Nick Stuart

President and CEO of Odyssey Networks

RCCongress 2010 Panel Member:

Nick Stuart is the president and CEO of Odyssey Networks, the largest interfaith multiplatform media organization in the U.S. dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion. Based in New York City, Stuart is responsible for developing short-term and long-term strategies, implementing policies and procedures, as well as directing the work of all the employees within Odyssey Networks.

An award-winning independent television producer and journalist, he was formerly CEO of the UK-based, nonprofit independent production company, CTVC. He is credited with re-inventing that organization by expanding distribution of its faith-oriented programming into prime time and into the mainstream media, establishing an educational department, and introducing TrueTube, a teen-oriented Web site where real-life stories and documentaries are featured on a YouTube-style online platform. TrueTube, often referred to as “You Tube with a conscience,” won major awards in the UK in its first year of operation, including the Jerusalem Award for best on-demand Internet TV network and the Education Resource Award for innovation.

Stuart brings an intriguing mix of skills and experiences to his current position, having created quiz shows, produced music videos and reported from war zones. Earlier in his career, he was a reporter and presenter on Britain’s most watched TV network, ITV, as well as on the Five channel. A veteran of radio and TV programming and production, he created hundreds of hours of programming for BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 4, ITV, Channel 4, Five, Discovery, History and National Geographic during his tenure at CTVC alone. His work, which has garnered both critical acclaim and strong ratings, is characterized by a commitment to themes of spirituality and interfaith understanding that appeal to a broad audience.

Cultural Diversity and Communication — A Panel Presentation

In all modern societies, one of the most difficult contemporary debates is about “social cohesion” and “cultural diversity,” the integration of different cultural and religious groups into an increasingly pluralistic society in which it seems harder than ever to find common ground and values. This topic is especially important to religious communicators because religion plays such an important part in shaping the identities of individuals and groups.

These issues are played out day-by-day in the media which both reflects the unfolding situation and at the same time has an important role in framing the debate and shaping perceptions, especially of minorities and other groups deemed to be “outsiders.”

What, then, are the responsibilities of religious communicators within this context? How can religious communicators influence the debates about cultural diversity? To what extent is religious communication itself a problem? How have different societies balanced the demands for diversity and for cohesion? What can religious communicators from different countries learn from each other?

This panel, made up of people from different cultures and countries, will seek to open up these questions and challenge religious communicators as how best they can respond.