Episcopal Press and News
Communicators Discuss New National Publication
Episcopal News Service. April 27, 1989 [89078B]
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (DPS, Apr. 27) -- Plans for a new national publication for the Episcopal Church and a moratorium on the 18 periodicals now coming from the Episcopal Church Center stirred the most discussion at the annual meeting of the Episcopal Communicators (April 17-20).
Sonia Francis, Executive for Communication at the Church Center, outlined the process that will produce a specific proposal for a national publication in time for the June meeting, in Pittsburgh, of the Executive Council. Four committees are at work on that proposal: one dealing with finances; another dealing with the transition from The Episcopalian to the new publication; a periodicals task force for those Church Center periodicals affected by the proposed moratorium; and an editorial planning committee for the new publication.
The editorial committee will meet during May to help develop a mock-up of the new publication for presentation to Executive Council in June, Francis told the communicators. "This is not our original sequence," she said. "We were looking for a communications strategy first. When The Episcopalian announced that it could not continue without subsidy, it set in motion another sequence. Plans for a new publication are now driving the strategy," she continued.
After Francis introduced Jim Solheim, who is being appointed News Director in the Office of Communication, and Kris Lee, who outlined what the Church is doing in telecommunications, the session was opened for discussion. Strong reservations and frustrations emerge, and because there was little time remaining on the agenda, a special informal session was set up for that evening. It was attended by almost half the group, and was described as both "spirited" and "Spirit-led."
The communicators expressed deep doubts about plans for the new publication. Many wondered how the publication would be financed, for example, and what would happen to the present staff of The Episcopalian. Concerns surfaced about the editorial integrity and freedom of a publication coming from the Church Center. Several participants said that no matter how the publication is set up, it will be viewed as a "house organ."
"This is a huge step taken in a big hurry," said one editor, who pointed out that the Church's professional communicators had no time to react to the decisions. "The Church hasn't yet been asked whether or not it even wants a new national publication," said another editor.
Several editors said that the new publication could have a significant impact on their own work at the diocesan level. One person said her bishop had already questioned continued support of a diocesan newspaper if the national newspaper were adequate. Another editor said that his bishop had responded in the opposite manner; that his diocese might be interested in cooperating with a national publication if it were better than the present Episcopalian. Yet another said that there was some talk of starting a diocesan paper if the new publication looked too much like a "mouthpiece for management."
"A communications strategy must come first, even if it delays the present process," said one participant who seemed to express the frustration of a majority of the communicators. A committee chaired by Jim Rosenthal of Chicago worked on a resolution for the final plenary session in Williamsburg.
The resolution, presented to the next business session, provoked more discussion but was finally passed unanimously. The resolution affirmed the General Convention's call for "development of a comprehensive, long-range communications strategy." February's action by the Executive Council "diverted these efforts toward investigation of a unified publication strategy and the possible June 1989 moratorium....
The resolution pointed out the "interdependence of communications at both the national and diocesan levels in all media" and asked that the action of the Executive Council be "reconsidered and that no action on a moratorium be taken until there has been sufficient time to examine the issues before the Church." Among the issues cited were "the need for a unified publication strategy and the need for a comprehensive communications strategy for the Episcopal Church, allowing more time for all who will be affected, especially staff, to contribute to the development of this strategy and that The Episcopalian be continued in this time of study."
For the closing Eucharist of the meeting, the communicators went to nearby Jamestown and worshiped on the site of the first church built by the English colony in 1617. A tower from the brick church built on the same location in 1647 is the only structure that survives the historic settlement. Bishop Charles Vaché of the Diocese of Southern Virginia celebrated the Eucharist at a spot just outside the church, on the banks of the James River. Bishop John Krumm, who had served as a meditation leader during the meeting, was homilist.