NOM

Anyone want to ponder why the Ensign magazine is now the Liahona?

I’m thinking the Ensign is too close to the Ensign Peak financial leak?

Liahona is just strange. It once was the Spanish version of the Ensign so maybe the change was to be more international?

These changes don’t make sense.

Ok so here’s the announcement I found.

Beginning January 2021, the Church will replace its four current magazines with three global magazines, the First Presidency announced on Friday. Improved and expanded digital versions will also be available.

The three global magazines will be the Friend (for children), For the Strength of Youth (for youth) and the Liahona (for adults) — retiring the Ensign title and renaming the youth magazine, which was previously the New Era.

Foreign language translation and digital distributions are some of the reasons.

I guess it’s a smart move for a multinational media corporate conglomerate acting as a church.

I still get the Ensign (gifted to me). I don't read it. I don't even take it out of the plastic wrap, so I'm probably not qualified to give an opinion. I looked up some LDS responses to the magazines. Most of the complaints are that the Friend feels like propaganda and the Ensign has been dumbed down to a middle school level. The magazines are repetitive and uninteresting. I didn't do much digging because I don't really care. I think a lot of the reason is due to everything being online. Published print is down everywhere, and is no different here. Combine, condense, give it a new name, and promote.

The Liahona as pointer to the correct path was a very big deal in my Primary and MIA instruction all those centuries ago.

Maybe the old geezers who are handling this retooling are reverting back to childhood teachings for "inspired" change.

River

This change was announced a while ago. I forget all the reasons, but I’m certain it has to do with saving money...and languages. The Liahona has been the church magazine outside US/Canada for years. I think it is an effort to consolidate the messages into one publication that can be translated into various languages.
The Ensign magazine started in 1970, IIRC, and prior to that was the Improvement Era, or something like that.

The rumor I’m starting is the church had to stop using the word ensign because the church’s for profit financial arm Ensign Peak Investors had Kirton-McConkie sue the non profit arm of the church (the church). It was a move designed by KM as they represent both the defendant and the plaintiff and make money from both sides of Mormon, Inc.

Red Ryder wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:25 am Anyone want to ponder why the Ensign magazine is now the Liahona?

I’m thinking the Ensign is too close to the Ensign Peak financial leak?

Liahona is just strange. It once was the Spanish version of the Ensign so maybe the change was to be more international?

These changes don’t make sense.

Ok so here’s the announcement I found.

Beginning January 2021, the Church will replace its four current magazines with three global magazines, the First Presidency announced on Friday. Improved and expanded digital versions will also be available.

The three global magazines will be the Friend (for children), For the Strength of Youth (for youth) and the Liahona (for adults) — retiring the Ensign title and renaming the youth magazine, which was previously the New Era.

Foreign language translation and digital distributions are some of the reasons.

I guess it’s a smart move for a multinational media corporate conglomerate acting as a church.

How does one improve revelation? Repackage or rebrand it.

Possibly a correlation thing too. There seems to be a renewed emphasis on cultural colonialism. Maybe the old Liahona was letting too much local culture seep through the cracks?

It was probably confusing for Authorities to have two separate Ensigns to contend with in daily conversation, so the less important one (the magazine) had to go. Now the Ensign investment fund can receive the sole reverence in Church conversations.