PATTEN HEADS VATICAN MEDIA COMITTEE

Daily Mail
July 9, 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2685942/PATTEN-HEADS-VATICAN-MEDIA-COMITTEE.html

Lord Patten has been appointed to lead a committee overhauling the Vatican's approach to the media only two months after quitting his role as chairman of the BBC Trust for health reasons.

The former cabinet minister and last Governor of Hong Kong worked with three different director-generals during his time at the corporation and weathered scandals including excessive executive pay and the corporation's disastrous Diamond Jubilee coverage.

The Vatican said Lord Patten, a practising Catholic, would head the committee which would be charged with making "substantial financial savings" and ensuring "the Holy Father's messages reach more of the faithful around the world, especially young people".

The committee is expected to publish its report within 12 months.

Lord Patten, who had heart surgery seven years ago, quit his role as head of the BBC's governing body in May, saying it was "on the advice of my doctors".

Speaking at the time, he said: "I have concluded that I cannot continue to work at the same full pace as I have done to date, and that I should reduce the range of roles I undertake."

During his time at the BBC, he was criticised for the number of positions he held including serving as Chancellor of Oxford University and Co-Chair of the UK-India Round Table.