Extreme makeover: Vatican newspaper's survival depends on its revival

Published: 2007-10-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The recent change at the helm of the Vatican newspaper marks an effort to revive a publication that has gone from glory days to malaise. Founded 146 years ago, the daily L'Osservatore Romano once had a circulation of more than 60,000 and was considered a rich source of ecclesial news and critical commentary. Today, the paper sells only a few thousand copies -- on a good day. With few advertisements and more than 100 employees, it loses about $6 million a year. In early October, Pope Benedict named Giovanni Maria Vian, a 55-year-old church historian and commentator, to replace Mario Agnes, 76, as the newspaper's director. A new vice director also was named, adding to the expectation that L'Osservatore will get a serious makeover. The newspaper functions in part as an official organ of information, publishing every word the pope says or writes, often under eight-column banner headlines like the recent: "Communion Favors Missionary Dynamism." The photo below the headline showed the pope addressing five bishops in a dimly lit room.

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