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World (magazine)

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WORLD
File:WORLD Magazine June 30, 2012, Cover.jpg
Editor in ChiefMarvin Olasky
Categoriesnews, religion, culture, politics
FrequencyBiweekly
Circulation100,000
FounderJoel Belz
First issue1986
CompanyWORLD News Group/God's World Publications
CountryUnited States
Based inAsheville, North Carolina
LanguageEnglish
Websitewng.org
ISSN0888-157X

WORLD Magazine is a biweekly[1] Christian news magazine, published in the United States of America by God's World Publications, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Asheville, North Carolina.[2] WORLD differs from most other news magazines in that its declared perspective is one of conservative evangelical Protestantism.[3] Its mission statement is "To report, interpret, and illustrate the news in a timely, accurate, enjoyable, and arresting fashion from a perspective committed to the Bible as the inerrant Word of God."

Each issue features both U.S. and international news, cultural analysis, editorials and commentary, as well as book, music and movie reviews. In addition, WORLD also publishes an end of the year issue that covers the top stories from the previous year, obituaries, and statistics.[4]

History

Launched by Joel Belz in 1986 as a replacement for The Presbyterian Journal, an at-that-time 44-year-old publication that had been founded specifically "to challenge the assumptions and activities of the liberals and to return the [Southern Presbyterian] denomination to its biblical moorings," WORLD was intended to serve "an educational rather than an ecclesiastical task—a vision focused on the importance of a biblical worldview for all of life." It started small—only about 5,000 initial subscribers, and only 12,000 after three years.[5] The publishers initially requested donations in every issue to stay afloat. It has grown significantly in the years since, and as a non-profit organization, it continues to accept donations as its publishers have expressed the hope of creating a larger Christian news-gathering organization.[6] In 2012 WORLD began referring to itself as WORLD News Group, which includes its print, digital, and broadcast properties.

Editorial team

Marvin Olasky is its editor in chief, with Mindy Belz as editor, Timothy Lamer as managing editor, Jamie Dean as news editor, and Janie B. Cheaney, Susan Olasky, Andrée Seu Peterson, John Piper, Edward E. Plowman, Cal Thomas, Gene Edward Veith, and Lynn Vincent as senior writers. The reporting staff is made up of Emily Belz, Daniel James Devine, Angela Lu, and Edward Lee Pitts. Other contributors include Megan Basham, Mark Bergin, Anthony Bradley, Alicia Cohn, John Dawson, J.C. Derrick, Amy Henry, Meghan Keane, Thomas S. Kidd, Michael Leaser, Jill Nelson, Arsenio Orteza, Tiffany Owens, Stephanie Perrault, Emily Whitten. The magazine's art director is David K. Freeland, with Robert L. Patete serving as associate art director and Rachel Beatty as graphic designer. WORLD's CEO is Kevin Martin, while Warren Cole Smith serves as vice president.

WORLD received widespread national media attention in 2009 when its former features editor and current senior writer Lynn Vincent was tapped[7][8] to collaborate on former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's memoir,[9][10] Going Rogue: An American Life.

Controversial coverage

Although it is an evangelical Christian publication, WORLD has not shied away from reporting on the misdeeds of individuals and organizations within the evangelical Christian community.

In an August 29, 2009, cover story,[11] WORLD reported on the scandal-tainted C Street house in Washington, D.C., and the secretive organization behind it, the Fellowship, a.k.a. "The Family." Scott Horton of Harper's Magazine noted,[12] "As the lede makes clear ('an organization big on protecting its own and small on church ties and theology'), [WORLD’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." WORLD’s coverage of C Street house also caught the attention of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, who on her August 17, 2009, show said,[13] "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.'"

Other examples include a series of articles on the Trinity Broadcasting Network beginning in March 2012,[14] the National Association of Evangelicals beginning in June 2012,[15] Christian historian and author David Barton beginning in August 2012,[16] and Christian apologist and conservative political commentator Dinesh D'Souza beginning in October 2012.[17]

Many of these stories, particularly the ones involving D'Souza, were picked up by the secular mainstream media, with WORLD receiving the credit for breaking the story.[18][19]

WORLD Digital

The magazine's digital properties, including its website, wng.org, is headed up by Executive Editor Mickey McLean. The website includes online-only features written by the magazine's editors, reporters, writers, and contributors, as well as daily news briefs and columns, podcasts, and editorial cartoons.

In March 2011, WORLD released an electronic version of its magazine for the Apple iPad, which is available to download through Apple's App Store.[20] In November 2011, WORLD released a version of the magazine for the Amazon Kindle.

In September 2011, WORLD launched WORLD on Campus, a news site designed for students from age 15 to 25.[21] Leigh Jones serves as editor.

WORLD Radio

On August 6, 2011, WORLD, in partnership with the Salem Radio Network,[22] launched a weekly two-hour radio news program called The World and Everything in It.[21][23] Hosted by Executive Producer Nick Eicher and Senior Producer Joseph Slife, the program airs weekends on stations across the country and features reports, interviews, and analysis from the magazine's editorial team. WORLD plans to add a Monday-Friday version of the program in 2013.

In February 2010, WORLD began broadcasting a daily news report hosted by Nick Eicher. This Is News from WORLD Magazine airs weekdays on the Bott Radio Network and other radio stations across the United States.

WORLD's radio programming is also available as podcasts.

Daniel of the Year

Since 1998, WORLD has chosen a "Daniel of The Year". Having a different emphasis than TIME's Person of the Year, the Daniels exhibit bravery in defense of God's authority and not their autonomy. The honor is named for the main character of the book of Daniel in the Bible.

Hope Award for Effective Compassion

In conjunction with the American Bible Society, WORLD presents an annual Hope Award for Effective Compassion to small Christian ministry organizations that do effective work in helping those in need without receiving government funding.

  • 2006: Christian Women's Job Corps, Nashville, Tenn.
  • 2007: Arkansas Sheriff's Youth Ranches, Batesville, Ark.
  • 2008: A Way Out, Memphis, Tenn.
  • 2009: Forgiven Ministry, Taylorsville, N.C.
  • 2010: Freedom for Youth, Des Moines, Iowa
  • 2011: Victory Trade School, Springfield, Mo.
  • 2012: The WorkFaith Connection, Houston, Texas
  • 2013: Administer Justice, Elgin and Geneva, Ill.

Book of the Year

Since 2008, the editors of WORLD have selected a Book of the Year, which recognizes a Christian book and author that effectively tackles a topic important to the evangelical community in a timely manner. Each Book of the Year is prominently featured in the magazine's annual Books Issue. WORLD selected co-Books of the Year in 2011.

  • 2008: The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Timothy J. Keller
  • 2009: ESV Study Bible, published by Crossway, a division of Good News Publishers
  • 2010: The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future, by Arthur C. Brooks
  • 2011: Should Christians Embrace Evolution? edited by Norman C. Nevin, and God and Evolution, edited by Jay Richards
  • 2012: The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World's Largest Religion, by Rodney Stark
  • 2013: Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia’s Underground Railroad, by Melanie Kirkpatrick

References

  1. ^ Eicher, Nickolas (January 12, 2008). "A changing WORLD". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  2. ^ "How to reach us". WORLD Mag. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  3. ^ Olasky, Marvin. "WORLD tries to be salt, not sugar". WORLD Mag. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  4. ^ Olasky, Marvin. "About us". WORLD Mag. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  5. ^ Belz, Joel (March 24, 2001). "Publishing... by design". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  6. ^ Eicher, Nickolas (November 21, 2009). "Needed: WORLD Movers". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  7. ^ Mickey McLean (May 21, 2009). "Guts and grace". WORLDmag.com. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  8. ^ "Sarah Palin picks conservative author to assist on memoir". Associated Press. May 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  9. ^ Dan Gilgoff (May 22, 2009). "Sarah Palin Picks Christian Journalist to Collaborate on Memoir". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  10. ^ Ben Smith (October 2, 2009). "Palin co-author: Evangelical, partisan". Politico. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  11. ^ Belz, Emily; Pitts, Edward Lee (August 29, 2009). "All in the family". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  12. ^ Horton, Scott (August 17, 2009). "Reporting on C Street". Harper's Magazine. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  13. ^ Maddow, Rachel (August 17, 2009). "The Rachel Maddow Show". MSNBC (transcript). Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  14. ^ "Trinity broadcasting network", World.
  15. ^ "NAE controversies", World.
  16. ^ "Barton controversy", World.
  17. ^ "D'Souza controversy", World.
  18. ^ Kaminer, Ariel (October 18, 2012). "Star Commentator Is Out as Christian College President After Scandal". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  19. ^ Sessions, David (October 18, 2012). "Dinesh D'Souza Resigns Presidency of The King's College". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  20. ^ The Editors (March 12, 2011). "Digital revolution". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2011-07-02. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  21. ^ a b Marvin Olasky (August 13, 2011). "Growing up—and out". WORLD Magazine. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  22. ^ "The World and Everything in It". Salem Radio Network. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  23. ^ Al Peterson (July 13, 2011). "SRN Debuts 'The World And Everything In It'". NTS MediaOnline. Retrieved 2011-08-28.