Reader's Digest courts red-state America

[Robbien]

Source: Daily Finance

The Chappaqua, N.Y.-based publisher, whose name is virtually synonymous with broad, inoffensive general-interest content, is hoping to reverse its waning fortunes by narrowing its focus to a particular slice of the national audience: religious conservatives.

The first taste of this came a few months ago when RDA introduced Purpose-Driven Connection, a quarterly magazine produced in partnership with megachurch pastor Rick Warren. Now, reports The New York Times, that tendency has become a full-fledged strategy, with the company reorganizing its editorial mission around "conservative values."

The flagship magazine, Reader's Digest, is "cutting down on celebrity profiles and ramping up on inspiring spiritual stories," and RDA is looking for other religious personalities like Warren around whom to construct new brands.

"It's traditional, conservative values: I love my family, I love my community, I love my church," explains CEO Mary Berner. RDA even experimented with pumping overt right-wing politics into Reader's Digest, although that tested badly with readers, reports the Times.

Read more: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/19/readers-digest-courts-red-state-america/

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They picked a very crowded field. With decisions such as this it is no wonder Reader's Digest previously went bankrupt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. REaDer'S DIGEST

:think:

[KamaAina]

8. Better still: REaDer's DigEST

:P

[get the red out]

2. Let me guess

There won't be any "inspiring spiritual stories" about people who are Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccan, Muslim, UU or even Catholic.......

"I love my family, I love my community, I love my church", why does that phrase make me want to throw my arm out and yell "Heil!"?

:puke:

[Bette Noir]

3. I don't get it. I thought RD was always a rightist digest.

Heck, they invented the flag lapel pin!

[Alcibiades]

4. You're right

This is not new. Readers' Digest has been a rightwing rag for at least 40 years.

[foxfeet]

6. Yep, nothing new here. Same old RW BS.

[glinda]

7. Yes. They have always been that way so this is for publicity and to boost up the visual

support for the Republicans and to ramp up propaganda. Mostly older people read this also. They are "vulnerable" adults with all this stuff.

[jmowreader]

9. Oh, you're a little bit short

Reader's Digest was founded in 1922 by Dewitt Wallace, a Bonesman who decided his magazine would be conservative and anti-Communist. Thirty years later, the Reader's Digest published "Cancer By The Carton," the first public acknowledgment that cigarettes were dangerous.

[asjr]

5. I think it was conceived on the right side of the bed.

It lost me aeons ago.

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. Maybe they should just include it into another rag, the Parade Mag Sunday insert!

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. And the AARP monthly "magazine"

which still comes, years after I cancelled our membership.

[tomm2thumbs]

12. they might be in need of more circulation, not less - perhaps it is a readership deathwish

The numbers for conservatives of that ilk are dropping - so guess they are going to have to figure THAT into the equation too.
(Bonus* 700 Club coupons on the inside)

[Downwinder]

13. Just coming out of the closet.

[TrogL]

14. They've been pandering to freepers since they began publishing

I've always hated that magazine.

[Skittles]

15. because only conservative assholes love their family, community, church

dontcha know

[izquierdista]

16. Porpoise Driven Connection?

I'll be damned if I'm going to buy any of that cetacean porn!

[Jefferson23]

17. It was always a boring piece of crap, you found it in doctor's offices.

[Tesha]

18. "I am Joe's Right Wing" (NT)

[Raine]

19. They been doing that for years and years

already haven't they? :shrug:

[Gwendolyn]

20. Hahaha. The circle of life is complete!

I used to have a working relationship with the company. They tried like hell to change their face, but everyone knew it wouldn't work.

DeWitt started the mag to provide people with a quick and easy way to acquire knowledge in the era before television, "when dinnertime conversation was important." Hence the condensed articles. The "a little info about a lot" premise didn't translate well into a society increasingly niche oriented and their customer base has always been fundie and conservative in nature. George Grune, the former CEO was good friends with elder Bush. But Lila did accomplish some good things. Her foundation has helped many fledgling writers and artists.

They never went bankrupt by the way.