By BNG staff
ABPnews/Herald, created a year ago in a merger of two Baptist news organizations, has become Baptist News Global.
The rebrand is the result of an agreement approved a year ago when the respective boards of Associated Baptist Press, established in 1990 as the first and only independent news service created for and about Baptists, and the Religious Herald, the 185-year old newspaper for Baptists in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, approved a merger. Since the merger’s official start date of Jan. 1, the organization has operated temporarily as ABPnews/Herald.
“Amid tremendous challenges for faith-based organizations, including churches, denominations and religious publications, we have achieved remarkable growth in financial support, readership and reach,” said David Wilkinson, executive director and publisher. “This new brand captures the spirit of our vision to be the leading source of news and opinion for Baptist Christians worldwide. It aligns with our identity as Baptist in heritage, ecumenical in spirit and global in reach. And it positions us for more growth through additional partnerships and alliances.”
The rebrand was announced at an Oct. 13 dinner by the news organization’s board of directors during its fall meeting in Richmond, Va.
Also at the dinner, held at First Baptist Church in Richmond, directors presented their Jeremiah Bell Jeter Award to former Religious Herald editor Jim White, who helped navigate the merger before stepping down last December. The one-time award is given to an individual who “has made significant contributions to the advancement of Baptist principles and work in Virginia and around the world.”
Jeremiah Bell Jeter was editor of the Herald from 1865 to 1880.
Baptist News Global is a reader-supported, nonprofit news organization. News, features, columns and commentaries are published every business day on its flagship website, baptistnews.com, and distributed via email and social media. Over the past 12 months visitors to the ABPnews/Herald website downloaded more than 2 million pages.
All content published by Baptist News Global continues to be free of charge. Donors to the BNG Annual Fund receive the new magazine Herald, published every other month.
As part of the rebrand, the organization’s website address has changed from abpnews.com to baptistnews.com.
Previous stories:
As new year tolls, ABP/Religious Herald merger launches new media platform
Religious Herald trustees approve merger with ABP to enhance mission and heritage of both
ABP directors adopt merger plan, Religious Herald trustees to vote Oct. 7
Religious Herald, Associated Baptist Press announce plans for merger