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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 11 countries (United States, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, England, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Lebanon).
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.
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.
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.
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 tonegotiate 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.
Truly, ZENIT is an organization that stays alive because its readers sustain it.
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.
