An International Humanitarian Agency and the Catholic Church, different identities, similar needs: non-profit attention to their often converging-publics. Both need the help of the media to amplify their message and beyond, that remain news-worthy while always being faithful to their respective missions.
Many influences compete for the attention of the media, in trying to determine what will make the news. In this context, many throw ethics to the wind and respond almost literally to the maxim which says: "If it leads, it bleeds". Yet the Church cannot deviate from its stated supernatural identity. It cannot falsify information so as to make it more sensational and more appealing to an ever "news fatigued" audience. Yet, it ought to, it has an obligation to remain in the news, which is the market place for those it has received a divine mandate to serve.
The World Food Programme, agency of the United Nations which provides emergency food assistance to needy areas in times of natural and man-made disasters, also struggles to keep media attention focused on the victims. This ensures the inflow of humanitarian aid as and when needed. It is often the case that as soon as the immediate crisis is over, media attention shifts elsewhere, with the attendant result that refugees are neglected by donors. It is only either a new wave of disasters or the publication of gory and bloody images that refocuses media attention.
To overcome this "fatigue" and remain "news worthy", while respecting the human dignity of disaster victims the WFP has become adept at ingenious ways of communicating itself: making extensive use of Third Party Advocacy; Innovative use of Multimedia technology; Accurately Segmenting Publics, to mention but a few. The Church can learn a few things from this experience.
