Georgia Baptist newspaper cuts staff, changes focus

ATLANTA - The nation&#39;s oldest religious newspaper has cut its staff by half and announced a new direction for its editorial content. <br> <br> The Christian Index&#39;s board of directors released a statement January 27, saying the paper was shifting its priority to stories that directly affect ministry and evangelism in the state. <br> <br> In a statement, board member Darrell Henry said, ``We are talking about implementing a formula that will take the Index from being a passive teller of what has already happened to being a pro-active force in shaping the future of Georgia.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The Index, founded in 1822, has a circulation of more than 56,000. <br> <br> Editor William Neal, who had served in his position since 1993, was given early retirememt. The board, which is elected by the Georgia Baptist Convention, also dismissed three other members of the eight-person staff. <br> <br> Joe Westbury, interim editor, said the cuts were philosophy-based. <br> <br> He said the board is interested in taking the paper in a direction that has a greater emphasis on Georgia news. <br> <br> He added that the board wanted the paper to move away from its heavy international flavor, directing the staff to generate more original stories. <br> <br> Westbury declined to comment about details of the staff changes.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/2/183584