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World (magazine)

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WORLD
Executive EditorLynn Vincent
Categoriesnews, religion, culture, politics
FrequencyMonthly
Circulation41,831[1]
FounderJoel Belz
First issue1986
CompanyWorld News Group/God's World Publications
CountryUnited States
Based inAsheville, North Carolina
LanguageEnglish
Websitewng.org
ISSN0888-157X

World (often stylized in all-caps as WORLD) is a monthly Christian news magazine, published in the United States by God's World Publications, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Asheville, North Carolina.[2] World's declared perspective is one of Christian evangelical Protestantism.[3][4]

Each issue features both U.S. and international news, cultural analysis, editorials and commentary, as well as book, music and movie reviews. World's end-of-the-year issue covers stories from the previous year, obituaries, and statistics.[3]

History

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World was launched by Joel Belz in 1986 as a publication of The Presbyterian Journal, a theologically conservative magazine founded in 1942.[5] However, due to low readership and financial difficulties, The Presbyterian Journal cancelled the publication that June.[6] Belz convinced the board of The Presbyterian Journal to shut down operations and reallocate its resources to World, which relaunched in 1987.[7] It started with about 5,000 subscribers and the publishers initially requested donations in every issue to stay afloat. At its peak, World had a circulation exceeding 160,000.[8]

In 2005, Nick Eicher replaced Joel Belz as CEO and World considered moving its headquarters to a different city.[9] In 2008, World switched from publishing weekly to biweekly.[10] That same year Eicher was succeeded by Kevin Martin. In July 2011, World moved its office from Innsbruck Mall in Asheville to a former bank building at Biltmore Village.[11]

World magazine received national media attention in 2009, when its then features editor Lynn Vincent was chosen to collaborate on former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life.[12][13][14][15]

In 2012, World began referring to itself as World News Group, which includes its print, digital, and broadcast properties.[citation needed] In 2014, Nick Eicher became Chief Content Officer, responsible for all editorial content for the organization. WorldMag.com launched in September 2004 (the website switched to WNG.org in 2021).[16]

In 2021, Marvin Olasky resigned as editor-in-chief of World. He said he received an effective "vote of no confidence" when the magazine's board went ahead with creating a conservative opinion section on the magazine's website. He said he opposed turning the magazine into yet another conservative commentary outlet.[17]

In July 2024, World changed its magazine from printing biweekly to monthly.[18] Three months later, in late September, World's two office buildings in Biltmore Village were flooded by up to six feet of water from the Swannanoa River during Hurricane Helene.[19]

Editorial team

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Offices in Biltmore Village, Asheville

World News Group's editorial staff is led by co-Chief Content Officers, Lynn Vincent (also the executive editor of WORLD Magazine) and Nick Eicher. In addition, an editorial council provides direction for organization's editorial efforts. The current members of the editorial council are Brian Basham (Program Director-WORLD Watch), Paul Butler (Executive Producer-WORLD Radio), Rebecca Cochrane (Editorial Director-God's World News), Leigh Jones (Executive Editor-Feature), Tim Lamer (Executive Editor—Commentary); Lynde Langdon (Executive Editor—News), and Mickey McLean (Executive Editor-WORLD Digital), along with the co-CCOs.

Unlike World's business staff, which works almost entirely in Asheville, the majority of its editorial and production staff live elsewhere.[9]

Coverage of evangelical controversies

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World has received positive critical commentary from the New York Times regarding its investigative reporting on controversies within the evangelical Christian community.[20]

In an August 29, 2009, cover story, World reported on the C Street Center in Washington, D.C., and the secretive organization behind it, the Fellowship, a.k.a. "The Family".[21] Scott Horton of Harper's Magazine praised the piece, saying the magazine's "attitude is critical and exacting. The piece looks like serious journalism, much like the publication's exposé work on Ralph Reed and other scandals in the past."[22] Rachel Maddow, on her August 17, 2009, show said, "The article exposes The Family's mysterious money trail and describes the C Street scandals using the word 'scandal' and argues that The Family subscribes to a, quote, 'muddy theology' and it harbors, quote, 'a disdain for the established church.'"[23]

The magazine reported that Christian apologist and conservative political commentator Dinesh D'Souza had shared a hotel room with his fiancée prior to filing for divorce from his previous wife.[24] After World broke the story, D'Souza resigned as president of New York's The King's College in response.[25][26]

In December 2018, World's investigative report[27] on Harvest Bible Chapel and its pastor, James MacDonald, led to a shakeup at the suburban Chicago megachurch. The article written by freelance writer Julie Roys included detailed information on financial mismanagement and a culture of deception and intimidation at the church. On February 13, 2019, the elders of the church announced the firing of MacDonald.[28][29]

World Digital

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World's digital properties are headed by Executive Editor Mickey McLean. The World website includes daily news stories, including daily news briefs called "The Sift,"[30] weekly news roundups[31] and editorial cartoons.[32] World's magazine content is also available through its apps for iOS, Android, and Amazon Kindle devices.[33]

World Radio

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On August 6, 2011, World launched a weekly two-hour radio news program called The World and Everything in It.[34][35] Hosted by then-executive producer Nick Eicher and senior producer Joseph Slife, the program aired weekends on U.S. stations and featured reports, interviews, and analysis from the organization's editorial team. In May 2013, The World and Everything in It became a 30-minute daily podcast. Slife left the program in May 2017 and was replaced as co-host by Mary Reichard.

World Radio produces a weekly interview podcast hosted by Warren Cole Smith called Listening In.

References

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  1. ^ Martin, Kevin (2024-10-01). "Statement of ownership, management, and circulation". World. 39 (15): 118. ISSN 0888-157X.
  2. ^ "Contact". WORLD. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  3. ^ a b "About Us". WORLD. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  4. ^ Kellner, Mark (September 18, 2014). "Marvin Olasky preaches journalism through the lens of scripture, faith". Deseret News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  5. ^ Belz, Joel (March 24, 2001). "Publishing... by design". World Magazine. Retrieved 2019-02-23.
  6. ^ Dunn, Lauren; Henderson, Kim; Langdon, Lynde (February 4, 2024). "Well done, good and faithful servant". WORLD Magazine.
  7. ^ Silliman, Daniel (February 9, 2024). "Died: Joel Belz, Founder of World Magazine". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "Echo Media: Print Media Experts". World Magazine. Echo Media.
  9. ^ a b Martin, Kevin (2024-01-25). "Planted in a small city". World Magazine. Asheville, NC: World News Group. p. 6. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Eicher, Nickolas (January 12, 2008). "A changing World". World Magazine. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  11. ^ Sandford, Jason (2011-07-05). "Asheville-based World Magazine moving from Innsbruck Mall to new offices in Biltmore Village". Ashvegas. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  12. ^ McLean, Mickey (May 21, 2009). "Guts and grace". WORLD. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  13. ^ "Sarah Palin picks conservative author to assist on memoir". Star Tribune. Associated Press. May 21, 2009. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014.
  14. ^ Dan Gilgoff (May 22, 2009). "Sarah Palin Picks Christian Journalist to Collaborate on Memoir". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  15. ^ Smith, Ben (October 2, 2009). "Palin co-author: Evangelical, partisan". Politico. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  16. ^ Internet Archive. 2004-09-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20040910090139/http://www.worldmag.com/. Archived from the original on 2004-09-10. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ^ Smith, Ben (2021-11-15). "His Reasons for Opposing Trump Were Biblical. Now a Top Christian Editor Is Out". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  18. ^ Martin, Kevin (2024-04-04). "Big changes ahead". Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  19. ^ Langdon, Lynde (2024-09-29). "Pray for WNC and WNG". World Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  20. ^ Oppenheimer, Mark (November 7, 2014). "A Muckraking Magazine Creates a Stir Among Evangelical Christians". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  21. ^ Belz, Emily; Pitts, Edward Lee (August 29, 2009). "All in the family". World Magazine. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  22. ^ Horton, Scott (August 17, 2009). "Reporting on C Street". Harper's Magazine. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  23. ^ Maddow, Rachel (August 17, 2009). "The Rachel Maddow Show". NBC News (transcript). Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  24. ^ Smith, Warren Cole (16 October 2012). "King's crisis". World. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  25. ^ Kaminer, Ariel (October 18, 2012). "Star Commentator Is Out as Christian College President After Scandal". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  26. ^ Sessions, David (October 18, 2012). "Dinesh D'Souza Resigns Presidency of The King's College". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  27. ^ Roys, Julie (December 13, 2018). "Hard times at Harvest". No. December 29, 2018. WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  28. ^ The Elders of Harvest Bible Chapel. "February 13, 2019 Elder Update". Harvest Bible Chapel. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  29. ^ Anne, Libby (February 20, 2019). "The Harvest Bible Chapel Scandal in a Nutshell (And Why You Should Care)". Patheos. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  30. ^ "The Sift". WORLD. WORLD News Group. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  31. ^ "Roundups". WORLD. WORLD News Group. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  32. ^ "WORLD Editorial Cartoons". WORLD. WORLD News Group. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  33. ^ "Read WORLD Magazine On Your Device". WORLD. WORLD News Group. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  34. ^ "The World and Everything in It". Salem Radio Network. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  35. ^ Al Peterson (July 13, 2011). "SRN Debuts 'The World And Everything In It'". NTS MediaOnline. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
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