Good News Communications Inc / MOVIEGUIDE® 
The information on this page was last updated 5/31/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
During Dr. Baehr's time in academia, he and a group of 60 academics compiled a list of 150 different criteria that cover the dramatic elements, the literary, the worldview, and the theological and much more. Using this same system, MOVIEGUIDE® reviews movies and television programs from a Christian perspective and determines how movies affect children at different stages of cognitive development.
MOVIEGUIDE® also meets with major movie studios and executives in Hollywood and advise them on how they can make their movies more family and Christian friendly. MOVIEGUIDE® compiles an Annual Report that clearly shows that movies with more Christian content do better at the box office. Furthermore, MOVIEGUIDE® trains future filmmakers through our script writing classes led Dr. Ted Baehr and guest speakers.
MOVIEGUIDE® interviews with top filmmakers and actors to hear about different faith themes in major Hollywood projects too. Some popular names include: Robert Duvall, Laura Dern, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Bruce Willis, Jerry Bruckheimer, Johnny Depp, Steven Spielberg and others.
During the Hollywood award season, MOVIEGUIDE® holds its Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report where filmmakers and industry personnel gather to celebrate a year's worth of uplifting titles and receive our prestigious "Teddy Bear" award.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Good News Communications Inc
4073 Mission Oaks Blvd
Camarillo, CA 93012
Website: movieguide.org
Phone: 805-383-2000
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 132965038
CEO/President: Theodore Baehr
Chairman: Theodore Baehr
Board size: 17
Founder: Ted and Lili Baehr
Ruling year: 1979
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 08/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Mission statement
MOVIEGUIDE®'s mission is to redeem the values of the entertainment industry, according to biblical principles, by influencing industry executives and artists.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Educational Media
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 935 of 1115 | 35 of 45 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 733 of 1116 | 29 of 45 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 988 of 1116 | 39 of 45 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 656 of 1115 | 25 of 45 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 11% | 14% | 21% | 12% | 17% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 10% | 11% | 19% | 11% | 9% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 93% | 82% | 90% | 89% | 52% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 10% | 11% | 22% | 16% | 9% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | 7% | 18% | 10% | 11% | 48% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 72% | 67% | 46% | 38% | 64% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 94% | 101% | 106% | 87% | 70% | 105% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 77% | 73% | 71% | 40% | 27% | 67% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 6% | -1% | -6% | 13% | 30% | -5% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 7% | 0% | -5% | 8% | 21% | -4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 12% | 18% | 23% | 32% | 46% | 28% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.78 | 0.78 | 0.76 | 0.50 | 0.47 | 0.69 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.48 | 1.78 | 1.80 | 1.77 | 1.90 | 2.09 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.47 | 1.38 | 1.37 | 0.88 | 0.89 | 1.44 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 14.32 | 13.19 | 13.90 | 15.25 | 15.81 | 6.87 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.08 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.15 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.92 | 8.06 | 8.11 | 12.72 | 12.65 | 7.13 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 12% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 98% | 123% | 126% | 193% | 207% | 128% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $1,974,454 | $1,998,766 | $2,021,820 | $1,768,099 | $1,455,874 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $77,661 | $29,549 | $134,398 | $77,033 | $9,209 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $2,052,115 | $2,028,315 | $2,156,218 | $1,845,132 | $1,465,083 |
| Long-term investments | $150,494 | $143,050 | $142,042 | $136,676 | $33,989 |
| Fixed assets | $1,438,837 | $1,475,154 | $1,512,625 | $1,531,090 | $1,566,556 |
| Other long-term assets | $2,627 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,591,958 | $1,618,204 | $1,654,667 | $1,667,766 | $1,600,545 |
| Total assets | $3,644,073 | $3,646,519 | $3,810,885 | $3,512,898 | $3,065,628 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $109,745 | $100,889 | $77,932 | $54,497 | $57,888 |
| Other current liabilities | $45,866 | $44,985 | $63,428 | $62,199 | $155,454 |
| Total current liabilities | $155,611 | $145,874 | $141,360 | $116,696 | $213,342 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,081 | $165,615 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,081 | $165,615 |
| Total liabilities | $155,611 | $145,874 | $141,360 | $117,777 | $378,957 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $3,488,462 | $3,500,645 | $3,669,525 | $3,395,121 | $2,686,671 |
| With donor restrictions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $3,488,462 | $3,500,645 | $3,669,525 | $3,395,121 | $2,686,671 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $2,619,197 | $2,155,101 | $1,972,274 | $2,089,871 | $1,051,606 |
| Program service revenue | $157,772 | $457,214 | $210,867 | $248,150 | $953,326 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $19,486 | $2,554 | $407 | $1,120 | $1,833 |
| Other revenue | $12,987 | $334 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $190,245 | $460,102 | $211,274 | $249,270 | $955,159 |
| Total revenue | $2,809,442 | $2,615,203 | $2,183,548 | $2,339,141 | $2,006,765 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $2,042,023 | $1,861,209 | $872,957 | $629,101 | $1,343,583 |
| Management and general | $501,943 | $626,776 | $607,916 | $749,898 | $581,787 |
| Fundraising | $281,207 | $296,496 | $420,367 | $260,722 | $180,194 |
| Total expenses | $2,825,173 | $2,784,481 | $1,901,240 | $1,639,721 | $2,105,564 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($15,731) | ($169,278) | $282,308 | $699,420 | ($98,799) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($15,731) | ($169,278) | $282,308 | $699,420 | ($98,799) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Theodore Baehr | Chairman/Co-Founder | $116,236 |
| Robert Baehr | President/Co-CEO | $115,139 |
| Michael Howell | Vice President of Development | $114,550 |
| Jeremy Carroll | Director of Creative Content | $66,890 |
| Thomas Snyder | Editor | $60,000 |
| Taylor Baehr | Director of Development | $42,000 |
| Evelyn Carroll | Assistant Vice President | $41,538 |
Compensation data as of: 8/31/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 5/31/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In 1985, Dr. Ted Baehr and his wife, Lili Baehr, founded MOVIEGUIDE® in Altanta, Georgia, in hopes to cultivate a better media landscape for their children and future generations.
MOVIEGUIDE® started as a radio program, then a TV program and finally as a bi-weekly magazine. Even though the struggles in the beginning seemed insurmountable, God blessed the ministry with success.
In the 1990s, MOVIEGUIDE® relocated its headquarters to the greater Los Angeles region, to be closer to all the Hollywood action. To date, MOVIEGUIDE® now has TV and radio shows that are broadcasted in over 200 countries and a website filled with resources including movie reviews and articles.
Program accomplishments
Dr. Ted Baehr speaks all around the world, from European Parliament to conferences, to many renowned colleges like Yale, Dartmouth and U.C.L.A. He has also been a featured guest on Oprah, Hannity, CNN, ABC, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.
Needs
MOVIEGUIDE® is making a difference in the Hollywood but cannot do so without the support of amazing donors. Contributions make MOVIEGUIDE®'s visions a reality and allow us to positively influence culture. By supporting MOVIEGUIDE®, culture is being influenced and the message of Christ is being shared with the masses.