LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 42

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42 SYNODICAL REPORTS

possible, with the committee's assistance, for the periodicals to
carry Out their mandate in this regard.

Public Relations

After a period of 16 years with no formal, specific office for
handling the Synod’s public relations, the Board for Communica-
tion Services established an office of public relations in the winter
ot 1999. The office was charged with gaining greater access to the
public media for the Synod, its ministries and positions. Such
media were to include newspapers. radio and TV stations, secular
and religious print-news syndicates and radio networks, and a mis-
cellany of other outlets. including magazines and Internet sites.
Contact would be made in the form of news releases, media alerts,
official statements, story and programming ideas, and responses to
reporters’ requests.

The office also was charged with providing direct services to
and sharing pertinent information with various internal (i.e., intra-
Synod) publics, including key synodical officers and boards, col-
leges and seminarics, LCMS District offices. District publications,
metro Lutheran newspapers, schools, and congregations.

Beyond this, the public-relations office was to coordinate the
placement of the Synod President, particularly his statements rep-
resenting the LCMS position on current issues. Other placements
would offer the views of other appropriate Synod leaders. [In addi-
tion, the office was to serve as a liaison between the national of-
tice and synodical entities facing crises or questions of issues man-
agement.

Finally, in the area known as “Synod Relations,” which existed
betore the establishment of the public-relations office and was for-
merly known as “Electronic Media Relations,” the office maintains
a regular presence in the broadcast, cable, and DBS industries,
working to put Lutheran programming on broadcast, cable, and
satellite networks.

Accomplishments

In its two-year (as of this writing) history, the Synod’s public-
relations office has:

* Set up and maintained extensive databases (e-mail and otherwise)
of numerous secular-media “publics,” including the religion, fea-
lure. and op-ed page editors of America’s 200 largest newspapers
(as well as a number of smaller ones); the programming directors
of some 150 talk-radio stations; and the editors and directors of
various wire services, radio networks, and Internet “webzines.”

Set up and maintained similar databases of virtually every major
political and communication body in the Synod.

Launched “LCMSNOTES,” the largest subscription e-mail list-
server in the Synod, reaching more than 2,200 congregations.
(Note: many LCMS congregations still do not have e-mail capa-
bility.)

Developed an “Experts Bureau” of more than 500 synodical
spokespeople to place on talk-radio shows and in newspaper,
magazine. and “webzine” articles. Most of the experts, conver-
sant in multiple specialties, are LCMS college and seminary pro-
tessors, but an increasing number are LCMS laypeople in private
business and industry.

Placed stories, releases, statements, or spokespeople in more than
250 media outlets. These are known, confirmed placements. They
do not include the plurality of placements possible when a news
service or radio network sends an item out to its own subscribers.
Nor does this figure include many placements in LCMS District
publications and other smaller, church-related outlets.

* Helped prepare a number of official statements and commentaries
issued by the LCMS President’s office.

* Provided editorial and promotional services and counseling to a
number of LCMS boards and commissions.

* Responded personally to the questions, comments, and criticisms
of hundreds upon hundreds of LCMS pastors and laypeople.

2001 Convention Workbook

* Developed a crisis manual for use by District offices and other
synodical entities. Consulted with several such entities in matters
of real-life issues management.

* Served on the national coordinating team of the “Tell the Good
News about Jesus” personal-evangelism emphasis.

The remaining items pertain to the “Synod Relations” (formerly
“Electronic Media Relations’) arm of the Board for Communica-
tion Services, which deals largely in television:

«Produced the video “Free to Voice the Gospel,” the story of
KFUO Radio’s nine-year legal struggle with the FCC.

¢ Produced “Just in Time for Christmas” for NBC-TV. In a re-
broadcast in 2000. the program was seen on more than 60 TV sta-
tions nationwide and on six national cable networks.

* Helped produce an Odyssey Cable Network public-service an-
nouncement on the Synod.

¢ Served as the Synod’s liaison to the Faith & Values Channel, the
National Council of Churches Communications Commission, the
National Interfaith Cable Coalition, the Trinity Broadcasting Net-
work, the Odyssey Network, and other such organizations.

* Consulted with a host of LCMS congregations and other synodi-
cal units on matters pertaining to television ministry.

* Continued the governance of FACTA NEWS, Inc., which seeks
to help journalists cover religion and help “religionists” be pre-
pared for coverage by the media.

Plans and Challenges

¢ Increase both the number of media placements attempted and,
through a more tailored, selective approach, the ratio of place-
ments made (particularly in larger markets) to those attempted.

* Cultivate relationships with America’s top religious-media pro-
fessionals, both in the print and electronic realms, to gain a
greater LCMS presence in those major outlets.

* Continue to expand and increasingly utilize the LCMS “Experts
Bureau.”

* Conceive a “tag line” to be used in association with the name
“The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.”

* Work to create a nationally syndicated, weekly newspaper col-
umn, sponsored by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, to
comment on the religious, social, moral, and ethical issues of the
day.

¢ Seek a more mutually beneficial and productive partnership with
communication specialists at the Synod’s District offices, semi-
naries, and colleges.

* Embark on a long-term plan—using one-on-one mentoring and
the department's “Tell It” kit—to equip a growing number of
LCMS congregations to deal proficiently and fruitfully with the
media in their geographic areas.

* Continue as liaison to all the aforementioned cable networks and
religion-television coalitions to promote the airing of LCMS
video material.

* Continue to explore and exploit all possible means of making the
Synod a recognized and respected leader and voice on the na-
tion’s religious stage.

Broadcast (Radio)

The Broadcast ministry of the BCS and its Standing Committee
on Broadcast includes KFUO and KFUO-FM (St. Louis), KNGN
(McCook, NE), and The Jubilee Network. The BCS gratefully ac-
knowledges the Advisory Council for Broadcast for its efforts in
supervising much of the broadcast ministry.

Accomplishments

* KFUO-AM celebrated its 75th Anniversary and held various pro-
motional events as the world’s longest-operating religious radio
station.

* The Jubilee Network expanded from 300 outlets to providing pro-
gramming on 535 stations around the United States.