The nameplates of Catholic newspapers, most if not all of which are users of Catholic News Service. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)
VIEW FROM THE PEW
Every year the end of June sets off a rerun of grieving and grievance among a company of journalists and newspaper operational staffers who labored to keep island residents, and people interested in what happens here, fully informed about what’s happening in Hawaii.
More than 500 of us were put out of jobs with the stroke of a pen 12 years ago as the two longtime daily newspapers were “merged” into one with the sale of the Honolulu Advertiser to the owner of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
We natter about the good old days when competition between the two meant a whole lot more news was being covered, interesting people and cultural dimensions explored and criminal and anti-social misbehavior uncovered. We lament about the paper’s dawdling magazine pace now with stories appearing days after they were first reported by TV and online blogger news outlets.
But people have moved on — I’m one of the lucky ones still given a place to write — with bad news in the past, now there’s still some good news and hope. Best wishes and fingers crossed that the Honolulu daily paper survives amid obviously shrinking advertising revenues. Much as people like me view the Fourth Estate as a purveyor of truth and a noble vocation, owners are capitalists and the bottom line rules. I won’t even go into the deep dive people make into the alternate fake news pits.
This summer another bad news-good news drama played out that affects all of us American Catholics. I don’t think many Catholics even know about it. Readers of this newspaper take for granted that a lot of national and international news can be found here, in addition to coverage of diocesan news by its writers and contributors. When you read about what Pope Francis is saying and the Vatican is doing, what government actions affect us, look at the bylines and you will see they are the work of the Catholic News Service. For 102 years the CNS has been the premier source in America of professional, objective news coverage of the Catholic Church, from its institutions and leaders to the people in the pews, and of all the historical, cultural, political, social actions and issues that impact Catholics.
It produces stories used in most diocesan newspapers in America and beyond, in magazines and electronic news platforms, a resource for the secular media as well as church and faith-oriented publications.
The owners of the highly respected agency announced on May 4 that they are shutting down the domestic offices of CNS at the end of this year. (The Rome bureau will remain open.) With no advance notice, the bad news was dropped like a bomb on the staff based in Washington, D.C., and New York. It caused a storm of reaction among Catholic communicators largely because of who these owners are. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the CNS owners, might have been expected to take a more charitable approach. Their chief communications officer cited a “changing media landscape and a need to prioritize available resources.” America magazine, a Jesuit publication, highlighted the practical effect for each diocesan newspaper. “We can’t cover national news with a staff of five people,” said the Arkansas Catholic editor. “We can’t cover what’s going on at the Supreme Court or what’s going on at the USCCB.”
The motivation behind the closure was critiqued and challenged by professional Catholic media sources with a history of taking a critical view of some bishops for their secular political affiliations, their opposition to decisions by the pope and their action or inaction in the clergy sex abuse scandal.
Cutting off crucial news
“The bishops are cutting off access to crucial news and information about the church at precisely the time Pope Francis is encouraging us to listen as closely as possible to Catholic news and views other than our own,” wrote Bill Mitchell, publisher of the National Catholic Reporter, a bi-weekly newspaper independent of the church. “Is there really no spending in the bishops’ budget less important than informing the people about what’s going on in the church?”
David Gibson, head of the Fordham University Center on Religion and Culture, warned that closing down the professional news agency “cedes the field to amateur and ideologically driven voices at a time when disinformation and division are threats not only to Catholicism but to our democratic institutions.” The Catholic university official wrote “No editing, no accountability, no professionalism adds up to no credibility. And that is what the Catholic bishops, whose reservoir of credibility was already down to the fumes, are sacrificing when they dismantle a professional news outlet like CNS.” Gibson wrote in a column for the National Catholic Reporter which was quoted in the May 12 America article.
Even the wider world of news agencies, The New York Times, Associated Press, British papers, covered the closure. The Religion News Service, which covers all religious denominations, pointed out that Pope Francis, in a 2021 Vatican event marking its centennial, said “over these past hundred years, Catholic News Service has provided an invaluable contribution to the English-speaking world through its coverage of the church’s mission of proclaiming the gospel and witnessing to the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.”
“CNS always had its critics among the bishops,” wrote Jesuit Thomas Reese in a May 25 RNS story. “Some did not understand that good journalism required reporting bad news as well as good news about the church. These bishops did not like CNS coverage of the sex abuse crisis or of disagreements in the church. They did not want coverage of the theologians or others who disagreed with the bishops or the pope.”
Father Reese wrote that the news service saw shrinking support from individual dioceses as they faced financial drain from payment of settlements of abuse lawsuits, pandemic expenses, closure of diocesan newspapers.
Father Reese was one of several journalists warning that the news vacuum likely to be filled with sources with an ideological bent such as Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) whose conservative or traditional commentators have led it to be called the Catholic version of Fox News. The media empire, which includes the Catholic News Agency (not to be confused with CNS), was created by the late Mother Mary Angelica Rizzo whose TV conversations were often attacks on anything she saw as “liberal” tendencies in the church such as social action initiatives, girls as altar servers, the Second Vatican Council and the changes it wrought. Current commentators continue the Franciscan nun’s tradition of criticizing Pope Francis, the Vatican and bishops who do not reflect its conservative views.
Don’t forget I said this is a bad news/good news development so hang in there.
What’s the big deal?
I was waxing indignant about this disturbing turn of events to a friend or two, Catholic and not. My indignation meter flicked to high dudgeon at their response: So what? Doesn’t affect me. I’m not much of a news reader. What’s the big deal? “Oh, you’re just obsessive about news, real or fake” — that’s my favorite one.
I AM obsessive about the “objective” aspect of the news. And I think everyone in a democratic society, whatever their faith or value base, should share my anxiety each time a legitimate, professional, objective source of information is shut off. It’s lost stable ground to stand on in these times of twists and spins and downright lies that are like a swamp full of quicksand and slime.
There is a world of difference between an objective account and an opinion column. The old school of journalism required you to seek the background, the response from an accused person, the other point of view to balance the juicy political spin or misbehavior that you just uncovered. We went back to the past files, the history behind the current event which, back in the day, meant mining through folders of clippings and headache-causing microfiche film. It’s still there in computerized archives.
I don’t think some of the local reporters, print or electronic media, are deep divers into the past. It’s just easier to take the industry or government or justice system spokesperson version as gospel. Just use that culture crutch word “iconic” and nevermind searching to find out this news was not the first, the best, the only, the worst.
When it comes to looking for news about religion, it’s vital to have a mental, critical filter. A news report is not the same as a publicity release or missionary outreach. It’s not a devotional guide, an affirmation of beliefs, a catechism, a believer’s report of a miracle, a personal “come to Jesus” story. Some things are published to attract believers. A lot of stuff is out there to rally like-minded folks whether pilgrims or militants.
Anyway, the Catholic News Service had reason to celebrate itself on July 7 when it walked away with 36 awards from the Catholic Media Association in its Portland conference. That included 10 first places, multiple kudos for the best job covering immigration, Vatican bureaucracy restructuring, international social justice issues. Too numerous for here, go google it.
The whole Catholic media world had reason to celebrate, too, at an announcement made at the conference. One of the oldest and most successful Catholic publishing companies announced that it will step in to fill the gap. Our Sunday Visitor Inc. will launch OSV News at CatholicNews.com, on the day after the Dec. 31 closing.
The company publishes the weekly Our Sunday Visitor and books, print resources for dioceses, parishes and Catholic organizations. Founded in 1912 in Indiana by Father John Francis Noll, the organization helped many dioceses establish their own newspapers.
Our Sunday Visitor publisher Scott P. Richert said that the company negotiated with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to acquire the closing agency’s platform and archives.
“In a world that is desperately hungry for the truth, a vibrant Catholic media is needed now more than ever,” Richert said.
Amen to that.
And as for you, dear reader, why don’t you celebrate this good news? You must know people who aren’t reading the Hawaii Catholic Herald. Do a little missionary work, share our address and website and bring your friends into the fold of informed Catholics. Thank you.
