Var.: Metrovoice
Metrovoice Passes Plate
By Don Corrigan
Metrovoice, a monthly which bills itself as the St. Louis Christian news and events publication, is apparently falling on hard times. Its the lead story in the July issue is a blatant appeal for money.
Readers are given 10 ways to raise dough for the publication, including a request to your local pastor to raid the collection basket to save the Metrovoice.
In its appeal for the bucks, Metrovoice recounted its editorial triumphs since editor and publisher Jim Day bought the publication in 1993. Among the highlights: chasing after pornographic art books at local book stores; exposing a conspiracy in the Festus City Council to pass an ordinance establishing rights for homosexuals; and exposing that a school-to-work program at St. Louis Career Academy was modeled after a diabolical program first established in the Soviet Union.
With these kinds of exposes why has Metrovoice been reduced to going hat-in-hand to readers in appears on the front page? What will happen if Metrovoice folds? More importantly, what will happen to readers if the monthly folds? Metrovoice answers that question in the lead to its article appealing for help:
“God has called Christians to be watchmen in this land. He commands us to stand up for righteousness. He tells us that if we do not heed this command, the blood of our brothers and sisters will be on our hands.”
The blood of our brothers and sisters? This is a pretty heavy-handed appeal to subscribers. But if it works, there is speculation in the newspaper industry that other publications may contract with God in advertising appeals to subscribers.
(Originally published in the St. Louis Journalism Review 7/1998).
