Pope Goes HD with Vatican's New High-Definition TV

Pope Benedict XVI is going HD, reports The AP.

The AP reported that the Vatican on Tuesday unveiled a new $6 million high-definition mobile unit to let the Vatican broadcast the pope's Masses, audiences and trips in high -definition television.

The upgrade, paid for by the Knights of Columbus and Vatican television and offered at a discount by Sony, will let the Vatican keep up with the rapidly developing technology that is increasingly becoming the norm for broadcasters, documentary makers and other media providers.

The Vatican Television Center (CTV) was created in 1983. The principle aim of CTV is to spread the message of the Gospel by using television to document the Pope's pastoral ministry and the activities of the Apostolic.

The main services offered by CTV are: live broadcasts, production, archiving, and daily assistance to other broadcasters.

Every year, CTV conducts about 130 live broadcasts of events inside the Vatican (the Angelus, the Pope's General Audience (News - Alert) and other events or celebrations). In addition there are live broadcasts associated with the Pope’s trips in Italy and abroad. Live broadcasts are transmitted by other Catholic television networks. On request by international TV networks, CTV can coordinate satellite link-ups in order to relay the signal anywhere in the world. On an experimental basis, the Angelus is currently transmitted directly from the Vatican via Intelsat (News - Alert) towards America every Sunday. CTV is also promoting a project which includes the interactive and multimedia diffusion of major events.

CTV also distributes footage shot as part of the papal entourage during the Pope's trips abroad and coordinates special duplications centers within the press centers on these trips. Inside the Vatican, CTV offers assistance and facilities to foreign correspondents.