USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Information for Broadcasters on Worldwide Telecasts of Pope's Christmas Ceremonies

Information for Broadcasters on Worldwide Telecasts of Pope's Christmas Ceremonies

WASHINGTON (November 22, 2006)- - The Pontifical Council for Social Communications at the Vatican has released information for broadcasters regarding the coordination of worldwide telecasts of the Pope's Christmas ceremonies.

1) Sunday, December 24, 2006, Christmas Eve, 22:55 – 00:50 hours UTC (GMT): Midnight Mass, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica.

2) Monday, December 25, 2006, Christmas Day, 10:55 – 11:45 hours UTC (GMT) Christmas Message and Blessing "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City of Rome and to the World") of Pope Benedict XVI from St. Peter's Square.

Television coverage of these ceremonies will be provided as a co-production of the Vatican Television Center (CTV) and Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI). Worldwide distribution will be offered through RAI in cooperation with CTV, and coordinated by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Television networks and outlets which wish to take part in these global telecasts are asked to contact:

--Europe: Satellite Provider/Broadcaster is Eurovision-EBU (European Broadcasting Union), contact RAI, Eurovision Office, Mrs. Laura Maggiore, Email: newsprod@rai.it FAX + 39 06 3317 1151; Tel. +39 06 3317 0053.

--World: Satellite Provider/Broadcaster INTELSAT/ PanAmSat, contact Telespazio, Mr. Giacomo Salucci, Email: customer_support@Telespazio.it FAX +39 06 407 1790; Tel. +39 06 4079 3487.

--Latin America: Satellite Provider/Broadcaster (Organizacion de la Television Iberoamericana); contact Mr. Dario de la Pena, Email: otiprogramas@oti.tv FAX +52 55 5261-3607; Tel. +52 55 5261-3610.

Details concerning the exact satellites and frequencies will be posted on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications website www.pccs.it (click on "Mondovisione"), in addition to texts and background information for television producers and commentators. For those who cannot receive the transmissions with the above services, alternative satellite reception possibilities can be explored upon request.

The Pontifical Council will make available for those who request it commentary for the celebrations in the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese; RAI will make available commentary in Italian. In addition to the television images, the INTELSAT and PanAmSat satellites will carry international sound and commentary in these languages.

Television networks and stations which, for technical reasons, cannot make use of satellite audio signals can use telephone circuits with the Vatican by contacting Mr. Joseph Soureal of Telecom Italia, Email: youssef.soureal@telecomitalia.it FAX: +39 06 3689 4506, Tel. +39 06 3689 4067.

For fully equipped positions for television commentators in the Braccio di Carlo Magno, next to St. Peter's Basilica, interested networks and stations are asked to contact Mrs. Maggiore at RAI.

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications will cover the technical expenses for satellite uplink. For developing countries which find themselves in particular difficulty, on recommendation from the respective Papal Representative, the Council will cover downlink expenses, but not the expenses for local/national transmission of the programs.

For those requiring more information, please visit: www.pccs.it ("Mondovisione") or contact the Council's satellite telecasts coordinator, Mr. Thaddeus Jones (telecast@pccs.va, FAX +39 06 6988 5373, Tel. +39 06 6988 4622).

Archbishop John P. Foley is President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.