The latest transition at the Biblical Recorder has revealed a more definite turn in the trajectory of the paper’s base. The Biblical Recorder has been firmly in the hands of the Moderates here in North Carolina until this last change in Editors.
Loosing readers was based on the Moderate direction of The Recorder which is evidenced, not only in the biased news stories but, in the recent editors and their connections with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Dr. R.G. Puckett was a founding editor of the Associated Baptist Press, Dr. Tony Cartledge was a leading pastor in the CBF when he came on board as Editor, and Norman Jameson is an active member in one of the leading CBF churches in North Carolina. Now the Recorder is in the hands of Conservatives and it will remain to be seen how the conservative pastors connected with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) will respond. The future of the Recorder retaining her independence from the BSCNC is now in the hands of the conservative pastors in North Carolina. If the Recorder does not begin showing an increase in circulation that translates into a profit for the paper it is good reason to believe she may lose her autonomous position as an agency. The 2011 budget for The Recorder was in the $900,000 and she receives $370,000 from Cooperative Program funds to help offset her budget. Some advocate a lesser cost of operations by bringing The Recorder under the umbrella of the BSCNC. Don’t know if that has been officially discussed, but it has been rumored it may be one way to help retain the state paper’s viability.
Dr. Marse Grant was editor until 1982. When he turned over the reins of the Recorder he did so with a circulation of 119,000. This circulation enjoyed a very wide base. However, the state was witnessing the beginning of, what is now known in the history books as, the Conservative Resurgence. Dr. Grant was a rare creature that was able to work both sides of the political spectrum and as such kept the conservative base interested.
In 1982 Dr. Gene Puckett came to the Recorder and stayed until 1998. Read more
