Die Bistumsblätter - universelle Medien der Ortskirche?

Abstract

"Die Kirchenzeitung hat die Pflicht - will sie ihrer Aufgabe, treu und redlich .das
Leben der Kirche widerzuspiegeln, gerecht wel'den - über alle wichtigen (und manchmal unwichtig scheinenden) Vorgänge in diesem lebendigen Leib der Kirche objektiv, ohne Beschönigung, nüchtern und sachlich zu informieren. " So umschreibt die Kirchenzeitung für 'das Bistum Limburg "Der Sonntag" den Auftrag eines Bistumsblattes; in einer wissenschaftlichen Definition nimmt sich dies etwa so aus: (...) 

English 

This contribution deals with the question of how far the diocesan weeklies in the Federal Republic of Germany can be seen as the universal media of the local Church. Three questions are posed: (1) Is all news and every opinion reported? (2) Are all members and groups within the Church free to express their opinion? (3) Has every group in each diocese this opportunity? According to the survey of concrete examples, the author comes to the conclusion that this is not so. He warns, however, against generalising from these results. In part, some of the wecklies come near to fulfilling these expectations - a fact which some critics would prefer to ignore.