“Doing the crossword,” my dad texted me recently. “Who is an eight-time Oscar nominee who never won?”
“Peter O’Toole,” I responded.
“Thanks,” he said. “You’re right.”
I don’t have a keen understanding of much. I am useless with numbers, geography, history, or anything that can be construed as valuable. But I do know pop culture. And I understand how it affects the culture at large. Television, film, music, podcasts, and YouTube color (and in some cases discolor) our faith lives significantly. As a magazine, we want to address that in ways that better serve you, our readers.
This month you’ll see a few significant changes. “Media Matters” is now called “Culture,” and the content therein looks a bit different. We still have Sister Rose Pacatte’s film column, “Reel Time,” which will appear every month, but the rest of the content will rotate. Some months we’ll feature streaming television and music; other months we’ll evaluate podcasts and TED talks and best-selling books. The aim of this new section is to inspire you to stretch your legs and explore the world of culture.
Many of us spend more time listening to audiobooks and podcasts, or watching YouTube or television, than we do in church. We feel it is our responsibility to help you navigate some of those waters. We are, after all, in this together.
