Vatican City, Sep 11, 2010 / 10:22 am
Giving mixed reviews to BBC programs airing before the papal visit, the spokesman for Cardinal Newman’s beatification has said that the broadcaster is showing several viewpoints. One upcoming program on Pope Benedict will show “very poor journalism,” while another will be better crafted.
The press officer for the beatification of Cardinal Newman, Jack Valero, spoke with CNA on Friday about the BBC's coverage of the Pope and next week's beatification ceremony in Birmingham, England. He did not agree that the BBC as a whole wants to “humiliate” the Pope, saying that only individual people do.
Referring to the media environment as an "open field," he said that while the British broadcaster is airing programs decidedly negative to the current pontificate in the lead-up to Pope Benedict's UK trip, it does so to show a variety of perspectives.
Of the programs they will dedicate to the Holy Father in the coming days, he said, "some will be good and some not so good. But, you know," he asserted, "if we put our message across in a good, convincing way than I think we will get more space and if we're not so good at communicating it than I think we will probably lose out."