FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Salt + Light Television opens Rome bureau
Canadians can expect greater access to the Vatican
March 19, 2010 (Toronto) – Salt + Light Television, Canada’s national Catholic television network, has opened a bureau in Vatican City. The announcement comes on the Feast of St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. The new bureau is the result of a joint effort between various non-profit media organizations that cover news from the Vatican, including Catholic News Service, the Knights of Columbus and H2O News. Of these Salt + Light is the only Canadian-based organization.
“The Vatican encourages journalists from around the world to seek accreditation and spend some time in Rome,” said Father Thomas Rosica, CEO of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Consultor on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. “Topics of interest to the Church and to the world’s faithful pose problems for journalists who are often on deadline, face limits on space, and worry about tackling topics deemed taboo. We hope our efforts in Rome will help people read beyond the headlines.”
Alicia Ambrosio, a native of Vancouver, will lead efforts for Salt + Light in Rome and has already begun filing stories. Alicia holds a graduate degree in social communications from Rome’s Pontifical Salesian University. She joined the creative team at Salt + Light in March of 2008, and has experience working for the Catholic press in both Italy and Canada, in multiple languages.
For regular updates and commentary from the Vatican, as well as other stories of relevance to the Catholic faith, viewers can watch Perspectives, Salt + Light Television's daily update show. Alternatively, Canadians can consult the network’s website at saltandlighttv.org.
“Canadian journalists have a reputation for being well educated, patient and thorough,” said Fr. Rosica. “Having more Canadian journalists covering the Vatican is a good thing for everyone.”
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About Salt + Light:
Salt + Light Television is an award-winning digital network that offers a variety of programs, event coverage, documentaries and other hope-filled content to viewers interested in or abiding by the Catholic faith. Salt + Light Television is produced and operated by Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to spreading the flavour of the Gospel and the Light of Christ to the world through television, documentaries, radio, Internet and other forms of social communication. Born on the wings of World Youth Day 2002, held in Toronto, Salt + Light is available throughout Canada on leading national and regional carriers and around the world via live streaming and video on demand.
More information at www.saltandlighttv.org.
CHRISTOPHER KETELAARS
Phone: 416-971-5353 ext 245
Mobile: 416-892-1729
cketelaars@saltandlighttv.org
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