Eric C. Shafer, Chairman, NCC Communication Commission
Wesley “Pat” Pattillo, Associate General Secretary for Communication
Commission Offices: 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 880, New York, NY 10115

Introduction

The Communication Department carries a dual role in the National Council of Churches.

Internally, it is a service agency, providing media relations, interpretation, promotion and public affairs support to all the departments and programs of the Council.  During the first half of 2003, the office also provided media relations and other public relations support to Church World Service, relating through a Joint Communication Team composed of NCC and CWS personnel, meeting monthly to coordinate activities.

Externally, the Communication Department is also a program office, focusing its work on media advocacy, media education, network television productions, and professional development for communicators in the member communions and other church organizations of the ecumenical family. Through its ongoing relationship to the NCC Communication Commission, the department collaborates with these denominational partners to advance the ministry of faith communication in a media-saturated age.

Communication Department Staff

Wesley M. “Pat” Pattillo, Associate General Secretary for Communication

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo, Director of Media Relations
Leslie Tune, Washington Communication Officer
Sarah Vilankulu, Director of Interpretation
Shirley W. Struchen, Coordinator of Electronic Programming
Doris Glover, Administrative Assistant to the Communication Staff
George Conklin, Project Coordinator, Worldwide Faith News

Communication Commission Officers

Chair: Eric C. Shafer, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL
Vice Chair: Ann Gillies, Presbyterian Church (USA), Louisville, KY
Secretary: Bob Chase, United Church of Christ, Cleveland, OH
Treasurer: Larry Hollon, United Methodist Communications, Nashville, TN

The NCC Web Site

Web work at the Council is a fast-paced “newsroom-style” collaboration among several Communication Department personnel, conducted without the benefit of technical staff or a dedicated Webmaster.  Throughout 2003, Carol Fouke and Pat Pattillo performed daily online maintenance of the site and, with assistance from Leslie Tune and Sarah Vilankulu, produced a number of special web projects reflecting the priorities of the entire NCC program staff and the five NCC commissions.  The Web site plays an important interpretive role as a comprehensive, “always on” presentation of the Council’s work available to every Internet-connected person in the world.

Traffic Reports and Analysis

In 2003, the Web site drew a total of 779,095 hits from 264,305 different visitors, for an average of 65,000 hits from 22,000 visitors per month.  Web traffic reports, which we began maintaining in March 2002, showed a sharp and prolonged upturn during the weeks leading up to the launch of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in the winter and spring of 2003.  During this time the Web site carried daily stories and resources that were used by persons around the world who were working to slow “the rush to war,” as well as by many editors and reporters covering the story.  Here are two illustrative graphs:
 

Green bars represent number of hits to NCC web site in each week, January-December 2003.
Gold line represents traveling average of weekly page views over time.  Source: WebTrends Live.



Bars represent number of visitors to NCC web site each week in 2003. Each visitor is counted only once each week.
Gold line represents traveling average of weekly visitors over time.  
Source: WebTrends Live.

Top 20 sections of the NCC Web site visited in 2003, in number of visitors:

Top 20 external Web sites generating visits to our site in 2003,
in number of hits received by NCC:

Office of Media Relations

Reports to: News Committee

Carol J. Fouke, Director
Dee Glover, Administrative Assistant to the Communication Department (Shared)

The Office of Media Relations in 2003 carried responsibility for:

·         Managing NCC relations with news and other media,

·         Taking a key role in developing and maintaining the NCC’s Web Site (www.ncccusa.org)

·         Offering support to all of the Council's work in the form of the NCC News Service.  
Click here (http://www.ncccusa.org/news/03archives.html) for a record of all the 2003 news releases of the National Council of Churches USA, which are prepared under the auspices of the Office of Media Relations.
 

Washington Communication Office

Reports to: News Committee
Leslie C. Tune, Washington Communication Officer

The Washington Communication Office was established in April 2003 when Leslie Tune was hired as the Washington Communication Officer. The nation’s capital is rich with opportunities to gain visibility for the NCC and our policies, programs, events and other initiatives. The Washington Communication Office also works in close collaboration with the Communication staff in New York to publicize NCC events, programs, initiatives and activities. In addition, the office coordinates public and media relations activities with the entire Washington Interreligious Staff Community (WISC).

In 2003, the Washington Office worked to publicize NCC justice and advocacy efforts including the peace initiative, mobilization to overcome poverty, environmental issues, HIV/AIDS funding, health care reform, the child tax credit, food/nutrition issues, civil liberties, TANF Reauthorization and the restoration of the Social Security Block Grant.

Top stories, major activities and prevailing themes for the Washington office included:

·        NCC and the Environment:

• Publicized the release of a sign-on letter opposing the energy bill

• Coordinated publicity for the Religion Communicators Council’s Annual Conference

•  Coordinated publicity for Eco-Justice Working Group “Enough For All” Conference in Seattle, which helped participants explore how to live in a global economy that is driven by free trade and consumerism and at the same time promote environmental stewardship

·        Interfaith Summit in Chicago on Iraq conflict:   More than 75 Muslim, Jewish, Christian and other faith leaders from across the United States, met in Chicago to reach some common ground on issues of peace and justice.

• Washington Office helped coordinate press conference that was held immediately following the conclusion of the Summit

• Sent follow-up press releases and coordinated media relations efforts

·        NCC and North Korea:

•  June Korea Consultation in Washington, D.C.; consultation followed by a press conference: Disseminated “hometown” news releases to local papers of participants

• November Delegation to the Korean Peninsula:  Sent follow-up stories and photos to news media

·        40th Anniversary of the March on Washington Interfaith Prayer Vigil:  NCC was asked to be involved in this commemoration because of our role in the first March on Washington in 1963.

• Coordinated all aspects of the prayer vigil including confirming speakers, sending out news release and providing media relations support

• Took photos of event and wrote follow-up story (Bob Edgar was one of the speakers for the main commemoration activity.)

·        Child Tax Credit Letter to the White House:

• Wrote letters to White House urging the President to intervene so that the poorest among us would benefit from the child tax credit

• Sent out news release announcing the letter and NCC’s request that President Bush intervene with Congress on the child tax credit

·        Interfaith Child Advocacy Network of Metro Washington: Coordinated media relations for the inaugural event of this newly established group in the D.C. area (NCC is participating along with the Children’s Defense Fund and other religious bodies and churches.)

·        Poverty Mobilization:  Participated in the planning of NCC’s renewed efforts to end poverty including announcing Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry as the Director of the Poverty Mobilization effort

The Washington Staff often works with other organizations and denominations in the WISC community to send letters to Congress on issues that are relevant to the work we do. Some of the letters we signed on to in 2003 include:

•  Food Nutrition Letter—initiated by Bread for the World

•  World AIDS Day Letter—initiated by Jubilee USA Network

• Letter opposing the Energy Bill—initiated by Washington Interreligious Staff Community (WISC) Ecology and Environment Working Group

• Funding for Welfare Reform—initiated by WISC Domestic Human Needs Working Group

• Vote against Medicare reform—initiated by HIV Medicaid and Medicare Working Group
• Funding for Social Security Block Grant—initiated by Lutheran Services in America
• The Washington Office also provided support to NCC by developing PowerPoint presentations for the Faith & Order and Justice & Advocacy Commissions, which debuted at the General Assembly in Jackson, Miss.

In 2004, we will continue to provide a public witness on the Hill as we focus our efforts to end poverty, and mobilize and empower those in the faith community to vote, among other initiatives to continue our work as a strong ecumenical voice for moral and ethical dimensions in public policy.

Office of Interpretation Resources

Reports to: Communication Commission
Sarah Vilankulu, Director
Dee Glover, Administrative Assistant to the Communication Department (Shared)

You know it’s been a big year for the NCC Communication Department when the Religion Newswriters Association ranks as second on its list of top 2003 stories the National Council of Churches’ role in opposing the Iraq War. This high profile as a leader in the peace movement impacted all our work, including that of interpretation to our various audiences.

For the first quarter and beyond, the NCC’s peace initiative gave focus and urgency to the agenda of Interpretation Resources. And primarily because of that initiative, the volume of inquiries, requests and other contacts with the office increased in 2003. Normally the office responds to approximately 2,000 contacts in a year, including communications by letter, e-mail, fax, phone and personal visits. In 2003, such responses increased by roughly 20 percent compared to the previous year. While the NCC received its share of public criticism for its anti-war stance, most of the individuals who contacted the Council were heartened by our work. We received favorable messages from people of faith across the U.S. and from Europe and elsewhere around the globe.

Along with other staff, the office also was kept busy with the editing and drafting process to produce a stream of Iraq-related statements, speeches, op-ed pieces, letters to President Bush and to Secretary of State Powell, and other communications that were a part of the peace initiative.

Of course, people continued to contact the office on a range of topics in addition to the peace initiative: requests for religion statistics, NCC positions on a variety of issues (school prayer, death penalty, etc.), referrals to local ecumenical agencies, and much more.

EcuLink Helps Tell the Story

The NCC’s newsletter, EcuLink, provided a large audience with news of ecumenical work for peace. The spring 2003 issue featured the NCC post-Iraq War emphasis on a peace-centered foreign policy that, if implemented by our government, could avoid future pre-emptive strikes. And it explored the Council’s efforts to improve interfaith understanding, a task that has become more and more urgent in recent years. The fall issue outlined what the Council is doing to encourage congregations to study the implications of U.S. unilateral actions in the world, and continued coverage of Council support for Middle East peace.

EcuLink also gave visibility to the varied program work of the NCC, including the efforts of already established commissions on Communication, Education and Leadership Ministries, Faith and Order, and Interfaith Relations—and ongoing work that was to be reorganized in the Justice and Advocacy Commission, including efforts to protect the environment. And it highlighted the Poverty Mobilization, Research, Development, and the work of Church World Service—giving readers a sampling from the broad ecumenical agenda.  

During the year, EcuLink continued its rapid growth in circulation, which approached 100,000 in 2003 (up from 70,000 at the end of 2002)—primarily due to the many uses that the Development Office finds for the publication. Due to budget constraints, however, it became necessary to balance the costs of producing EcuLink for a large unpaid circulation by reducing its frequency—to two issues in 2003. 

Smaller print projects included assistance with a brochure to advertise the NCC’s upcoming Brazil study tour, and help in producing a brochure aimed at encouraging the establishment of NCC gift annuities.

 NCC Peace Work Builds on a Long Legacy

At the same time that the NCC was making history, many researchers contacted us with interests in previous chapters of the NCC’s story. As one of the few persons who have been on the NCC staff since the ‘70s, the director for interpretation resources was in a position to assist many of these researchers. Examples include an eminent historian working on a an extensive essay on the NCC’s life and work since the 1960s, which would fill a huge gap in scholarly work relating to the Council’s history; a professor of history at Boise State University working on an article about the evolving relationship between the NCC and Church World Service; and many other scholars seeking historical information about the NCC.

The director also assisted in selecting materials to be sent to the NCC archives at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, including a valuable collection of NCC photos from the 1950s through 1999, a collection that the office had maintained for the past few decades.

Writing Projects Demonstrate Variety of Council Concerns

Writing projects in 2003 covered a wide range of topics. In addition to those already cited, examples include a story on the Council’s participation in Cover the Uninsured Week, a feature on outgoing NCC president Elenie Huszagh, a profile of incoming president Bishop Thomas Hoyt, a story about NCC efforts at Lent related to the Taco Bell consumer boycott, and an account of the landmark meeting in January 2003 of Christian Churches Together in the USA. Other articles and speeches were drafted on topics ranging from faith and the environment, to NCC scholarships that will help to increase the diversity of the pool of biblical scholars in the United States, the role of public relations in a democracy, and other topics. 

Editorial assistance also was provided for a booklet on women, welfare and family from the Justice for Women Working Group; a major paper on the concept of a peace-centered foreign policy distributed in connection with the general secretary’s April 15 lecture at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, in San Diego; and many other articles and speeches. The office also edited or helped draft letters to public officials and other leaders on topics ranging from HIV/AIDS, to gun violence, the current situation in Cyprus, Armenian Remembrance Day, Mel Gibson’s upcoming movie The Passion, and the controversial remarks of the Malaysian prime minister on Jews.  

Among a number of special projects, the office supplied extensive NCC materials to a committee of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that was engaged in a review of Presbyterian participation in the Council. The review was part of the denomination’s regular review of partner organizations conducted once every program cycle. The office also compiled information for the NCC Executive Board on all of the NCC’s partner relationships. 

Office of Electronic Programming

Reports to: Electronic Programming Committee
Shirley W. Struchen, Coordinator, Part-time
Dee Glover, Administrative Assistant to the Communication Department (Shared)

Interfaith Broadcasting Commission (IBC)

The coordinator for the Office of Electronic Programming serves as the Council’s production liaison to the IBC, helping to shape the four-way partnership that provides religious programming to the three major broadcast networks. Other partners are the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Broadcast Group of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. 

Productions Aired on the National Networks in 2003

The 2003 network documentary programs offered through the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission by the NCC Communication Commission’s member denominations were:

CBS-TV Religion and Culture Series

June 22, 2003:  A World to Share: Religious Perspectives on Saving the Environment (Resourced by the NCC and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment) Segments were shot at the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) convention. NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar was interviewed. The program was carried by 101 stations.

October 12, 2003:  Peacemakers (Mennonite Media) This program about people who work to stop wars included interviews with John Paul Lederach, a distinguished scholar in the field of conflict transformation, and Rev. Patricia Ackerman, an Episcopal priest. The program was carried by 103 stations.
 

December 14, 2003:  Youth Making a Difference (Presbyterian) The program featured the Rev. Lisanne Finston, a Presbyterian minister who is executive director of Elijah’s Promise, and youth from Bedford Presbyterian Church in Bedford, NY. The program was carried by 99 stations.

ABC-TV Vision and Values Series

September 14, 2003:  Oh Davey … History of the Davey and Goliath Television Series (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). The Oh Davey documentary traced the development of this classic children’s “stop-motion animation” series, which taught basic Christian values through the adventures of a boy and his dog. The program was carried by 142 stations.  

NBC-TV Horizons of the Spirit Series

April 13, 2003:  Zenith (United Church of Christ) This documentary featured the residents of Zenith, Kansas (population 30), struggling farmers and their families who stage an amateur outdoor Easter play in an effort to resurrect both the town and its little church. The program was carried by 63 stations.

In addition to airing documentaries, the networks provide time for seasonal worship services for the four IBC partner groups. In 2003, CBS-TV presented the Christmas Eve service from First Presbyterian Church in Salem, Oregon.

Commission Activities for 2003

The NCC Communication Commission, with its workgroups and committees, usually meets twice a year, in spring and fall. These gatherings are often scheduled to coincide with other professional meetings that interest the NCC's communicators, allowing expanded networking and reducing travel expenses for all participants. Details of the Commission’s two meetings in 2003 follow.

Spring 2003: April 23-24 in Indianapolis, IN.  The Commission met in conjunction with the annual conventions of the Religion Communicators Council and the Associated Church Press. Speakers included NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar, L.A. Times correspondent Larry Stammer, and Dr. Sayyid Syeed, Secretary General of the Islamic Society of North America. The Wilbur Awards were presented in a gala dinner at the all-glass Indianapolis ArtsGarden. 

Fall 2003: In Washington, DC, on September 14-16, the Communication Commission co-sponsored the first Faith Communicators Forum, a joint venture of the NCC and Faith & Values Media, Religion Communicators Council Washington Chapter, and the United Church of Christ's annual Everett C. Parker Lectures. Among the personalities were film producer Michael Landon Jr., Pew Trust media analyst Diane Winston, Annenberg Chair at University of Southern California Jay Harris, Action for Children's Television founder Peggy Charren, American Sufi Muslim leader Daisy Khan, and former FCC chairman Newton Minnow, along with seminars and meetings of the sponsoring groups.
 

This concludes the Department’s 2003 Report to the Commission

Eric C. Shafer, Chair, NCC Communication Commission
Wesley M. Pattillo, Associate General Secretary for Communication