Conference 'Church in Information Society' to be held in Odesa

30.03.2011, 19:27
On May 20-21, 2011, in Odesa, a two-day media conference “The Church in the Information Society” will be held. The event will include parallel sections in public relations, religious journalism, Internet journalism and blogging.

On May 20-21, 2011, in Odesa, a two-day media conference “The Church in the Information Society” will be held. The event will include parallel sections in public relations, religious journalism, Internet journalism and blogging. The organizers invite journalists, church leaders, representatives of church press services and Christian bloggers to participate in the conference.

The speakers will include secular and religious journalists, experts in public relations and government relations, well-known Ukrainian bloggers.

The event is organized by the Religious Information Service of Ukraine, the Koch Foundation and European Institute of social Communications (Odesa) with the support of S. Shulminsky School of Apostleship of Laymen and Church of Apostle Paul.

Thematic sections:

1.  External communication (public relations) for the church

  • PR is not advertizing or propaganda: what is PR and why does every organization need it?
  • Examples of use of PR tools by churches and Christian communities: Ukrainian and world experience
  • Top people targeted by journalists
  • How the secular media works: professional specificities
  • Familiarization with target audience
  • Monitoring of mass media: to study in order to understand
  • Government relations, lobbying
  • Anti-crises PR

2. Organization of the work of a church press service

  • Structure and functions of the press service
  • Press secretary: special mission
  • How to create an interesting media event
  • How to form your own database of media contacts
  • Specificities of media events (press conferences, briefings, press breakfasts, press tours, conferences, roundtables, etc.)
  • Interviews: WHAT and HOW to say to be heard and understood

3.  Church 2.0

  • Internet and new media as the modern areopagus for evangelization
  • Church website: the church’s image on the Internet. How to make it attractive.
  • Why does the church need social media?
  • Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal and professional networks in the Internet: what and why?
  • Influence of social media on traditional journalism
  • Search for partners for ministry through social media
  • Information campaigns in the Internet

4. Christian Journalism

  • Challenges and possibilities of Christian Journalism
  • How to make a Christian edition competitive
  • Television as a tool of God and the church
  • Best church media projects: way to success
  • Forms of interdenominational Christian cooperation

To register write to [email protected] by May 15, 2011. For additional information call 067 18 06 777.

Please specify the desired thematic section during registration.

You can leave your questions at the conference’s page on Facebook.