“Print is dead.” It’s been a pop culture slogan for a long time, especially in view of declining newspaper readership, the ongoing proliferation of social networks and the increasing amount of screen time we have with our phones and tablets.
Nonstop news cycles, constantly updated websites and social media algorithms that feed our personal preferences have changed the way we consume information and the speed at which we do it.
Print media, however, certainly isn’t dead. In fact, it’s very much alive and, I believe, very much needed for the success of the Church’s mission of evangelization.
In the Diocese of St. Cloud, we made the transition a little over six years ago from a newspaper to The Central Minnesota Catholic magazine with a new, strategic vision of how best to use print and digital media for this mission.
While digital platforms excel at providing fast information in a 24/7 news cycle, print media — especially magazines — are better suited for delivering other kinds of content.
Here’s what magazines, including our own, are very good at:
- Integrating high-quality photos, graphic design and other eye-catching visuals into inspiring stories and articles. If an article looks more inviting to read, chances are it will more likely be read.
- Having a long shelf life, increasing opportunities for sharing relevant articles with others.
- Presenting a variety of curated, focused content in an easily readable format. The Central Minnesota Catholic’s themed editions this year that each focus on one of the guiding principles of the “All Things New” pastoral planning process are good examples. The theme of the May issue was “engaging the laity” and featured more than a half-dozen articles on various aspects of this guiding principle, including the story of a local woman who made a commitment to learn more about her Catholic faith, eventually becoming an active lay leader in her parish community where she accompanies others
on their own journeys
of faith.
While fewer people are reading newspapers, magazine readership is relatively healthy — even across age groups. FAITH Catholic, a publisher of Catholic magazines in the United States and our partner in publishing The Central Minnesota Catholic, cites a recent study showing that 88% of adults have read a magazine in the last six months, including 88% of adults ages 18-24. A readership survey done a few years ago for our magazine found that 93% of those receiving the publication read all or parts of the most recent issue, and 86% read all or parts of the last three issues.
The bottom line is that the mission of the Church is to evangelize. This has always been challenging, but it’s especially challenging in today’s increasingly secular society. If the Church is to effectively share the Good News, it needs to use all the communication tools at its disposal.
This requires a robust digital outreach with websites, social media, podcasts and e-newsletters. But it also requires the continued and strategic use of trusted print resources like The Central Minnesota Catholic, which is delivered directly into the mailboxes of some 36,000 households in our 16-county diocese — some of which don’t engage with Catholic media content in any other way.
Catholic print media — professionally and prudently managed — continue to be an important part of the Church’s communications efforts. The fact that you’re reading this column is an indication of that. Hopefully, you will take the time to read the other articles in this edition. You won’t be disappointed!
Joe Towalski is the chancellor and chief of staff for the Diocese of St. Cloud, and former editor of The Visitor and The Central Minnesota Catholic.