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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, October 17, 1980
Page 3
FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
International News
Canada Good news on the radio front ut the end of August as the all-news
network, C.K.O., offered six nights a week (instead of five) beginning
January 1st, 1981, plus one-miuute spot ads for booklets every day of the
year, plus six one-hour specials (if required) for Sunday evenings. The
contract is still to be signed, but it looks extremely promising and may
also include three new stations in Halifax, Winnipeg, and Regina during
1981. The C.K.O. network continues to provide the majority of new radio
responses.
The Supermarket Information Centers distributing The PLAIN TRUTH in
Ontario have opened up new outlets in Alberta and British Columbia. A
test campaign will be run in Woodwards in British Columbia offering The
PLAIN TRUTH via a specially designed flyer. If successful, this program
could be extended to Supervalu and Safeway stores.
Church statistics continue very encouraging. The report dated July 31st
shows baptisms up 56.6%, new visit requests up 58.1% and church attendance
up 7.4%.
Scandinavia Our office in Radlett, England reports that The PLAIN TRUTH
list for Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark has grown more than in any
other area serviced by that office. The circulation now stands at 12,000
copies--128% up on the same time last year. 15,500 letters have been
processed so far, a large number being the response to a very successful
advertising program. Six and a half million copies of Scandinavian news
papers have carried our ad--in the English language--and the cost effec
tiveness has even exceeded the virtually identical ads placed in the
United Kingdom.
There is also a small newsstand program, and replies are now corning in
from 2,000 leaflets which an agent is inserting into various newspapers
and magazine subscription requests.
English Language Europe and the Mideast Responses have just begun to
come in to the first ad in Newsweek magazine. Like the previous Time
magazine ad, the edition specified goes to influential people from Ice
land to Southern Africa. In addition to advertising the English language
PLAIN TRUTH, the half-page ad is also co-promoting the other four language
editions. We are all looking forward to seeing how many replies will
eventually come in, though with the much smaller circulation we would be
very surprised if it pulled even half the quantity of the original Time
ad, which has produced over 3600 responses to date.
The PLAIN TRUTH list in the two areas now stands at over 15,000. This
figure represents a 29% increase in Europe and a 45% increase in the
Middle East, and should move steadily upwards as the year continues.