Vatican TV showcases latest 4K video technology

Pope Francis elevated three American bishops to the prestigious post of cardinal over the weekend. Their responsibilities include electing the next pope. News of the promotions was broadcast worldwide by the Vatican television center, a small operation with a big reach.

Even if you’re not Catholic or not religious, it would be hard not to be impressed by the images coming from the Vatican City during a weekend when the new American cardinals joined Pope Francis for mass in St. Peter’s Square Sunday.

It was covered by 12 cameras including two sweeping jibs, the cameras on long arms, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.

Specific moments, including the closing of the Holy Door, were carefully choreographed and it was all transmitted to the world at the highest-quality possible.

“You’re broadcasting at a quality level that most of us cannot imagine -- most of us have never seen because our TVs are not that good,” Doane said.

“It’s the very first time,” said Stefano D’Agostini, head of Vatican TV.

It’s a first for the Vatican. D’Agostini explained the technology they used is 4K HDR.

“HDR is more bright, more detailed, more contrast on the image. It is like the human view,” D’Agostini said.

Workers from Sony in Japan were there for the debut, and we peeked into Vatican TV’s high-tech, mobile production vans, parked in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica.

“You describe Vatican TV almost like a ‘laboratory’ for television. Why?” Doane asked.

“Because it’s easier for the companies, for the factories to work with us because we are small,” D’Agostini said. 

CTV, or Centro Televisivo Vatican in Italian, has just 21 full-time employees.

“Vatican Television is like the mouse that roared, okay? It’s a tiny operation if you look at the number of people, but the quality is really great,” Vatican press secretary Greg Burke said.

Burke, a former Fox News correspondent, now runs the Vatican press office.

“You’re a TV guy. When you see that operation at Vatican Television, what do you think?” Doane asked.

“I think, ‘Wow,’” Burke said. 

Its unparalleled access allows viewers the chance to see the world and the crowds as the pontiff does.

Vatican TV is hardly an independent observer.  Rather, it’s part of the church’s massive PR apparatus. Reminders of its mission are on screen and off. 

The material is hard to beat in setting, scale and sheer theatrics, whether it’s the cardinals marching into the Sistine Chapel or that memorable “goodbye flight” over the Eternal City when Benedict the 16th became pope emeritus.

Vatican TV is digitizing and archiving decades of material. One room holds enough memory to store 28,000 video cassettes.

“This is an expensive operation, Vatican TV is. Why dedicate so many resources to TV?” Doane asked.

“I think the answer is: this helps get the Pope’s message out, you know. The better you can tell that story -- and these days, we’re telling stories with pictures,” Burke said.

They’re shooting at such a high level with the archive in mind, they know most people won’t be able to see a 4K HDR image on their home TV for many years.