Rome-born political scientist succeeds Giacomo Ghisani (55), who has moved to his home diocese of Cremona after 27 years with Vatican Media.

Programme in 53 languages

Valle, who has been responsible for the commercial activities of the Vatican's communications department since 2023, is in charge of copyright issues, among other things. He previously worked for around 20 years for various broadcasters, some in management positions, including at Stream TV, Sky Italia and the left-liberal TV channel LA7. Menichetti was previously editor, deputy editor-in-chief, deputy coordinator, head of the multimedia editorial centre and coordinator of Radio Vatican. He previously worked for various Italian media and taught journalism at several universities.

With annual costs of almost 40 million euros, the Dicastery for Communication is the most expensive department of the Holy See alongside the diplomatic service. Under the brands Vatican News, Radio Vaticana and Osservatore Romano, it disseminates texts, photos, videos, podcasts and streams about the Pope, the Vatican and the Catholic world church. This is currently done in 53 languages. The once dominant distribution via radio waves and newsprint now only plays a subordinate role. (KNA)