FAQ - IDENTITY AND ORGANIZATION
Here is a list of the FAQs (frequently asked questions) we receive from ZENIT readers.
You can also find more information by going to the links listed at the right of this page.
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LIST OF QUESTIONS:
1. What is ZENIT?
2. Who publishes ZENIT?
3. What is ZENIT's mission statement?
4. What kind of information can I find in ZENIT?
5. Why was ZENIT established?
6. When did ZENIT begin?
7. How did ZENIT get started?
8. Who is ZENIT for?
9. How many people read ZENIT?
10. How can I receive ZENIT?
11. Where are ZENIT's offices located?
12. Who works for ZENIT?
13. How is ZENIT organized?
14. Can I meet the editors?
15. How can I contact the editors?
16. Does ZENIT have a mailing address?
17. Does ZENIT represent the Vatican?
18. Do I have to pay to receive ZENIT?
19. What are ZENIT's operating costs?
20. Who finances ZENIT?
21. Can I republish ZENIT articles?
22. Do I need to send a donation in order to access ZENIT news?
23. Does ZENIT have a particular ideology?
24. Can I work for ZENIT?
25. How can I help?
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1. What is ZENIT?
ZENIT is a non-profit international news agency, made up of a team of professionals and volunteers who are convinced of the extraordinary richness of the Catholic Church's message, particularly its social doctrine. The ZENIT team sees this message as a light for understanding today's world.
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2. Who publishes ZENIT?
ZENIT belongs to Innovative Media Inc., a non-profit organization based in New York. Innovative Media Inc. is also the owner of this Web site and possesses the copyrights of all articles posted on it, except those which have a different copyright explicitly noted.
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3. What is ZENIT's mission statement?
Our objective is to inform about the "world seen from Rome," with professionalism and faithfulness to the truth. In other words, we aim to look at the modern world through the messages of the Pope and the Holy see, inform about the happenings of the Church in the world, and the topics, debates and events that are especially interesting to Christians worldwide.
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4. What kind of information can I find in ZENIT?
The range of news includes:
-- The activities of the Pope: apostolic trips, documents, meetings with heads of states and important social, cultural and religious figures. We give particular emphasis to the activities of the Holy Father and his addresses. His words stimulate reflection, not just among Catholics.
-- Interviews with men and women of the Church and political and social figures about topics of special interest.
-- The international scene, with special emphasis on questions relevant for Christians and the life of the Catholic Church.
-- The activities of the Holy See: diplomatic efforts, humanitarian initiatives, cultural events, and profiles of the Catholic Church's leaders.
-- Features on social, political and religious topics at the center of public debate. Special attention is given to themes related to the defense of life and the family, social justice, bioethics, euthanasia, abortion, contraception, respect of human rights, religious freedom, and the persecution of Christians in the world.
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5. Why was ZENIT established?
Our team has always been convinced of the extraordinary richness of the Catholic Church's message, particularly its social doctrine. The team sees this message as a light for understanding today's world.
At the same time, we are aware that this richness is little known in the media. And this motivates us to strive to bring this message to every place reached by the Internet.
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6. When did ZENIT begin?
In May 1997, ZENIT began a Spanish-language edition.
Later, it added six other language editions: English in January 1998, French in January 1999, German in October 1999, Portuguese in April 2003, Italian in March 2004, and Arabic in November 2006.
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7. How did ZENIT get started?
It began with some journalists who were convinced that a worldwide project to distribute religious information, especially that related to the Pope and the life of the Catholic Church, could have great success. And they were convinced they could make use of the great opportunities that the technological development of communication systems were beginning to make available to everyone in that time (1997), particularly the Internet and e-mail.
In ZENIT's first three years, important donations from the group Aid to the Church in Need, the Italian bishops' conference and the Legionaries of Christ enabled the agency to grow.
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8. Who is ZENIT for?
ZENIT news is for media organizations that make professional use of it and also for everyone who wants to receive in their inbox reliable and rapid news about the activities of the Pope; the magisterium and the life of the Catholic Church; and the great events, debates, discussions and activities of worldwide interest "seen from Rome."
There are currently more than 20,000 media organizations that use ZENIT. These include: large and small television and radio channels, newspapers and magazines, Web pages, diocesan and parish bulletins and newsletters.
Our readers are just as diverse.
As is shown by the testimonies that we receive, many of our readers are missionaries or people who live in strikingly difficult situations, with few resources. Thanks to the fact that ZENIT is free, direct and real-time news is available to them and enables them to feel closer to the Church of Rome.
Moreover, we believe that the Catholic Church has great influence in forming public opinion at a worldwide level and plays an active role in defining social and global geopolitical tendencies. The Church's voice cannot be ignored in analysis, debates and discussions that aim for objectivity and plurality.
Therefore, we believe that offering information about religious themes and particularly about the activities and positions of the Catholic Church, and doing it with professionalism, is a service for all, regardless of individual religious beliefs.
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9. How many people read ZENIT?
ZENIT's distribution, from its beginning in 1997, has grown.
The number of subscribers who receive ZENIT services by e-mail has grown from 4,000 in December 1997 to 450,000 at the end of 2006.
Media organizations that reprint ZENIT materials number more than 20,000.
Considering the varied profiles of these media organizations, it is impossible to know just how many people receive information from ZENIT.
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10. How can I receive ZENIT?
You can receive ZENIT news in three ways:
-- Navigating through this Web site, making use of our search engine and our indexed archive
-- Receiving daily and/or weekly services via e-mail
-- Reading the news in RSS format
Receiving ZENIT news for personal use is totally free.
Those who would like ZENIT for professional use (information services and organizations) can refer to the fees for this use as well as reprint permissions.
We invite you to read about the terms of use of the material published and distributed by ZENIT.
In all cases, reprinting ZENIT articles always requires the express permission of the publisher and it needs attribution to “ZENIT.org.”
Web sites who reprint ZENIT news should cite ZENIT and include a link to www.zenit.org.
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11. Where are ZENIT's offices located?
Innovative Media Inc., the publisher of ZENIT in all its language-editions, is a non-profit organization based in New York. It is registered in various states of the United States and currently has its offices in Georgia.
There is, however, no real home base for the ZENIT team. ZENIT's office is the Internet.
This has enabled us to reduce costs, and allows people from any corner of the planet to collaborate with our information agency.
The more than 50 people who today form part of the ZENIT team are spread throughout 12 countries (United States, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, England, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Russia and Lebanon).
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12. Who works for ZENIT?
Our team is composed of journalists, editors, translators, technical staff and administrators.
All are committed to making their best effort in offering ZENIT their professional collaboration or volunteer services. Some are religious or consecrated men and women. Others are lay people who come from Church groups, both young and ancient (Franciscan and Ignatian spiritualities, Opus Dei, communities from the Charismatic Renewal, Regnum Christi, the Teresian Institute and parish leaders ...). Two Legionary of Christ priests offer consultation services and collaborate in writing the Analysis and Liturgy columns. Several married couples also work for ZENIT.
Here, you can meet the ZENIT team.
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13. How is ZENIT organized?
ZENIT has a very simple organization.
Innovative Media Inc., a non-profit organization based in New York, is the publisher of ZENIT in all its language-editions. It has a directive team and a president who oversee the Editorial Director and Director of Operations.
Each language-edition (Spanish, English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Arabic) and each department (reader services, promotion, fund raising, advertising, administration) organizes its own work, answering to their respective directors according to the organizational guidelines that are normally agreed upon at an annual programming meeting.
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14. Can I meet the editors?
There is no real home base for the ZENIT team; our office is the Internet.
This has enabled us to reduce costs and allows people from any corner of the planet to collaborate with our information agency.
The more than 50 people who today form part of the ZENIT team are spread throughout 12 countries (United States, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, England, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Russia and Lebanon).
Nevertheless, we invite you to a virtual visit of the ZENIT team. You can see their photos and profiles by clicking here: team.
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15. How can I contact the editors?
You can contact the editors by clicking here: contact the editors.
We welcome your comments, suggestions, ideas or whatever else you want to tell us.
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16. Does ZENIT have a mailing address?
To contact ZENIT by mail, you can use one of these addresses:
In the UNITED STATES:
Innovative Media Inc. - ZENIT
P.O. Box 467603
Atlanta, GA 31146 - USA
In SPAIN:
Fundación ZENIT
Apartado de correos 105
28220 Majadahonda
Madrid - España
In MEXICO:
Innovative Media Inc.
C.A.P. INTERLOMAS
Apartado Postal #4
Boulevard Interlomas #5
Col. Lomas Anáhuac - C.P. 52781
Huixquilucan, Estado de México.
In FRANCE:
Association ZENIT
BP 14
22300 PLOUBEZRE
France
In ITALY:
Innovative Media Inc. - ZENIT
Casella postale 18356
00164 Roma - Italy
In GERMANY:
ZENIT e.V.
Bahnhofstr.4
D-83661 Lenggries - Germany
In BRAZIL:
Associação ZENIT
Caixa Postal 323-9
CEP 12.010-970
Taubaté, SP - Brasil
For any other country, write:
Innovative Media Inc. - ZENIT
P.O. Box 467603
Atlanta, GA 31146 - USA
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17. Does ZENIT represent the Vatican?
ZENIT is an independent, professional news agency that does not represent nor belong to the Vatican.
However, the agency's defining principle is "the world seen from Rome," which means that by way of its information service, it wants to offer a vision of the world as it is seen and proposed by the Holy See.
In order to fulfill this goal, ZENIT is in contact with various organizations within the Holy See, particularly the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. But it always maintains its independence as a news agency.
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18. Do I have to pay to receive ZENIT?
No. The reception and personal use of ZENIT is entirely free.
Those who use ZENIT professionally (information services and organizations) pay fees for reprint permissions.
Still, given that our priority is spreading information, we are willing to negotiate fees and adapt to each situation.
We invite you to consult the page terms of use to find useful information about negotiating fees and how you can obtain permission to publish ZENIT materials.
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19. What are ZENIT's operating costs?
Here, you can consult our annual budget.
Currently, more than 50 people work for ZENIT.
Those who are familiar with the costs of communication services will realize that our production and distribution costs -- in all seven editions -- are quite low.
We control our costs by taking advantage of the Internet both for internal communication among the team and for the distribution of news. This, along with other factors, enables people from any corner of the planet to collaborate full or part time with the ZENIT project.
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20. Who finances ZENIT?
As a non-profit organization that wishes to maximize the distribution of our news, ZENIT has chosen not to charge for subscriptions.
That's why ZENIT offers its services without charge to all those who make personal use of our articles, and offers those who wish to make professional use of ZENIT (information services and organizations) a great possibility to negotiate fees when their purpose is evangelization and their funds are limited.
Therefore, our readers have an essential role in the life and development of ZENIT. With their donations, they financially sustain ZENIT and help it to grow.
As you can see in our annual budget, donations cover 90% of our operating costs, and 80% of those donations come from readers.
The growth of ZENIT has been possible only due to the simultaneous increase in reader donations. The first fund-raising campaign in the year 2000 brought in $103,000. In 2006, readers contributed $1,020,000.
For seven years now, thanks to reader donations, ZENIT has operated in the black, despite the fact that operating costs constantly rise as ZENIT grows and launches new projects.
Truly, ZENIT is an organization that stays alive because its readers sustain it.
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21. Can I republish ZENIT articles?
We charge a fee for those who make professional use of ZENIT (information services or organizations) and wish to republish or reprint our news articles.
Still, given that our priority is spreading information, we are willing to negotiate fees and adapt to each situation.
We invite you to consult the page terms of use to find useful information about negotiating fees and how you can obtain permission to publish ZENIT materials.
Reprinting ZENIT articles always requires the express permission of the publisher and attribution to "ZENIT.org." Web sites that reprint ZENIT news should cite ZENIT and include a link to www.zenit.org.
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22. Do I need to send a donation in order to access ZENIT news?
As can be seen in the annual budget, ZENIT is an agency sustained by the enthusiastic support of its readers.
The voluntary support of readers, each according to personal possibilities, is absolutely fundamental for the existence and growth of ZENIT.
Nevertheless, we emphasize that the reception of ZENIT news for personal use is free. There is no limit in accessing news for those who cannot or do not wish to support ZENIT financially.
That is why we do an annual fund-raising campaign with our readers, so that thanks to the generosity of those who wish to send contributions, we can distribute news without a subscription fee to everyone around the world, regardless of whether they can make a donation.
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23. Does ZENIT have a particular ideology?
ZENIT is guided by the principle of "the world seen from Rome," that is, the outlook of the Holy See on the world of today. In this sense, it is not a left-wing or right-wing agency, neither conservative nor progressive.
Our compass is the social doctrine of the Church, summarized in the Compendium published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
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24. Can I work for ZENIT?
We suggest you send us a message using this page: contact us.
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25. How can I help?
There are many ways in which you can help ZENIT. Consult the page: help ZENIT.
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