LOUISVILLE—When the next issue of the Western Recorder arrives in March, Kentucky Baptists’ official news publication will have a new look. It will become a monthly magazine.

The Western Recorder Board of Trustees—in an effort to preserve the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s nearly two centuries-old newspaper—voted last month to combine operations with Kentucky Today, the KBC’s online news portal, in March.

Economic factors, plus changes in the way consumers receive their news, have dictated changes throughout the newspaper industry. While some state conventions have stopped publishing print editions, opting for online publications, the Western Recorder’s board of trustees and KBC leadership are united in wanting to preserve a printed product, said Board Chairman Chip Hutcheson.

Moving the Western Recorder into the KBC’s Communications Department and switching from a tabloid newspaper to a magazine format, Hutcheson said, will allow the Western Recorder to remain true to its mission of educating and inspiring Kentucky Baptists while helping KBC fulfill its mission to help churches reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.

“I’m convinced the shift to a magazine format will breathe new life into the Western Recorder,” said Hutcheson. “This is a win-win. It benefits the Western Recorder, but it also benefits Kentucky Baptists who will be receiving a world-class publication that can delve deeper into the issues they are facing.” (WR)