The Church Information Office, created in 1959, was the successor to the Press and Publications Board and the Church Information Board. CIO was responsible through the Church Information Committee to the Standing Committee of the General Synod.
The main task was to provide the information services required by the Convocations, the Church Assembly (later General Synod) and other Church organisations and bodies who care to use them.
The work on the Office was under the general direction of the Chief Information Officer; and was carried out through a number of departments. 1960 these were concerned with:
1. Information and enquiries (Enquiry Centre)
2. Press and publicity
3. Church House Bookshop
4. Publications
5. Radio and Television.
In 1960 a seperate Photographic Department was created.
Publishing ceased to be a CIO concern in 1979 when the work was devolved to a new Publishing Department under the Central Board of Finance. This Department continued to publish books under the CIO imprint until 1985 when it became Church House Publishing (and incidentally took over the publishing of Crockford). Church House Bookshop became a CBF concern in 1982.
The Chief Information Officer was also the Press Officer for the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Church Information Office was reorganised on 1 Sept 1983 and replaced by two new departments: Press and Public Affairs Department and Broadcasting Department.
