Vatican City, May 28, 2009 / 01:05 am
Vatican Radio has announced that it will carry advertising in an attempt to help defray its 21.4 million Euro ($29.8 million) annual operating fees.
The official broadcasting service of the Holy See, Vatican Radio has never carried advertising in its almost 80 year history.
Three years ago, Vatican Spokesman Frederico Lombardi said that the radio’s audience was too geographically, linguistically and ethnically diverse to appeal to advertisers.
On Friday, however, he announced Vatican Radio would begin accepting advertisements, ANSA reports.
A Tuesday press conference held by Fr. Lombardi and Bishop Renato Boccardo, Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City, stressed that the project is in an experimental phase and that the ads will be placed at appropriate times in between regular programming.