ELCA Publishing House Exploring New Publication for Women

MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Augsburg Fortress Publishers, the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is in the early stages of developing a new Christian magazine for women. However, the potential new publication has already resulted in a response from Women of the ELCA, which produces a Christian women's magazine also published by Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis.
Details of the new "Sunday/Monday Woman" were presented at the Augsburg Fortress Board of Trustees meeting here Oct. 21-23.
A brochure for Sunday/Monday Woman will be packaged and sent with an upcoming issue of "The Lutheran," the magazine of the ELCA, to 10,000 subscriber homes selected at random. It contains a response card for people to subscribe to six issues at a reduced rate.
The new magazine is intended for an ecumenical market. It will include articles on current topics of interest, devotions, tips for living, book, video and music reviews; and motivational articles, said Carol Throntveit, editor, in a letter inside the brochure.
The decision by Augsburg Fortress to possibly produce a magazine that may compete with "Lutheran Woman Today" (LWT) for some of the same readers has caused concern in Women of the ELCA, which produces LWT. Its paid circulation is 180,000.
Women of the ELCA has "repeatedly expressed" concerns about the new publication to Augsburg Fortress since being told of the plan in early 1998, said Catherine I.H. Braasch, executive director, Women of the ELCA. Braasch was appointed executive director of Women of the ELCA in September 1997.
"Women of the ELCA and Lutheran Woman Today want a strategic partnership with the ELCA publishing house," Braasch said. "Our concerns about Augsburg Fortress' proposal for a second women's magazine go much deeper than the matter of future competition for readers. We are concerned that the new venture is already competing for the publishing house's attention to research, growth and development of Lutheran Woman Today, as well as to customer service."
"Lutheran Woman Today is an award-winning blend of Bible study and articles connecting Christian faith to lives of ELCA women of many ages, many interests and in many settings," she said. "We want readers of Lutheran Woman Today to be confident that Women of the ELCA is committed to Lutheran Woman Today, to serving its current and future readership, and to addressing the changing needs of women in all ages and stages of life and service in this church, in society and in the world."
The Augsburg Fortress board held a wide-ranging discussion of the possible new publication, but took no action. There are questions as to whether there was sufficient communication with Women of the ELCA about the possible new publication, said the Rev. Paul A. Wee, board member, Alexandria, Va. Wee also represents the board on the advisory committee for The Lutheran, where the same issue was discussed earlier.
Wee said the Women of the ELCA board was to meet at the same time as the publishing house board, and he said he was aware of concerns the two publications may compete against each other.
"I know they're very much up in arms, at least some of them," Wee said. "The question is do they (the magazines) complement each other, parallel each other or compete with each other?"
Karen Albers-Sigler, board member, Bloomsburg, Pa., said the magazines "are two different animals," and said she was pleased with the new concept.
The Rev. Barbara R. Rossing, board member, Chicago, said the articles in Lutheran Woman Today appeal to women of all ages. Rossing also said she writes for LWT.
Herman S. Cage, board member, Streamwood, Ill., likened Augsburg Fortress to General Motors (GM). The publisher could produce many similar products that may compete with each other, just as GM does, he said. "My only concern is, did we use a proper process?" he said.
"The mortality rate for new publications is high," said Fred J. Korge, board member, Houston. Korge also said he was concerned about the timing of the new publication since Augsburg Fortress is facing an operating deficit for 1999, and he asked whether sufficient market research was done for Sunday/Monday Woman.
Dana Dreibelbis, vice president for publishing, Augsburg Fortress, said extensive market research for the new publication was conducted. He explained Augsburg Fortress representatives asked Women of the ELCA at least two years ago to work with them "on market research" to address declining subscriptions of Lutheran Woman Today.
"That overture was declined by Women of the ELCA," he said.
Later, he said Augsburg Fortress asked the women's organization if it would be interested in developing a new "complementary" magazine developed under Women of the ELCA. Again, Women of the ELCA declined, he said.
"We found that, from our point of view, not optimal," Dreibelbis said.
Augsburg Fortress has remained in regular conversation with the women's organization about the possibility of a new magazine, he said.
"Our position continues to be 'please work with us'" Dreibelbis said. "We don't want to be banging heads."
Dreibelbis said Lutheran Woman Today is "a Bible study wrapped in a magazine. It's one of our top products in partnership with Women of the ELCA." He also said the publisher's marketing of Lutheran Woman Today has not stopped because of the work on the new publication.
Marvin L. Roloff, president and chief executive officer, Augsburg Fortress, said he does not want the issue to result in conflicts with the ELCA or its women's organization.
"We do not want division," he said. "We've worked long and hard to develop that relationship."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html