Lord Patten, head of a Vatican Media Committee formed to recommend reforms, said the Holy See needs better capability to respond to a constant news cycle and in different languages.

"What is needed now is more visual, multi-media content, especially if one wishes to reach younger people," he said.

About 85 per cent of the net cost of the Vatican's media outlay goes on newspapers and radio, Lord Patten noted.

Television and social media resources are professionally run, but under-resourced.

But Lord Patten warned that reforming Vatican media could see individuals who had long enjoyed effective autonomy very likely finding it hard to adapt to being accountable to others.

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