Dioceses Use Radio to Promote Attendance
Diocesan Press Service. January 15, 1969 [73-8]
NEW YORK, N. Y. -- Twenty three Dioceses of the Episcopal Church will take to the airways soon in the start of a broadcasting venture seeking to "sell" the idea of Church attendance through the use of one-minute radio spot announcements.
It is the first campaign of its kind to be used by a national Church to promote general Church attendance with a "hard sell" in the same way that beer and chewing gum are marketed.
The "spots;" intended for national use by radio stations as public service announcements, were professionally produced in Seattle and Hollywood and are an adaptation of a "pilot" program originally developed by the Diocese of Olympia (Western Washington) a year ago and used successfully by the Church on the West Coast.
All four of the announcements to be used have already won international recognition from the Hollywood Radio and Television Society as among the "world's best" broadcast advertisements in the public service category.
They were written and produced by Bob Willey, Seattle advertising writer, and recorded by the Bell Studios of Hollywood using the voices of well-known actors from radio-TV and the films.
National coordinator for the spot announcement project is the Rev. Robert Libby, radio and television director for the Episcopal Church in New York City.
The announcements have been described as "mod," "rock" and "young" and are intended primarily for a listening public which does not attend Church as a rule. They are ecumenical in tone and seek to encourage church attendance regardless of denomination, according to Mr. Libby.
"They are about some of the basic problems of people -- marriage, materialism, the 'bomb' and the 'generation gap'," Mr. Libby said. "They are presented in a dramatic and humorous style which attracts attention and interest and unapologetically suggests that the Church may be able to provide some direction."
West Coast broadcasters have enthusiastically supported the Episcopal Church spot announcement campaign, giving the announcements "prime" air time at the peak listening hours of the day.
In a special evaluation of the announcements they have made the following comments :
"Excellent. " "They were great. " "Let's have more of these. " "Thought provoking. " "Different and more effective than the usual come-to-Church commercials. " "Interesting and creative approach." "Well done. " "Good quality." "Great series." "Creative use of medium." "Excellent way of reaching youth as well as adults." "Very listenable and carried a message." "Very dynamic." "Powerful emotional impact. "
In addition to Mr. Willey, others directly involved in the production of the radio announcements were John Behnke, vice president of Radio Station KOMO, Seattle: Peter Hemp, vice president of Cole and Weber, Seattle advertising firm, and the Rev. Canon James G. Long, now Press Relations Officer in New York for the national Episcopal Church.
A major concern in the development of the "spots," Mr. Libby said. was to find a way for the Church to use the medium of radio in a contemporary way which would win acceptance by the broadcasting industry. The announcements were written in a "commercial" style to encourage Church attendance in an area where Sunday congregations were getting smaller.
Following their production 40 radio stations in the Western Washington area agreed early in 1968 to air the Episcopal Church announcements on a "commercial" basis using a "ten plan" which called for the broadcast of ten announcements a week in prime time over an eight-week period. Air time was provided to the Church free of charge.
Following the successful early pilot tryout of the announcements in Western Washington the Department of Communication of the national Episcopal Church decided to adapt the announcements for national distribution in 1969, beginning in January and February.
The national campaign will begin in these Dioceses:
Central New York; Chicago; Colorado; Dallas; Easton (Eastern Shore, Maryland); Eau Claire (Wisconsin); Georgia; Mississippi; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Northern Indiana; North West Texas.
Ohio; Oklahoma; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Southern Ohio; Southwestern Virginia; Washington, D. C.; West Texas; Western Michigan; and Western Washington.