MD Anderson’s bi-monthly magazine succeeds by understanding its audience

Messenger, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s bi-monthly magazine for employees, retirees, volunteers, and their families, has defined excellence in print publications for years, and it continues to uphold its high standards. 

At the heart of Messenger’s success with its readers is the fact that the people who produce it understand their audience—not just demographics, but the fact that not all employees understand the nuances of medical research simply because they work in a hospital. 

The editors and writers also stay true to the three goals that guide the publication: mission areas, core values, and strategic vision. Articles in the past year have explained the importance of clinical trials, profiled the increasingly important physician assistants working at the hospital, and highlighted staff members who have devoted their careers to tobacco research and its health impacts. Employees have come to expect recurring features that are equally devoted to the magazine’s overarching goals. 

Couple these factors with solid design and great writing, and you get a winning combination that is rated valuable or somewhat valuable by more than 82 percent of the respondents to an internal communications survey. 

We are pleased to recognize the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Messenger with Ragan’s 2014 Employee Communications Award for Best Print Magazine. Our hearty congratulations for ongoing excellence go out to Carol Bryce, Kelley Moore, Laura Harvey, and Jenny Montgomery.