The beginning of 2022 saw the launch of Faith Tides and a new website for the diocesan publication, and last month saw yet more changes at the newspaper.
While we have been gradually moving away from print since 2020, we continued, for two years, to create a full-colour, 8.5 x 11-inch printable version of the newspaper that looked much like the full-spread print version you used to receive in the mail. In fact, the synod office, along with a few parishes across the diocese, printed the full-colour version to deliver to parishioners who requested it.
However, we decided to be an early adopter of the AnglicanNews.ca platform earlier this year because of three connected factors:
First, putting together the full-colour PDF version requires the time and skills of a professional graphic designer. With a significant drop in total subscriptions (more than 50 per cent or 1,300 current subscribers) since the Anglican Journal began requiring individual opt-in subscriptions in 2019, this fixed expense is difficult to justify for the number of copies printed (approximately 200 per issue).
Secondly, Canadian Heritage, which previously subsidized postage for the Anglican Journal and the diocesan newspapers, has begun retracting funding to print publications such as ours, and it is to be eliminated in the next few years.
The third factor is that the contract with our editor is limited in scope. To produce a print version and post the same content online each month would require an additional commitment of time and financial allocations.
With all of this in mind, we know there are many parishioners who are either unable to access a web version of Faith Tides or who simply prefer to read the publication in print.
So, beginning with the March issue, we worked with the AnglicanNews.ca website development team to add a feature that compiles all the articles from the latest issue into one downloadable PDF document. For the sake of those who might be printing it at home, we decided not to include images in this printer-friendly version, to reduce ink use.
We have now developed an iteration that includes images (see the download link on the top right of the home page); however, we know it is not as visually pleasing as what a graphic designer can create.
You, our valued readers, have been asked to adjust to a lot of changes in the last two years. We know that with each change there is loss and associated grief. But, the last two years have shown us, time and time again, that God is with us. Our story continues, and Faith Tides is but one way we will continue to share the story of us as people, here on these islands, for years to come.
We value hearing from readers, so let us know about your experience using the new website and the downloadable version. We also value hearing what kind of content you would like to see more of. You can contact the editor, Naomi Racz, at [email protected].
