Clarion Herald gets high marks from readers

Nearly 80 percent of those responding to a survey of communications efforts in the Archdiocese of New Orleans viewed the print version of the Clarion Herald as their top source of information about the archdiocese and the universal Catholic Church, according to a survey conducted as part of a communications strategic planning process for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The Clarion Herald and the archdiocesan Office of Communications are participating in the planning initiative sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Catholic Press Association and the Catholic Academy of Communications Professionals.

Of the 971 people who completed the survey either online or by mail, 78 percent rated the print version of the Clarion Herald as their “fair” or “best” source for news of the local and universal church, ahead of the parish bulletin (55 percent), pastor/priest (52 percent) or family and friends (26 percent).

“That’s a great result,” said Dominic Perri, principal consultant for the Essential Conversations Group, who is leading the planning initiative and has conducted surveys for other dioceses and Catholic organizations. “The fact that nearly 1,000 people responded means we can feel very confident that the survey fairly reflects your core audience – the Catholics who attend Mass on a regular basis.”

Perri said among all age groups, the print version of the Clarion Herald was judged to be the top source for Catholic information: 87 percent (age 70 and above), 79 percent (age 40-69) and 71 percent (age 39 and below).

Among notable survey findings, respondents “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the following statements:

➤ 73 percent think the Catholic Church in New Orleans communicates a positive public image.

➤ 72 percent said the Clarion Herald provides information that is useful.

➤ 63 percent are satisfied with the information they receive from the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

➤ 34 percent would regularly visit a website that provided comprehensive news and information about Catholics in New Orleans.

Only 18 percent of all respondents “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they would prefer to receive information in digital rather than print format. However, the percentage of those preferring digital information jumps to 32 percent for those under 40, indicating a trend to other methods of news and information delivery.

Also, only 8 percent of respondents said that much of what they hear from the Catholic Church does not seem relevant to their lives.
Sixty-eight percent of those responding to the survey were weekly Mass-goers (24 percent were daily communicants); 64 percent were female; 83 percent were white and 13 percent black.

USCCB consultant
Perri has collaborated on strategic-planning initiatives with the USCCB and with dioceses across the country.
The Clarion Herald and the archdiocesan Office of Communications are working with Perri on a pilot program, endorsed by the USCCB’s Communications Committee, to examine and enhance communications efforts in a diocese, given the vast changes in communications technology and in the way individuals access media. The strategic plan should be completed by June, and Perri hopes to use it as a model for planning in other dioceses.

Included in the survey findings are responses from parish administrative assistants and members of the archdiocesan Ministerial Council, which helps Archbishop Gregory Aymond review pastoral priorities for the archdiocese. As part of his study, Perri also spoke with Archbishop Aymond, members of the Presbyteral Council, representatives of the secular news media and the staffs of the Clarion Herald and the Office of Communications.

The survey also gleaned information about the topics Clarion Herald readers judge as most important:

➤ Positive news about the church, 89 percent

➤ News about the pope, 89 percent

➤ Understanding the teachings of the Catholic Church, 87 percent

➤ Prayer and spirituality, 87 percent

➤ How to live my faith in daily life, 83 percent

➤ Catholic reflections on public issues (immigration, pro-life, etc.), 81 percent

➤ News about the Catholic Church in the U.S., 80 percent

➤ Hearing from Archbishop Aymond, 77 percent

➤ News about my parish, 79 percent

➤ Ways to help children grow in their faith, 74 percent

Those responses did not vary much among different age groups, Perri said.

Breaking down the survey
Respondents were asked how often they used different types of media. Rated by preference, the survey showed print publications as the respondents’ preferred choice (33 percent), followed by radio (28 percent), websites (19 percent), television (17 percent), and social media and emails from groups of interest (9 percent each).

Among the 86 parish administrative assistants surveyed, 95 percent viewed the Oracle – the archdiocesan weekly newsletter that is sent directly to parishes – as the most important source of archdiocesan information, followed by the pastor (88 percent), archdiocesan website (88 percent), communications from archdiocesan offices (79 percent), print version of the Clarion Herald (74 percent) and web version of the Clarion Herald (46 percent).

Seventy-two percent of administrative assistants said training staff on the best ways to share news about the parish would benefit the parish; 64 percent asked for social media training; 62 percent asked for help updating their websites and 54 percent requested help with bulletin production.

Willing to hand out
Ninety-six percent of parish secretaries said their parish would be willing to hand out the Clarion Herald with bulletins after Mass.
Perri conducted focus group sessions with the secular media representatives, who asked if there were ways in which the Clarion Herald could find ways to collaborate with other media outlets. Some asked if the Clarion Herald reported “all” perspectives or just the “official” Catholic perspective.

Members of the Presbyteral Council said they were very pleased by the Clarion Herald’s coverage of the 2013 Louisiana Priests’ Convention. Among the challenges they noted were the perception that some parishes get coverage while others do not and the ease with which news events can be found by deanery or geographic location.

“The goal of this entire process is to determine how best to communicate with local Catholics,” Perri said. “Our work nationally suggests that Catholic media and communications is not simply ‘one more program’ alongside all the rest of the church’s activities. Rather, social communications have a role to play in every aspect of the church’s mission.”