Survey of Diocesan Publications
Diocesan Press Service. August 1, 1973 [73178]
In March a questionnaire was sent to the Diocesan Press asking for information concerning the publications. A chart indicating the responses in the major categories is attached. This is not meant to be a complete survey but it does give some important information about the various publications.
Two appendices are also attached: A. A sample of the instructions and the blank that was distributed, and B. Some explanatory comments made by editors.
The mailing list of the Diocesan Press Service includes some individuals and non-diocesan publications in addition to the diocesan publications of the Episcopal Church. Some of the non-diocesan publications returned the questionnaire and their responses are included in the chart also, though not in the summary of statistics that follows.
DIOCESES SURVEYED:
92 Domestic Dioceses
84 Dioceses responded
7 Dioceses not heard from
1 Diocese has no publication
EDITOR'S TIME ON DIOCESAN STAFF:
46 Part time
35 Full time
3 Not indicated (2 of these publications are in an interim period with no editor; the other has not indicated who is the editor)
(Note: The editors who are full time have, for the most part, other duties. These include bishops, archdeacons, canons, communication officers, program officers, etc. Part time editors include rectors, business persons, housewives, etc. Two dioceses publish a joint magazine, with a part time editor in each diocese.)
TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS:
18 Magazines
63 Tabloids
2 Newsletters
(Note: There is great variety in page sizes. Some figures are for copy space and other dimensions are for overall size. The most popular size for magazines is approximately 8 ½" x 11", with the largest 10" x 12" and the smallest 5 1/4" x 7 ½". The most popular size for tabloids seems to be about 11-12" wide by 15-16" long. There is great variety in the number of pages -- from a two-page newsletter to a 40-page magazine to a 24-page tabloid.
CLOSING DEADLINES:
There is no uniform closing deadline for copy. There seems to be some diocesan publication closing almost every day of the month. Twenty dioceses indicated that they close on the 15th; eight dioceses close on the 20th; and seven dioceses close on the 1st and seven on the 10th. Between the 1st and the 10th of the month, 21 dioceses close; between the 12th and the 20th, 30 dioceses close; and between the 25th and the last day, 12 dioceses close. Some dioceses have moveable closing dates (such as the Wednesday before the 2nd Friday) and others have "irregular" closing dates.
NUMBER OF ISSUES PER YEAR:
4 issues - 4 dioceses
5 issues - 1 diocese
6 issues - 12 dioceses
7 issues - 1 diocese
8 issues - 4 dioceses
9 issues - 12 dioceses
10 issues - 38 dioceses
11 issues - 9 dioceses
12 issues - 1 diocese
TYPE STORIES/MATERIAL USED:
Most dioceses, as expected, give the most space to diocesan news, followed by parish news, national Episcopal news, and ecumenical/miscellaneous. Three or four dioceses attempt to give equal coverage to diocesan, parish and national news. Only one diocese attempts to give as much as 50 percent coverage to national news.
ADVERTISING:
19 dioceses accept advertising
64 dioceses do not accept advertising
CIRCULATION:
The total circulation indicated is 1,008,699.
(Note: The circulation figures do not always remain constant. When a range was given, the lower or the average figure, as the case may be, was taken.)
ANNUAL BUDGET:
The total annual budget reported is $ 804,440.
(Note: Some dioceses reported total expenditures including salaries; other dioceses reported only production costs. A few dioceses do not have a budget since they are self-supporting through advertising and/or subscription fees.)
DISTRIBUTION:
Diocesan publications are distributed to paid subscribers, to all families, to diocesan and parish leaders, to pledging families, and in bulk packages. Some dioceses distribute their publications by a combination of these options. Seventy- four dioceses distribute their publications to all families (or pledging families) with a minimum distribution in some cases by one of the other options. Sixteen dioceses distribute some or all of their copies in bulk packages. Four dioceses distribute their publications as an insert in The Episcopalian.