Newsman enlisted for bishop's broadcast to churches

|PIC1|Church broadcasts 'News at 10' - or whenever the congregation meets
The Church of England's Diocese of Lichfield has enlisted the help of a television news man to report on a message from its bishop.

It is thought to be the first time a television news report has been produced specifically for broadcast as part of church services.

Robin Powell and Ember Regis Media were commissioned to produce the four-and-a-half minute news report which has been sent to all 585 churches in the diocese for use this Sunday. The video will also be available online at lichfield.anglican.org and YouTube.

The director of communications for the diocese, Gavin Drake, said the decision to use a television news report was taken to help the message reach a wider audience.

"Since the Decade of Evangelism in the 1980s it has been the tradition in this diocese for the Bishop to produce a taped message which could be played in all churches on the second Sunday in January," he said.

Mr Drake said the switch to a video message was a reflection of the fact that many churches have replaced hymn books with projection equipment. The news man, he hopes, will help spice the presentation of the bishop's message.

"The switch to video was certainly an improvement from a disembodied voice, but people are not used to watching video monologues.," he said.

Freelance television news reporter Robin Powell is well known locally as a former ITV Central News reporter and a regular contributor to both Sky News and the BBC. The Diocese of Lichfield has commissioned him to produce a news report about the bishop's message.

"I hope that congregations will respond positively to the familiar feel of a television news report which will draw out a particular aspect of the bishop's message, the need for more people to come forward to serve as clergy," said Mr Drake.

The message will be available on notice-boards and online and a CD recording will be provided to churches that feel they cannot broadcast a TV news report in the middle of their service.

Robin Powell was for many years a reporter for Central News. He now freelances for Sky and the BBC and is a director of the Warwickshire-based media company Ember Regis.

He said: "Although we've worked with the Church of England on different projects in the past, this is the first time we've been asked to produce a video designed primarily to be viewed within the context of church services.

"It's vital that the Church explores new and innovative ways of communicating its message in the multimedia age. This is a bold initiative and an example which others will follow.

"We were delighted to be asked to work with the Diocese of Lichfield. And if the film prompts more young men and women to consider positions of leadership in the Church, it will have been a success."