Evangelizing in real time

A typical journalist in the Catholic massmedia in Slovakia is a married women aged 30-39, of Roman Catholic confession, with no university education in journalism, speaking English, Czech and Russion, with good working condition and friendly relations with colleagues, thinking that only some journalists of the Catholic massmedia are independent, and considering the skills of correct communication, originality of ideas and precision to be the key character features of a good journalist. The main tasks of people working in the Catholic massmedia should be to evangelise and spiritually form the audience and to inform in a neutral way about facts and events. The main motive for the choice of professional realisation as a Catholic journalist is the spiritual dimension of work, with the character of a mission rather than a regular ordinary job. Ethics of work as well as of personal life are crucial for his profession, with freedom of decision, good relations with colleagues and opportunity to help the others among the most important features of his/her job. These are the results of a survey conducted recently by the students of the Catholic University of Ruzomberok among 76 journalists working in 16 Catholic newspapers and magazines, 2 radios, 1 television and 1 press agency in Slovakia. Relatively small market with a huge impact. Day of Catholic Massmedia. Currently, the Catholic massmedia in Slovakia are getting ready for their 6th pilgrimage due to be held in Bratislava on 31 May – the Day of Catholic Masmedia. According to Jozef Kovácik, spokesman of the Bishops’ conference of Slovakia, this tradition has several important dimensions. “First of all we want to offer a space for mutual exchange of experiences among the employees of Catholic news agency, press, radio and TV, to strengthen synergy of our work that has the only task – evangelisation in all possible aspects of life”, explains Kovácik. Another aim is to develop a spirit of friendship, as it’s logical that synergy works the best when the mutual relations are not only formal and based on work. “And the third thing – it’s crucial that the audience – listeners, viewers and readers know who we are, to identify better with our mission and to participate actively in this process”, concludes Kovácik. Last year, the Day of Catholic Massmedia saw presence of thousands of visitors and the organisers hope that this year the number will be even higher. The spirit of service. Each of the Catholic massmedia has its own often turbulent history. The only Catholic radio in the country was founded in April 1993 as a local station with one frequency of broadcasting and literally about 20-30 listeners. 21 years later its director Juraj Spuchlák sees the biggest success in creation of “a strong community of the listeners and the representatives of the Church”. As he says, it’s mainly about “spiritual community” lived on the base of prayer “through the values communicated in the program as well as at personal meetings and pilgrimages”. According to Fr. Spuchlák, the whole broadcasting “fully identifies with Catholic values and the Church”. The employees of the Radio Lumen and of other Catholic massmedia answer the demands of a contemporary man by opening the treasure of tradition and revelation within the Church, with an emphasis on mutual enrichment. And what about the main challenges for the future? “Orientation towards youth and improvement of the mastership of a dialogue”, concludes the director. From amateurism to professionality. The Catholic massmedia often have to face the accusations that their work is not as professional as the outcomes of the secular ones. The fact is that many of them were founded only after the fall of communisms in 1989 and at the beginning their work was more about enthusiasm than about professional journalism. The situation has changed diametrally by now, but there are still some gaps to be filled – not so much in regard to quality but in the area of the program and vision. “All Catholic massmedia are oriented pastorally, which means inside of the community of faithful. Of course, it’s positive and necessary, but we need to admit that we lack a massmedia that would be oriented outwards – open to social discussion and crucial topics of secular world. The massmedia that would search for new forms of evangelisation from the outside”, says Terézia Roncáková, docent of journalism at the Catholic University of Ruzomberok. One of the forums for professional discussion of these matters is offered by the series of conferences on the role of Catholic massmedia in the society, taking place since 2005. They started as a space for exchange of experiences. The last event of this kind held in the past days focused on linguistic aspect of Catholic journalism in a form of so-called “religious style” and his comprehensibility for the secular world.