Currents News Staff
For nearly 90 years the Vatican has had its very own radio station, otherwise known as the ‘Pope’s Radio Station.’ It transmits his messages all over the world.
It was created on Feb. 12, 1931 by Guglielmo Marconi, as a powerful means of communication to share Pope Pius XI’s message.
The Pope’s Radio Station may be nearing 90 years old, but it hasn’t lost its mission.
“It was a great instrument to bring the pope’s voice to many countries,” explained Andrea Tornielli, the Editorial Director of Vatican News.
“It also served as a free voice to get information in time of war, and to share the pope’s voice and other information in the years of communism for other countries,” he said.
“Vatican Radio was the first international broadcasting outlet in the world. So the Church has always been in the forefront of media, understanding that technology must be at the service of humanity,” said Vatican News Director of English Programming, Sean Patrick Lovett.
“Our purpose is to spread that message of hope, which is essentially what the Good News is all about, isn’t it?”
Transmitted in multiple languages, the radio’s mission hasn’t changed. Yet, communication within the Holy See continues to be a reform process.
“We’re bringing together nine different communications departments. It’s a process. It involves people, first of all, technology as well. It’s a complicated process,” said Lovett.
Now, the radio is part of a larger team, Vatican News. Composed of nearly 600 people in total, the staff are all working to spread the pope’s message to the world.
Despite the changing world of media, Vatican News says radio is not dying. By 2025, it’s expected radio listening will beat out TV viewing, which is declining three times faster than radio.