This past week the professional organization of episcopal communicators held its annual conference at Camp Allen, outside Navasota, Texas. Late March finds most of Texas paved with bluebonnets and this year was no exception.
The new communications director for the national church, Anne Rudig, introduced herself and some of her office’s plans and strategies for the upcoming convention. She and her team are very in tune with communicating to the Episcopalians in Anaheim, to those following along in parishes across the country, but also to the wider circle of interest in the public and media.
In that light, the national office has “beefed up” the role of communications and added new people and in new roles. The deputations and supporting staff on the ground will find much more support and available resources, including twice daily public briefings, interview and operations rooms, and faster digital production. Episcopal Life will again issue a daily paper, also available online, and this year including a Spanish language version.
Special attention has been given to creating a website that will serve as a true media hub, both for attendees and those following along. This website will be online for the duration of the convention only. The planned web features will each be available as modules which can be embedded in other web sites, and include:
- as-it-happens news feeds, twitterfeeds, picture feeds, in addition to feeds from the secular media covering the convention
- blogging teams led by communications staff from many dioceses
- a detailed daily calendar
- twitter “digital billboard”
- video-on-demand, some shot before, about mission and story of attendees and the diocese they represent
- a legislation tracker with instant updates
- a resource library ranging from history of the convention to context surrounding legislation
- flickr photo stream
- videos from the on-site “iamepiscopalian” project booth in addition to interviews with deputations, and presenters
- the traditional episcopal news service feed
The Missouri deputation and our diocesan ECW leaders are preparing local perspectives and history, and hope to have that set up by May.
For our blogging and writing friends, new this year the national church is offering offsite media credentials. Apply here. More information about credentials here.
And hoping to not overload you with information, please feel free to send any question, observation, or suggestion for material that is relevant to you to our diocesan email address GC09@diocesemo.org.
Tags: Communication, Episcopal Church Women, General Convention
