In recent days we've learned that long-time communications personnel are departing their posts. Jan Nunley of The Episcopal News Service (ENS) for the Episcopal Church has all ready left her post at the 815 headquarters in New York and Jim Rosenthall of the Anglican Communion News Service 
(ACNS) with the Anglican Communion Office in London, was telling folks attending the recent Compass Rose Society that he's sadly leaving his post as well by Christmas.Jan was missing from Lambeth with 815 sending the public relations staffer instead. And it was clear that Jim Rosenthal's role was greatly reduced at Lambeth - fueling speculation that times were about to change. Both appear to be leaving with sadness, though Jan is back online now with her own blog. It's clear that the winds have changed - and are changing - but which way are they blowing now?
5 comments:
That reminds me that Jim Rosenthal was a deacon at the church where the gay eucharist was held a year ago, after it was moved from the originally planned site.
It doesn't seem that long ago that Bob Williams left 815 communications and went back to Dio. L.A.
Recently, some of the TEC journalists seem to have stepped up for the values of their vocation and reported honestly on stuff like the Pine Ridge church "disposal" plan, the lawsuit dollars, and other potentially uncomfortable (for 815) subjects.
It really does seem like TEC wants spinners and PR types more than journalists - I giggle and think of Sarah Hey's stuff about "The People's Artist" and TEC's likeness to government controlled "news".
Jan Nunley provided great sport for the gleeful snipers at Midwest Conservative Journal.
I recall seeing a "flow chart" at the House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans last year that split Communications at 815 into two branches - the traditional "news" branch and the "flac" branch.
It looks as though the more traditional news branch has been sawed off. Not that this is necessarily a bad idea on the part of 815. It recognizes that their priorities have changed - instead of supplying "news" to the world and to the dioceses and parishes around the country - they need to get busy and do some serious flak work to attempt to recover from very bad PR for the past five years. They need to be proactive and not reactive. They need publicists, not journalists.
This article went over my desk today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/20/AR2008112002287_pf.html
Do you see 815 flak fingerprints on it? Look at the lead, look very carefully at the lead.
815 has hinted around this type of campaign for a long time - looks like the gloves have finally come off. What "phrase" jumps out of you that does not sound like an objective journalist writing an article that will be published in the Washington Post and around the country? What connotations does the image raise? Where do you think it came from?
It may be blessing to Jan (most especially - she's professional and as you said above, a good sport) and to Jim, both ordained, not to have to manage what may be coming from the attempt to rebuild TEC's image. It may not be very pretty, especially if the Virginia Churches win. That decision should come at any time.
Looks like 815 will be seeking new pumps to push out its effluent.
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