June memories

Twenty-five years ago this summer, WORLD learned some very difficult lessons | Joel Belz

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

Only a tiny handful of WORLD's current subscribers will remember why June 2011 is a special anniversary in the history of this magazine.

Who, after all, wants to recall an order from the organization's board of directors? "Close it down. Not one more issue. The experiment is over."

With great gusto and optimism, we had launched WORLD in March of 1986. Our first 13 weekly issues had all appeared on schedule. Propelled with the confidence that if we built even a modestly credible product, "they" would come, we charged on through the spring months. Problem was, we had no earthly idea who "they" were—and no plan to reach them. The subscribers and advertisers so essential in any publication's war for survival had not yet reported for duty. But I did have $100,000 dollars' worth of printer's and postage bills, and a staff to pay. So when the board of directors said, "That's it. The party's over. Wake up from your dream," I knew—though painfully—that they were right.