Catholic Media Journal » Social Media

Church and New Media Resources

Jim Coyle — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:52:41 +0000

On the companion website for his book, The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet, Brandon Vogt has an excellent collection of links to resources for effective Church communication through new media. There’s a wealth of information here for persons interested in Church communication at all levels.

Jim Coyle

How to Explain “Social Media”

Jim Coyle — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:35:17 +0000

Facebook alone, the largest social networking website, has over 800 million active users. Most of us use social media as part of our professional and personal lives. But even though people use Facebook, etc., not everyone understands their potential for reaching the community. If you need to encourage an organization to use social media as part of their communication process, you might consider using this or other videos from CommonCraft to explain new media.

I’m posting this and a few other videos not as promotion for specific services but to share some of the resources we might use to enhance Church communications. Jim Coyle

The Church and New Media: Snapshot, Road Map and Call

Jim Coyle — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:27:18 +0000

In his new book, The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet, Brandon Vogt has created an excellent blend of Church teaching and Papal documents about Communications with stories by people who are applying these principles in real-life through new media creation and distribution in a variety of settings. Brandon and the contributors to the book have captured our unique moment in the history of Communications in the Catholic Church and offer not only methods we can use – but even more importantly, inspiration and motivation for us to reach out to all the world and bring God’s message to people in dynamic, personal ways by using the new media tools God has given us. From worldwide evangelization to sharing God’s life and love in the local parish, we have new opportunities and resources at our disposal – and a call to use them.

Visit The Church and New Media website to learn not only about the author and the book, but the ministry that will be supported by sales of the book.

Jim Coyle

Catholic New Media: Catholiconexpo August 26-28, 2011

Jim Coyle — Sun, 22 May 2011 17:44:44 +0000

CATHOLICON EXPO is a three day event to be held at The Houston Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, Texas. Hosted by THE CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND, INC., this expo style event brings together people from around the United States focused on all the ways that the CATHOLIC CHURCH communicates the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST. There will be beautiful liturgies with Gregorian Chant. Workshops for beginners and media professionals will be offered during the faith and technology themed CLARECAMP event at the expo. FATHER JOHN ZUHLSDORF of “WHAT DOES THE PRAYER REALLY SAY?” blog (WDTPRS.COM) will be the keynote speaker and the Annual CATHOLIC NEW MEDIA AWARDS will be announced at this event.

For additional information, www.catholiconexpo.com.

CATHOLICON EXPO is August 26 through 28, 2011 at THE HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL in Houston, Texas, USA.

Social Media Revolution 2

Jim Coyle — Tue, 11 May 2010 02:49:20 +0000

While many people think of Social Media as a fad, those of us involved in religious communication – evangelization – and education have a critical mission to bring the Truth to people wherever they are. We need to be out in the marketplace, the town square. Here’s where we’ll find our people:

Are we out there?

Jim Coyle

Reaching Individuals in a Social Media Age

Jim Coyle — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:24:04 +0000

As Church, we have the same problem today as the disciples did nearly 2000 years ago: How do we reach people with our Message?

This is an essential question that the Church must repeatedly ask – and answer – as her mission of evangelization continues while people and societies adopt different methods of communication and culture. It’s the question Angela Santana posed and responded to in a presentation she gave earlier this week. She makes her points very well in the slides she’s shared online, critical points for the Church in our modern age:

Reaching Individuals in a Social Media Age: A Resource for the Catholic Church

View more presentations from Angela Santana.

You can follow and interact with Angela on Twitter @inspiredangela.

Jim Coyle

Facebook: Changes, Accessibility, Service?

Jim Coyle — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:03:14 +0000

I don’t know how much longer I’ll have the old-ish Facebook layout, but I’m reading and hearing bad reactions to the new design. It feels like Facebook changes its look (and mind?) every few months. By the time we users are comfortable with a new look and navigation, it seems they come out with a new one. (And occasionally there’s something like the confusion between “News Feed” and “Live Feed” which for millions of users still isn’t really resolved.)

While it may take me a little longer to find people and apps in the days and weeks following a redesign, the sudden and frequent changes can be especially disorienting for many people who have come to rely on Facebook for contact and support while they’re limited in what they can do – homebound during illness, unable to respond quickly to change, etc. Online communication and community has become a life raft for millions of people, and Facebook’s practice of frequent – and poorly announced, if at all – changes is a serious issue.

I hope that Facebook’s leaders will actively and seriously review their practices in light of users who may have temporary or permanent physical or cognitive limitations, ones that enable the these persons to be very alive and valuable members of society, able to make valuable contributions to the online community, but need stable, consistent, familiar physical and online environments. These people, their families and their friends would then be able to remain active members of the Facebook community.

From a public service and accessibility standpoint, implementing an option to keep using an older Facebook design would be a significant service to these people, and from a business standpoint would help advertisers trying to reach this audience, including families and other caregivers. Otherwise, much of this audience will be lost.

Jim Coyle