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By Daniel J. Lehmann
Magazines face unclear future
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$2.50 Volume 6, Issue 7 February 2013
hese are challenging times for denominational magazines, as some fold and others face reori- entation. That prompted an “Affirmation of
Religious Journalism” statement by the organiza- tion that represents many church publications. The Lutheran is a member of the Associated
Church Press, the oldest interdenominational Christian press association in North America. In September the group’s board approved a statement sought by members that it eventually sent to denominational leaders of member publica- tions (
www.theacp.org/acp-affirmation-of-religious-journalism). “In recent years reorganization and strategic repositioning in many denomi- nations in North America have led to the demise of a host of venerable denomi- national magazines, newspapers and news services,” the statement said. Denominations affected included the United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, and Reformed Church in America. Further, “many other churches’ print and electronic news sources have expe-
rienced severe financial and staffing cutbacks and/or pressure to redefine their missions in greater alignment with corporate communication models and devel- opment priorities in their denominations.” It asked leadership to “stop this seri- ous erosion of religious journalism” and discuss the issues with ACP members and other journalists and communicators in their denominations. The Lutheran did not attend the meeting. However, the magazine’s prospects and the reasons why are clear and common to all church publications. When The Lutheran opened with the ELCA in 1988, it was the only game
in town. The Internet changed everything. Many sites and resources deliver the increasingly specific, unique information folks want—usually for free. Denominational magazines are businesses. The Lutheran exists on subscrip- tion sales and advertising. It is economically viable for the near future. It serves as a mirror to ELCA members, congregations, synods, agencies and the church- wide organization about our life together as Lutherans, and does so with edito- rial independence (content decisions rest with the editor). But we can’t ignore what is happening to our society, church and members.
Individualism, congregationalism and secularism all undercut denominations and their magazines, the goals of which are to promote commonality and col- legiality in the work of sharing the good news and helping “the other.” That’s why The Lutheran is engaged with others at
the churchwide office in a professional review of our communications efforts: what we do well, where we overlap, what is being missed, and how we might bet- ter serve the church separately and together. To paraphrase a line from a movie, the last buggy whip manufacturer was probably the best. It still went out of business. The challenge is to change and adapt—with integrity—or risk passing into history.
Counting 4 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
Individualism, congregationalism and secularism all undercut denominations and their
magazines ….
MICHAEL D. WATSON
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