The Central Communications Board has launched the Magazine, Website and Social Media Competition and invites entries within each category (details below).

Quality of design and layout, strength of editorial content and outreach potential are once again to be the standards of excellence against which entries will be judged. The closing date is Friday, 26 March 2010. Winners will be announced at the General Synod in Dublin, 6-8 May 2010.

Central Communications Board Chairman, the Rt Revd Trevor Williams, Bishop of Limerick, says:

‘Among the unsung heroes of the Church of Ireland are those who assist our communications. Parish and Diocesan Magazines or Newsletters have been around for a long time and the ‘print’ media still play an indispensable role in helping us keep in touch with one another.

‘Today, we are living through a revolution which is changing not only how and what we communicate but changing the way we live. Increasingly Web sites are being created by parishes and dioceses and in previous competitions we have seen some fine examples. But ask the ‘young at heart’ and you’ll find they are constantly using texting, Bebo, Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with what is happening. This year, as well as the more traditional media, let’s see how the ‘new’ technologies can be used by the Church. This competition is to celebrate the old and new. We want to be inspired, to learn and progress.

‘Communication is about creating community. And after all, that’s the Church’s core business. So get involved. Let’s learn from what you are doing.’

In the Magazine section entries are invited in three print media categories:

Diocesan Magazines
Parish Magazine/Newsletter
Church of Ireland affiliated organisation Magazine/Newsletter

In the Website section entries are invited in three categories:

Diocesan Website
Parish Website
Church of Ireland affiliated organisation Website

In the Social Media section:

Most innovative use of Interactive Communication Technologies (ICT) or ‘social media’ over and beyond standard websites, eg: blogs, podcasts or social networking or content-sharing websites.

Entries are welcome from any committee or group associated with the Church of Ireland.

Please obtain an entry form from the Church of Ireland Press Office (by email: press@ireland.anglican.org or phone: from NI 028 9023 2909, from RoI 048 9023 2909) and send entries as follows:

Magazines and newsletters – one recent copy – to Jenny Compston, Press Office, Church of Ireland House, 61-67 Donegall St, Belfast, BT 1 2QH, Northern Ireland.

Websites, please supply an e-mail containing the URL to:  press@ireland.anglican.org.

Social Media, please send an example or link including a description of  the technology, how applied and the objective of the initiative to Jenny Compston, Press Office, Church of Ireland House, 61-67 Donegall St, Belfast, BT 1 2QH, Northern Ireland or to press@ireland.anglican.org.

Remember: the closing date for entries is Friday 26 March 2010

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