Goal: Jesus is the word of God made flesh, the communication of the Father to the human race. We wish to build up a culture of communication in the Gospel spirit and bring the gospel to the young and the poor using all available means of communications and information technology in active collaboration with all those engaged in this, especially the various commissions of the province.
Objectives: To continue to build up communications as well as training in media skills and assist Salesians, collaborators and youth to become participants in various communication processes.
The rapidly changing scenario in Social Communication compels us to newer forms of expression in the media apostolate. The Province has taken upon itself the ministry of empowering the poor and the young by an active and meaningful presence in the world of media.
The e-ministry service of the Province was inaugurated by the Rector Major by the DB Digits team headed by Fr T.D. John. during this visit to the Province in 2005. Today the ministry is effectively carried out through a variety of means.
Publications
- D.B. Kaburlu and Bosco Margam are regularly published. Kaburlu also tried to present all the major activities in the Province by highlighting a particular sector in each of its issues.
- Books written, translated, abridged by Fr John Lens, our Pioneer missionary from Belgium are periodically printed and published from various publishing houses. So too are books wriitten by Fr Panampara Abraham, Br Chinnabathuni Gregory (in Telugu) and other individual confreres from time to time. A complete list of them is available here.
Basically Kaburlu is the official news letter/magazine of the province. The aim of Kaburlu is to bring to fore the day-to-day happenings of the Salesian presences in A.P. This is a trimonthly magazine that gives a glimpse of the current situation of the houses to the province as well as to the Salesian world around.
Bosco Margam was earlier published under the name “Salesian Bulletin.” Due to some legal implications it was later changed in to Bosco Margam. Bosco Margam is the news bulletin of the province of Hyderabad in Telugu. Through this vernacular bulletin we are able to reach the homes and communities, youths, past pupils, co-operators, members of the Salesian family etc. It is an effective instrument for vocation promotion. Bro. Chinnabathuni Gregory was the first editor of this Salesian magazine which is printed and published every month from St Michael’s Press, Guntur. The present Editor is Fr Yerramaneni Balaswamy, published from Don Bosco Publishing House, BIRDY, Hyderabad, printed at Don Bosco Technical School Press, Guntur.
Audio CDs and hymnals
Confreres are actively involved in the field of music ministry and continue to spread the Word of God through composition and production of music CDs. A complete list of products is available here.
DB Digits
In September 2005, the provincial council received two letters, one by Fr. John Lens and the other by Fr. T.D. John, in response to their reading of the letter of the Rector Major “With the Courage of Don Bosco on the new Frontiers of Social Communication” (AGC 390, July – September 2005). The Council entrusted the responsibility for the follow up to the Commission for Social Communications. This was the starting point of a venture that became one of the Centenary Memorial Initiatives of the province and came to be called DB DIGITS. The whole purpose of the initiative was to use the Media for bringing the Good News to the poor before we are overwhelmed by it and to work towards bridging the digital divide. There was also the desire to network among ourselves to enhance our mutual communication and the resources that we could share. Some of the ventures of DB DIGITS have been the following.
Re-Launching, Activating, Maintaining the Province Website
The news and programmes of the province, of the provincial and his team, reports of programmes and activities from houses or commissions are some of the routine features. The latest as well as old issues of the provincial circulars, Bosco Margam and Kaburlu are available in the digital format on teh site. All important and relevant documents are found on this site. The web site keeps the province connected to the congregation.
Permanent Don Bosco Exhibition
As part of the Centenary celebrations, the permanent exhibition was set up at the Don Bosco Shrine – Youth Pilgrimage Centre. The work on the flexes, touch screen, translides, interactive TV and so on challenged the team to work creatively and a number of possibilities have emerged as part of the DB DIGITS services. The exhibition offers possibilities for interactive programmes through the touch screen, TV, Internet and so on. Future plans re-organisation of the exhibition to include a shorter version and with Telugu commentary. There are plans to have biblical and catechetical programmes and a Tele Youth unit with digitally coordinated activities.
Sankeerthana
An audio-video studio for the twin purpose of education and production has been was set up and is operational since 2007. Titled Sankeerthana, the studio is part of the Degree College, Sanathnagar and offers courses and training in audio-video related programmes.
Coordinating all these various activities of the Social Communication sector is the DB Pravahini. It also serves as the office of the Social Communication Delegate. It is situated in the youth animation centre of the Province, at BIRDY (Hyderabad).