The influence of mass media on shaping the public opinion on the Church – resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

This article attempts to offer several keys to understanding the considerable role of mass media as regards shaping the public opinion on the Church. This analysis is based on the media reactions to the resignation of Benedict XVI. The news appearing in mass media is confronted with the institutional statement of the Pope (declaration). The article presents the factors that make the news and refers the news values to information regarding resignation of Benedict XVI. This indicates why this decision raised common public attention. This article also introduces the role of mass media in shaping the public opinion based on the discussed example of the papal decision of 11 February 2013. The text focuses on how mass media, within their interpretation of the reality, can use manipulation techniques hindering access to truth and making it difficult to understand the news – this issue is also briefly presented in the text