Vatican City, Dec 19, 2013 / 13:18 pm
L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's newspaper, unveiled its revamped website Dec. 17, meant to broaden the reach of the paper and make it more friendly to social media.
"More news, more photos, more sharing through social networks," one of the paper's journalists, Piero Di Domenicantonio wrote in an editorial published Dec. 16, saying the publication "renews and broadens its online presence and the information service it offers to the world."
"With innovative graphics and a substantial improvement in accessibility, the new site marks a turning point in the spread of the newspaper," he said, adding that articles "can easily be relaunched on Twitter and Facebook."
Di Domenicantonio noted that the restyle was done in cooperation with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and with the assistance of a Spanish firm.
The website includes the contents of L'Osservatore Romano's daily edition; its five weekly editions, including English; and its monthly edition, published in Polish, and is accessible by computer, smartphone and tablet.
The website also features a secure and easily accessible transaction system so that users can donate to the service, which is provided free of charge.
"Even in those areas which are more difficult and expensive to reach with traditional means of distributing printed newspapers, everyone will be offered the opportunity of timely access to first-hand information on the activities of the Pope and the Holy See," Di Domenicantonio wrote.
"A little more than a century and a half after its founding, L' Osservatore Romano is taking on this new adventure in the digital world."