2 June 2009

Survey: Youth glad church provides Edge

Warburton, Victoria
RECORD staff

Respondents to "The Great Edge Survey," which was conducted recently to assess attitudes toward The Edge magazine, have strongly indicated readers of the magazine are glad the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific provides the magazine and believe it gives them a connection point with the wider church.

The Edge is the official youth magazine for the Adventist Church in the South Pacific in Australia and New Zealand, published as a supplement to RECORD, and is funded jointly by the Adventist Church in the South Pacific and Signs Publishing Company. The first issue of the magazine was published in 1997, and its 75th issue was printed recently. Currently, there are six issues produced each year.

Over all, the response to the survey was "very positive," according to Adele Nash, editor of The Edge.

"You can never tell what results to expect with surveys," she says. "But we were pleasantly surprised with the way in which The Edge has become an important part of many young people's church lives.

"Edge readers were in strong agreeance about the importance of a print copy of the magazine and would like to see more issues per year," Ms Nash adds.

"At times in the past, it has felt as though The Edge has had to prove its worth but the survey, as with other surveys conducted in the past, shows readers clearly appreciate the spiritual and general information contained in the magazine that helps them to 'Believe in Christ, live the life.'

"We've also found support for the magazine coming from people outside of the South Pacific region. Articles from The Edge are often reprinted in other Adventist magazines and it¹s great to be able to see young Adventist writers from this region given broader coverage."

A respondent aged in the 16-to-18-year-old group says, "I always look forward to reading it when it arrives." Another respondent in the same age group says, "You guys are the best and I thank you so much for creating this mag and continuing with it. No wonder you're on the Hope Channel!" Almost all of those who responded to the survey also read RECORD and receive their copy of The Edge through their church.

Around 40 per cent of respondents share their copy of The Edge with other people, including parents, partners and friends. "It's good to see this is happening," says Ms Nash. "It shows the magazine isn't limited to being an 'in house' thing only for people who go to Adventist churches."

The survey also gave readers a chance to have a say about what kind of topics they'd like The Edge to cover in future issues. This included health, relationships with friends and family, "end times," Bible study and sharing God with others.

Some would like to see the magazine deal with tougher issues facing young people. A 22-to-29-year-old respondent says, "I love The Edge and I'd like to see more 'edgy' and controversial issues being discussed. I'd like to know what people think about the stuff I deal with every day."

More than half of the respondents knew of Edge TV, although not that many had watched it. "However, the clear majority of those who had seen episodes had enjoyed what they'd seen and want more episodes made," says Ms Nash.

Other possibilities canvassed by the survey and finding support from readers were streaming episodes of Edge TV on the Edge website and developing an Edge podcast.

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