Reader's Digest: No, we're not moving right
Filed under: Company News, Media
Remember a little earlier today when we linked to a New York Times story about how Reader's Digest Association was moving in a "decided conservative direction" to court red-state religious types? Not so much, it turns out. RDA executive Eva Dillon just sent out the following memo denying the thrust of the Times story, and implying that the paper's reporter, Stephanie Clifford, "misinterpreted" what's going on. The company also says it's asking the Times for a correction; Clifford tells me she hasn't heard from anyone at RDA yet and thus can't comment.
June 19,2009TO: RDA EMPLOYEESFrom: Eva Dillon,President, Reader's Digest Community
In today's New York Times there is an article about Reader's Digest. The article in part suggests that the brand has decided to shift direction editorially. I want to assure you that that is not what is or has been planned, and that the strategy to embrace our core values can be misinterpreted.
To clarify, neither the magazine nor the company is going in any direction other than what we are doing now. Reader's Digest has always been about the values of home, family, community, optimism and country, and certainly our values today are more than ever in step with America, especially during these recessionary times as people focus on the "back to basics" of family and home. What we did with the relaunch and redesign of the magazine and websites was to go back to the roots that made this company great by embracing and catering to our specific and unique audience -- and do that very well, which resulted in an ASME Award for General Excellence, the first ASME in 20 years.
In a challenging time for our industry, we are excited about the plan we've developed (outlined in my earlier memo yesterday afternoon) to take a leadership role and transform our business model to respond to changed consumer media habits by leveraging our unique global assets and addressing this new generation of media.
Please let me, or any other Executive Committee member, know if you have any questions.
Eva Dillon
Why is Oprah going to cable? Hint: It's nothing to get teary about
Kisses from Hershey: Candymaker may court Cadbury with $17 billion bid
D-Day for Harry Reid: Can he wrangle 60 votes for Senate health reform bill?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-19-2009 @ 2:22PM
Karen said...
They may be moving toward one side or another. However, it doesn't matter because they have cut way back on the number of articles and content of the magazine. I recently subscribed for the first time in a long time and was shocked to see how the magazine has shrunk. It was so disappointing. I won't be renewing my subscription again.
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 2:27PM
Robert said...
If they're moving in any direction, it would be to the left, not right. Ironically, I was talking with a friend of mine about this very subject last night, and if it continues, I'll respond by cancelling my long time subscription. I don't see it as a reflection of a, "change in the times," but due more to attrition as x & y yuppie types slowly replace the previous staff through attrition (same thing, I guess). The warm and cozy feeling I was so used to while reading Reader's Digest is slowly disappearing (along with many of your previously faithful readers).
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 2:36PM
K said...
Who do they think they're kidding? I stopped reading Reader's Digest years ago as I watched it go more and more conservative. Good Luck Reader's Digest. You're going to need it.
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 3:16PM
Mugsie said...
Why does the media have to put everyone and everything into a "category" these days? I have been getting Readers Digest for 65 years now and have always enjoyed the variety of subjects and the ease of reading.
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 2:42PM
CEJ said...
Readers started swing toward conversatism during Ronnie Boys tenure as president. He duped tons of people including editors at Readers.
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 4:52PM
Kelly said...
Who cares? I don't read that mag anymore. Its just a TON of DRUG ADS!!!! (Big Pharma can kiss my a**)
Reply
6-19-2009 @ 6:16PM
luckyone said...
they've always been on the far right, isn't that what family, flag, home, country, opitmisism is all about.....distorting reality.....just another feel good right wing rag....god forbid they should tackle a controversy, say anything 'negative' about the financial, crooked wall st., feds, the 535.....no no no.....jus t stay out there in 'la la' land like nothing bad, negative ever, ever happens.....keep the people in the dark, do not question anything, pretend everybody is good, ....what a bunch of crap.....people are bad, corrupt, manipulating, lying, cheating, killers, pediphila's, pronographic nymph's.....the world is collapsing around us and rd is still back printing a magizine from the 50's.....wake rd, it's 2009, we have a black president, a corrupt political system, a world financial crisis........HELLLLLLOOOOOOOO!
Reply