LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 45

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. SYNODICAL REPORTS 45

rectors voted to move The LCMS Satellite Service to the broadcast
side but determined to proceed with the transfer of LCMS Video to
General Services. The Directors asked the BCS to develop a plan to
implement the division and asked for Dr. Schuelke and Dr. Rosin,
in cooperation with the BCS, to develop new Bylaws for the two
new boards. These proposed new Bylaws would be submitted to
the 1998 synodical convention for approval.

At its August 1997 meeting, the Board of Directors directed the
BCS to proceed with eliminating the executive director of commu-
nication position and filling the executive director positions for a
print and public relations board and a broadcast board (or equiva-
lent divisions within the BCS should the Synod convention not ap-
prove the elimination of the BCS and the establishment of two new
boards).

The BCS called for nominations for the two new executive di-
rector positions (in October), received nominations and submitted a
list of potential interviewees (in December) to President Barry for
his approval. In January 1998, President Barry chose not to act
upon approving candidates for the two new executive director po-
sitions, thus halting the process for filling the positions. The Presi-
dent’s action gave the BCS the opportunity to address again the
question of organization and to share its latest views with the Board
of Directors. The BCS recommended to the directors that commu-
nication functions continue to be the responsibility of the BCS.
During its March meeting, the Board of Directors rescinded its ear-
lier actions related to BCS organization. The directors also declined
to recommend to the convention the establishment of two boards
to replace the BCS.

The Lutheran Witness

The Lutheran Witness saw its first major redesign since 1984 in
the triennium just ending. Staff of the BCS and of Concordia Pub-
lishing House worked together on the project, which resulted in a
new, updated design being introduced in April 1997 in time for two
special issues of the magazine devoted to the Synod’s 150-year his-
tory. Thanks to the commitment of CPH to the magazine, The
Lutheran Witness will add full color in April 1998 as a regular de-
sign element for the first time in the magazine’s history.

The BCS is pleased that reader response to The Lutheran Wit-
ness continues to be positive. However, it is concerned that the sub-
scription rate is only some 35 percent of LCMS households. It has
been working with CPH to develop new strategies to promote sub-
scriptions and to make subscription processes as easy as possible.
The BCS commends the South Dakota, Texas, and Missouri Dis-
tricts for providing blanket subscriptions for the homes in their Dis-
tricts during the last triennium. It also commends the Indiana, lowa
West, Kansas, Mid-South, Minnesota North, Minnesota South,
New England, North Dakota, Northwest, North Wisconsin, Okla-
homa, Rocky Mountain, SELC, Southern Hlinois, and Wyoming
Districts and the Armed Forces ministry for including a stitched-
in edition in The Lutheran Witness.

Message of Hope

The LCMS reached more people in 1997 through the media
with a Christ-centered message than at any other time in its history.
This was the result of the BCS developing and conducting a first-
of-its-kind national Synod mass-media campaign. The BCS has
been committed to such a campaign throughout its history, but lack
of adequate funding prevented it prior to 1997.

The award-winning MESSAGE OF HOPE campaign, assisted
through a grant from the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Founda-
tion, included the production of 30- and 60-second radio and tele-
vision commercials, along with a variety of print ads. Bulletin in-
serts, a training manual, other print materials, and an introductory
video were produced and sent to all Synod congregations to alert
the people in LCMS congregations to the campaign and to encour-
age local participation.

The television commercials were aired on national cable net-
works (such as CNN, Headline News, Discovery, and Nick at
Night) and on many major network affiliates during the second half
of 1997. Follow-up research showed that many congregations si-
multaneously placed the radio and television commercials and print

ads in local media (television and radio stations, cable outlets,
newspapers, magazines, etc.).

Response to the campaign has been overwhelmingly positive.
It also has been recognized in the broadcast industry with both Sil-
ver Angel and Wilbur awards. With an additional grant, the BCS
will conduct another national campaign in 1998 and will encour-
age even more local participation.

LCMS Satellite Service

Proposed and approved by the BCS in 1996, the LCMS Satellite
Service became a reality in 1997. The service provides video re-
sources direct to congregations via a Direct Broadcast Satellite
(DBS) system. At the time this report was prepared, some 200
LCMS congregations and other entities were equipped with the
DBS equipment and were receiving weekly video resources for use
in a variety of congregational settings. In addition to regular weekly
satellite telecasts, the service provided three live telecasts during
1997. The first (in March) was a four-hour live Sunday morning
program, with President Barry as the guest. The satellite connec-
tion with congregations allowed congregational members to view
the President in the LCMS Video Studio in St. Louis and to ask
him questions using the telephone, fax machine, and e-mail. The
second live telecast was from the August 1997 150th Anniversary
program held in St. Louis in connection with the Synod’s Great
Commission Convocation. A third live telecast (in November)
again featured President Barry in a question-and-answer program.

With the introduction of the service, the LCMS became the first
U.S. denomination to utilize DBS for direct telecasts to its congre-
gations.

While ongoing financial support for the service has not yet been
secured and the relationship of the service to LCMS Video has not
been defined, the BCS wishes to expand the service to more con-
gregations, schools, campuses, District offices and homes. It is con-
vinced that the service represents the most promising opportunity in
the Synod today for improved communication within the Synod
and for Synod service to congregations and other entities.

The BCS will continue weekly telecasts and will offer special
live programs during 1998. Live programs and regular reports from
the 1998 synodical convention will be sent via satellite to those
congregations and individuals subscribing to the service.

Discussions are under way with many synodical entities (such
as CPH, LCEF, LLL, LWML, and Synod’s boards) to develop
partnerships in using the service. For example, the BCS and Con-
cordia University System (and its CUENet) are exploring the pos-
sibility of using the Service for distance learning and for continuing
education.

KFUO/FCC Matter

The ongoing KFUO litigation with the FCC now has covered
nearly three triennia. Initiated in 1990 by the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People, the litigation has involved
an extensive FCC investigation of KFUO (1990-92); a weeklong
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (1994); appeals to the
Review Board of the FCC (1995), the Commissioners of the FCC
(1996), and a Federal Appeals Court in Washington, D.C. (1998).
Rulings to date have fully vindicated KFUO of any racial discrim-
ination and have renewed KFUO’s broadcast licenses. In 1997, the
NAACP withdrew from the case. However, KFUO has continued
in litigation because it has been found guilty by the FCC of reli-
gious discrimination for giving preference in hiring to Christians
and Lutheran Christians for positions at the stations that the FCC
has ruled do not require religious knowledge, training, and experi-
ence. The BCS and its Standing Committee on Broadcast disagree
strongly with the ruling of the FCC and are committed, for' reli-
gious freedom reasons, to pursue the case.

The toll on BCS staff. resources, and the good name of the
LCMS has been significant and unfortunate. Stull, the support for
KFUO from people and entities in government, in religious broad-
casting, and in the church has been encouraging and most helpful.
The BCS especially acknowledges the generous support received
from the Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation for the legal
defense of KFUO and the religious freedoms guaranteed by the
U.S. Constitution. Much progress has been made in clearing the