Recently we received two letters from readers expressing the opinion that The Alabama Baptist contained too many advertisements. Studies indicate that most letters represent a certain number of readers who share the same opinion but never take the time to write a letter to the editor.
At The Alabama Baptist, we always take seriously the opinions of our readers. So, the two letters about advertisements provide an opportunity to explain why readers find more ads in the state Baptist paper than might have been true five years ago.
One reader also expressed concern about stories related to sound systems and church lighting. The letter said that material of this type should be sent directly to churches that want it, and the state paper should concentrate on missions activities of cooperating Baptist churches.
The truth is that The Alabama Baptist newspaper must be concerned about both sound systems and missions activities. The vision statement that guides the efforts of your state Baptist paper says the paper “will help empower Baptists of Alabama to live … their lives within the community of faith.” Part of the way that is accomplished is by providing “information and inspiration … to help encourage and equip” Alabama Baptists, according to the mission statement.
Obviously, there is no way of knowing which churches might need information about sound systems and church lighting. That need surfaces at different times in the lives of our various congregations. What the paper can do is provide information about sound systems and church lighting that becomes a resource for churches whenever they face that particular need.
State missionary Keith Hibbs recently attested to the value of this information. Hibbs serves in the area of worship leadership/church music for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. Part of his responsibilities is helping churches with sound. Hibbs recently wrote, “I want to let you know of the unbelievable response I have received from the articles in The Baptist last year on sound systems. My work load in that area has tripled. I’ve been able to help an incredible number of churches of all sizes around the state who have made reference to the article as they contacted me.”
That is an encouraging report for those of us privileged to serve through The Alabama Baptist. The stories are helping readers across the state live together in the community of faith.
Advertisements are another way information is made available to readers. Whether it is information about church pews or a compatible tour group or information about a church staff position opening, The Alabama Baptist provides information about products and services appropriate for our readers.
Advertisements in The Alabama Baptist benefit readers as well as businesses. Most advertisers are well pleased with the results of their ads in the state Baptist paper. That means the ads are meeting the needs of readers who respond to them.
There is another benefit to ads in the paper. They help keep the paper affordable to cooperating Baptist churches. The state Baptist paper has three primary sources of revenue — subscriptions, Cooperative Program and advertisements, in that order.
The 20 cents per issue subscription cost through the church budget makes Alabama Baptists’ state paper one of the least expensive Baptist papers in the nation. The paper costs less than what used to be called a “penny postcard.” Now that postcard costs 23 cents to mail while the state Baptist paper provides an average of 20 pages each week for 20 cents. That is a penny a page.
Still, every effort has to be made to keep the paper affordable so churches can provide the paper for active resident families. Every time subscription costs increase, church budgets are strained.
The Cooperative Program helps underwrite the cost of the state Baptist paper. The investment Baptists make in the paper attests to the value of its contributions to readers, to churches, to missions and ministries, to convention life. All of us at The Alabama Baptist are grateful for this support. However, this support is limited. It is hard to pay all the increased operational costs when costs rise faster than offerings year after year.
One of the few sources of new income available to the paper is advertisements. For a number of years, the paper devoted no more than 10 percent of its space to ads. Now that is changed. We would like to increase the number of ads in the paper until they reach 25 percent. At the same time, we want to furnish more news and information than we were doing when the paper printed only 10 percent ads.
The key is the number of pages. A 16-page paper has 960 total column inches. If 10 percent of those inches are devoted to ads, that leaves 864 inches for news and information. In 2004, we are planning only 20-page papers or larger. A 20-page paper contains 1,200 inches. If 25 percent of those inches are devoted to ads, that leaves 900 inches for news and information.
From a financial standpoint, the income from ad sales pays all the increased production costs for the extra four pages and still contributes positively toward the operating costs of the paper. The bottom line is that ads offer needed information for some readers.
Ads help provide more space for Baptist news and information for all readers. Without ads, there would be less space available for news and information and the subscriptions costs for churches and individuals would be higher.
At The Alabama Baptist, we do our best to make sure our ads are appropriate and in good taste. We try to ensure our advertisers are reliable. We have declined some advertisers and dropped some who proved questionable.
Still, mistakes are occasionally made. But, over all, advertisements are good for the state Baptist paper. We hope they will be a growing part of our offerings to readers each week.
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