Archbishop Celli Named to Vatican TV Board

(May 27, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, as president of the management board of the Vatican Television Centre. The archbishop succeeds Italian journalist Emilio Rossi, who died in December at 85. The director of the Vatican Television Centre is Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, who is also the director of the Vatican press office and Vatican Radio. The appointment of Archbishop Celli reinforces Pope Benedict XVI's efforts to promote teamwork among the various communication arms of the Vatican. Created in 1983 by Pope John Paul II, the Vatican Television Centre aims to contribute to spreading the universal message of the Gospel by using television to document the Pope's pastoral ministry and the activities of the Apostolic See. The main services offered by CTV are the following: live broadcasts, production, archiving, and daily assistance to other broadcasters.