Ask the Editor: Feedback and focus groups

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Friday, March 7th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next: Ask the Editor.

It’s always a little bit risky to ask a friend for an honest opinion. But last month, Editor-in-Chief Les Sillars did just that. He invited WORLD’s listeners and readers to tell us what you really think.

Hundreds of you signed up—so many that we couldn’t fit everyone in! Now Les is back to share what we learned from you.

LES SILLARS: You told us that you listen while commuting, doing housework, and just hanging out. You listen in the car, on boats, and on trains.

For Gwen Schilthuis, it’s a part of her morning routine.

GWEN SCHILTHUIS: I listen primarily in the morning, almost every day, I'm a walker, so our 10 pound dog and I, we go out and I listen, you know, with one ear bud. I was thinking about this the other day, when the news can be pretty bleak, I walk away encouraged, rather than doom and gloom.

Overall, you said, our production quality is excellent. And that was true of all our platforms: podcast, magazine, website, and app.

Here’s Scott Berggren:

SCOTT BERGGREN: It doesn't seem to be real flashy or trying to be more than it is. It seems to be honest and authentic.

When we asked, “What’s your favorite segment or kind of story?” Monday Moneybeat with David Bahnsen got the most mentions. Culture Friday with John Stonestreet and Legal Docket, with Nick, Mary, and Jenny were close behind. Several people said it’s amazing to hear the voices of Supreme Court justices questioning the lawyers.

There are things we could improve. A few said our news could sometimes use a bit more depth. Others said that at times it goes over their heads.

One person mentioned that our corrections seem nit-picky. But others said that commitment to accuracy makes us more credible. A few said that some voices are a little hard to understand. At times we could be more concise. Some people disagreed with our movie or music reviews or certain commentaries.

A small number of people said that we’re not critical enough of President Trump, MAGA, or right-wing politics in general. Others said we got that balance about right. Here’s Pat Moore.

PATRICK MOORE: It's not from a right or left perspective. It's from a Biblical perspective. And that is, that's huge.

This is going to sound odd, but I had a favorite criticism. Florence Mathews said that she listens to The World and Everything in It…

FLORENCE MATHEWS: To receive a biblical perspective on news and headlines. And so I think the things that I maybe don't prefer, like, are the things that don't accomplish that goal.

I’m not thrilled to hear that sometimes we miss the mark. But I love that Florence gets us. And she wasn’t alone. When we asked, “What’s distinctive about WORLD?” the vast majority said that you come to us for news from a biblical perspective. That’s truly where our heart is.

Here’s Beth Ballhausen:

BETH BALLHAUSEN: I was a big fan of NPR and BBC, and I just feel like I get everything that I ever got from listening to those radio broadcasts, but now with biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires.

There’s one other thing you value. Very highly. Different people described it in many different ways. You said our tone is fair, not manipulative or sensational or mean. Pat Moore put it this way:

PAT MOORE: The idea that God’s in control, and you don't feel like you're being wagged along by the news cycle. You feel like, you're presenting it as making people aware of what's going on in God's earth. And I'm I want, I want to be able to think through my life and the issues around me from a biblical perspective. And I want to be challenged to do that in every way. And you do help me do that more than any any other news outlet, for sure.

So, to Scott, Gwen, Beth, Pat, Florence, and everybody else who took the time to offer your thoughts: thank you. It means a lot to us. And to everybody who listens to this program or reads WORLD Magazine or checks out our website every day: Thank you. We’re humbled. We’re grateful. We’ll try to keep improving. And we’ll see you soon.

I’m Les Sillars.

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