The future of Baptist journalism arrives early for messengers to the 2008 Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.
The Baptist Standard will preview E3—its enhanced electronic edition—at its booth during Fort Worth meeting. Baptist Standard E3 will be the nation’s first enhanced electronic religious newsjournal.
The first E3 Standard will zip through the Internet in January, Editor Marv Knox announced. E3 subscribers will receive their enhanced electronic edition of the Standard as an e-mail. It will be published parallel to the distribution of 27 print editions of the newspaper each year.
The E3 edition will deliver all the design, news and images of the classic print edition along with several new features:
• Less-expensive electronic delivery, that also conserves paper.
• Zoom-in and zoom-out features for easy reading.
• Video, audio and slideshows.
• A viewer that “flips” pages similar to the print edition, and a program that enables digital clipping of articles.
• Interactive Internet and e-mail links.
• Simple programs that enable readers to search each edition by keyword, save articles and e-mail material to others.
“Every E3 subscriber will receive an e-mail with a picture of the cover of that issue of the paper,” Knox said. “When the reader clicks on that page, the whole edition opens up. With all the electronic enhancements—like video and slide-shows and interactive ads—the E3 will be far more comprehensive and helpful than we can dream of being on paper.
“We’re sure our readers will be amazed.”
And because production and delivery costs for an electronic edition are lower than a printed newspaper, the E3 cost will be an advantage, he added. The introductory annual subscription rate for E3 will be $8, compared to $15 for church subscriptions and the $24 individual rate.
The Standard will continue to sell individual and church subscriptions to the print edition, and churches and individuals can buy E3 subscriptions, Knox said. He predicted many churches will switch to the E3 edition—at least for some of their members—simply to save costs and speed delivery.
In addition, churches will be able to produce an enhanced electronic edition of their newsletter and deliver it with the E3 Standard, he added. “We know some churches already e-mail their newsletters to members, but our E3 technology is far superior to any church newsletter we’ve seen. Church members who receive an E3 newsletter will be able to register for church events, contact ministers, interact with each other, view sermons and listen to the choir. It will be a tremendous package for church communication.”
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The E3 also will provide a strong benefit to news providers, such as BGCT agencies and institutions, as well as advertisers, Knox said, pointing out all the enhancements will be available to those partner constituents.
The E3 preview is not limited to the BGCT meeting in Fort Worth. A demo edition may be viewed at www.BaptistStandardE3.com. For more subscription information, e-mail lmajors@baptiststandard.com or call (800) 749-4610, ext. 18.
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