The Vatican has formed a high-profile committee charged with overseeing and reforming its global communications to be led by former BBC Trust chair Chris Patten.
The Holy See said the new committee will propose reforms for the Vatican's media operations and will publish a report and reform plan within the next 12 months.
Patten, currently chancellor at Oxford University, led the BBC's governing body from April 2011 until May of this year and oversaw Pope Benedict's visit to the UK in 2010. He was also the latest governor of Hong Kong before its handover to China.
Catholic publisher Gregory Erlandson, former president of the Catholic Press Association who co-authored a book on Pope Benedict and the sexual abuse crisis, is the U.S. representative on the 10-member committee.
Ireland's Monsignor Paul Tighe, who is secretary of a pontifical council on social communications and established the Vatican Office for Public Affairs, takes a secretary title on the new committee.
In a press release, the Vatican said the group is expected to strengthen digital channels to reach young people globally and build on the Vatican's successful launch of a Twitter account for Pope Francis and the Pope App.
Former Fox News Channel Rome correspondent Greg Burke is senior adviser for communications to the Holy See.
Edelman is providing communications support to Panama’s Ministry of Commerce and Industries under an agreement capped at $97,100 per month.
Ballard Partners has recruited State Department veteran Matt Bryza as a senior policy advisor.
Teneo has extended its contract with the Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation for an additional four months to July 31, adding another $1.8M in fees to the New York firm’s coffers.
The Syrian Kurdish militia recruits Jim Dornan Strategies to press Congress for continued support in their battle against ISIS and Syrian president Bashar Assad.
The Government of Hungary has hired Strategic Improvisation Inc. to generate positive media coverage and combat negative press coverage of the Central European country. (6 reader comments)
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