# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S60 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 60 SYNOD REPORTS the country. However, we think the magazine is better now than it was then. Witness District Editions: Thirteen of the Synod’s 35 districts choose to have their monthly district news “stitched-in,” or published within, the body of the national Lutheran Witness. Participating districts include In- diana, lowa West, Kansas, Mid-South, Minnesota North, Min- nesota South, North Dakota, North Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Rocky Mountain, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, and Texas. Working closely with district editors and CPH, BCS staffer Carla Dubbelde each month lays out, edits, and proofreads these supplements, which can range from as few as four to as many as 24 pages (most are eight). She also works each quarter with the Synod’s Ministry to the Armed Forces in producing “So Help Me, God”—what used to be the “district edition” of Armed Forces Min- istry—mailed with “Portals of Prayer.” The BCS is grateful for the “stitched-in” program, for by their par- ticipation, districts make it easier and more economical for their peo- ple to receive the national Witness. Similarly, the districts benefit, too—not only by BCS editing services but also by savings in postage. Reporter: Reporter goes each month to some 32,000 professional church workers and congregational lay leaders. A major enhancement to Reporter during the past triennium was the advent of a monthly “commentary” column, which almost immediately became one of the best-read components in the news- paper. Another notable development is the impressive increase in the number of “inserts” placed in Reporter by boards, commissions, and other groups. Some months, as many as three four-page inserts “piggyback” in the newspaper. We are able to offer these inserts in full color, having taken Reporter itself to full color during the past triennium. It is gratifying that many in the Synod apparently con- sider Reporter an effective vehicle for “getting the word out” about their ministries. Costs for Reporter are kept reasonable by a small staff, constant monitoring of printing and paper costs, and aggressive efforts to sell advertising. We have more to say about Reporter, and the Witness as well, in the final section of this report. The Witness and Reporter Web Sites: After much planning and effort, a completely redesigned and vastly improved Lutheran Witness Web site debuted in March’ 2007. The new site, a far cry from the static PDF file that consti- tuted the old site (the old site amounting to nothing more than an electronic photograph of that month’s issue), offers select contents of the current issue, the full contents of past issues, and a number of interactive elements, including a search engine by category for archived issues. Surfers can take weekly polls, post comments to message boards, send e-cards, use and contribute to an image library, and take part in special events like online author interviews. It is our very plausible hope that, each month, the new site will garner tens of thousands of “hits” for story downloads and other activities (even the old site had enjoyed as many as 40,000 hits in a given month). The new site is an integral, symbiotic companion to the print version of the magazine. Meanwhile, the wholly redesigned Reporter Online was launched this past spring. Again,:as with the Witness site, consid- erable research went into the planning and execution of the revised Reporter Online, including a comprehensive online survey to gauge users’ preferences on how the new site should look and act. More than 1,000 professional church workers took part in this survey. 2007 Convention Workbook Reporter Online offers more news and full-color photos than the monthly print Reporter and is the Synod’s most complete source of news relating to our church body. At this writing (early March), Reporter Online carries some 40 stories in the categories of “Top News,” “More News,” “People,” “Events,” and “Re- sources” —plus “Official Notices” (such as LCMS convention in- formation and positions available) and “Letters to the Editor.” News stories are posted to Reporter Online every week, and “Top News” stories usually appear here before anywhere else—in- cluding the print Reporter and other e-news delivery sources. The new Reporter Online is less boxy and static. It looks more like the CNN or Fox News sites with its increased number of sto- ries, better color and graphics, and more links to interactive pur- suits like polls, message boards and forums, and video-streamed interviews and supplemental news footage. E-News: Each month, BCS staffers research and prepare far more news stories than can appear in the print version of Reporter. In fact, there have been months where just two staffers—Reporter Manag- ing Editor Joe Isenhower Jr. and staff writer Paula Schlueter Ross—produced as many as 50 stories between them. This is tremendous output, especially when one considers that these staffers are handling other day-to-day duties, as well. Stories not printed in Reporter are posted, as described previously, on Reporter Online. Another online news source, “LCMSNews,” is one of the Synod’s largest subscription-based electronic newsletters. Many secular newspaper, magazine, news- service, and Webzine journalists rely on “LCMSNews” as their pri- mary source of information on LCMS news and views. E-news also includes the electronic newsletter known as “LCMS Notes,” put out by the department’s public affairs and media relations desk. “LCMS Notes” is tailor-made for worthwhile items that need to go out fast but which don’t necessarily fit under the umbrella of “hard news.” Calls to action on key Congressional votes or court decisions, reminders about TV shows or movies of special interest to LCMS members, statements by LCMS special- ists on particular developments in our culture, or word of LCMS personalities making news are examples of items sent via “LCMS Notes.” Often these items are placed, as well, on the home page of the Synod’s Web site. Public Affairs and Media Relations: This critical branch of LCMS Communications, headed by Vicki Biggs, strives mainly to promote the missions, ministries, and positions of the Synod to the outside world, but it does much more than that. Other functions include helping LCMS program boards and commissions publicize their ministries within the church itself; managing special projects and events (such as product launches), devising communication and marketing plans for LCMS entities; arranging interviews between the media and LCMS leaders; assist- ing Synod officers with their communications needs; and working with districts, schools, and congregations in dealing with crises or seriously negative news stories. Offering an exhaustive list of every press release issued, every quote provided, every statement prepared, every interview arranged, every ministry promoted, every placement gained, every plan devised, every campaign executed, and every Synod personage or entity helped in some way by Public Affairs and Media Relations during the past triennium would beggar the space available here. Suffice to say that Public Affairs works to put the best face on the Synod in the eyes of many publics—secular, religious, busi- ness, government, and our own membership. It seeks to cast the Synod as a major player on America’s religious stage—a great church body with a lot going on and much to say.