In focus.

Back when I was a young journalist and a bit hungrier--literally and figuratively--I occasionally participated in marketing focus groups. Although the crisp $20 bills in the envelope at the end were my main motivation, I also enjoyed giving my opinions, whether it was on diet cola or commercials.

A few months ago I got the chance to be on the other side of the two-way mirror.

In March U.S. CATHOLIC conducted four focus groups, thanks to the generosity of Dan Cotter, owner of DMCotter Research & Strategy in suburban Boston, who organized, facilitated, and analyzed them for us. He met with nearly 30 readers and non-readers, asking everything from "What other magazines do you read?" to "What do you think of our cover?" to "Who do you think doesn't read U.S. CATHOLIC?"

Much of what we heard was very positive. Our readers really love the magazine. And the non-readers liked it, once they learned what it was about. The key--and our marketing challenge in the months and years ahead--is to get our magazine into the hands of more interested Catholics.

As Dan took the focus group participants through the magazine, Business Manager Michele Taylor, Senior Editor Cathy O'Connell-Cahill, and I listened carefully to what attracted their attention and what bored them. After all, journalism is all about grabbing the busy reader, now more than ever.

You may have already noticed some changes in our pages that came about because of focus group participants' comments. We recently made the layout of the Sounding Board and Reader Survey Feedback easier to navigate. And in this and subsequent issues you'll see more changes. In response to concerns that our many departments can be confusing, we're shortening up two (Signs of the Times and Catholic Tastes), deleting another (Spirituality Cafe), and redesigning others (Practicing Catholic, In Person, and Wise Guides). Although Peter Gilmour's long-running Odds & Ends column is coming to an end, we plan to keep his voice in our pages with occasional essays.

There will be more sidebars with quick information and references about where to get more information online. Readers, old and new alike, should find it easier to understand how U.S. CATHOLIC can be useful to them in their everyday lives. To that end, a new department just for families with young children has been added. At Home with Our Faith (page 49) features excerpts from Claretian Publications' monthly family spirituality newsletter of the same name.

To all who gave their two cents at our focus groups, as well as the loyal readers who have let us know through the years what you like and what you don't, thanks--and keep those opinions coming.