Church Board Appoints New Monitor Editor
| BOSTON
THE Christian Science Board of Directors yesterday announced the appointment of David Cook as editor of The Christian Science Monitor, effective Aug. 1.
Mr. Cook, who succeeds Richard Cattani, is also editor of Monitor Broadcasting, which produces the Monitor's domestic and short-wave radio news broadcasts.
``Our newspaper and radio activities both share the goal of unselfish service through journalism,'' said J. Anthony Periton, editor in chief of the Christian Science Publishing Society and a member of the Board of Directors. He said the directors are ``recognizing the unity of these two expressions of Monitor ideals by their appointment of the first editor to oversee both our broadcast and print activities.''
``The reorganization is not an effort to trim the budget for either radio or the newspaper, but it does reconfirm the Board's continuing commitment to the paper and to our radio broadcasting,'' Mr. Periton told the newspaper staff.
The Board named Mr. Cattani editor at large. ``Dick Cattani successfully captained the Monitor through rough seas,'' Periton said. ``With great courage, integrity, and skill, [he] led the paper through major technical and staffing changes. He was a tireless innovator and staunch advocate for the paper. All of us who love the Monitor and value its contribution to public life are in his debt.''
Cattani thanked the staff for its support during his editorship and the Board for the opportunity to serve as editor. ``I have achieved what I set out to do. I'm ready to move on to something else,'' he said.
Cook told staffers the Monitor newspaper and radio will maintain separate editing staffs, budgets, and correspondents, but would cooperate more closely. ``We will start with more-coordinated story-planning efforts and then slowly explore other sensible ways for staff members to contribute to both the newspaper and radio,'' he said.
Cook joined the newspaper in 1969 and has served in its Boston and Washington bureaus. He was editor of the Monitor's nightly TV news program, World Monitor, from 1988 to 1992.
Cattani joined the newspaper in 1966. Before becoming editor in November 1988, he served in its Chicago and Washington bureaus and as chief editorial writer.