Basic HTML Version
-4-
few said they thought the co.ver was "beautiful" and "in very good
taste." One said it would be excellent for the newsstands. A 14-
year-old boy said, "Big deal."
I immediately thought of some earlier examples of reactions to pies
and covers. There was the time when we had a flood of mail over
girls in tennis skirts on the A.C. campus; once people were very
upset over a picture of GTA playing basketball on the cover of the
TW; then there was the Rodin statue pie used in QUEST••• And now,
here we are again -- another controversial cover! My editor's ulcer
palpitated noticeably as I contemplated another "hassle." So I
thought I would take the initiative and explain.
The cover pix was a last-minute selection made under pressure because
the photographer in NYC who had been commissioned to do a cover pie
didn't come through. At the last minute he sent us one of his stock
photos which we did not ask for. Press deadlines were closing in on
us and we had to go with something. Mr. GTA was out of town so I
couldn't get his advice on the pie in question. We decided that since
the pie was not obscene, was tastefully photographed, and in no way
appeals to one's prurient interests, we would take a chance and go
ahead and use it. We had little time to play around with. So I
approved it in the absence of Mr. Ted Armstrong hoping that it would
meet with his approval.
That was a mistake.
0
When Frank Brown saw the cover pie in England he phoned me and sounded
the alarm. I immediately approved a new cover for all the foreign
0
editions including the English International. So the Spanish, German,
Dutch and French editions have a different cover -- a picture of the
Jodrell Bank radio telescope. It's not exactly a grabber. But it
was the best we could do under the time limitations.
In addition we've managed to change the cover on about 380,000 of the
U.S. edition which were being printed in Britain. So, when you add
it all up, the majority of the PT readership, worldwide, will not
receive the controversial cover.
I accept full responsibility for the faux� and I did what I could
�o rectify it. It won't happen again. Next time I'll listen to my
Vibes" and reject any cover that looks like it might upset any
.
significant element of our mailing list -- including church members -
.,.
'::::
: ·
no matter how inconvenient it may be to do so.
. \,
tl
lhould point out that almost all cover designs and layouts are
_;
-
:Provod
by Mr. Ted Armstrong before publication. This was an
-
f•Ption because he could not be reached and in dealing with an
rlido
printer we do not have the same flexibility we once had with
'k
own Press.
�.x:
.
.
i��Q
P08itive side I just returned from a very successful trip to
,
1' Wt been going there occasionally to learn from some of the
0
� ll i (1 Vt2terans of the pµblishing world whose talents have been
.;i \l
A
lud for QUEST 78. One man, a former executive editor of Life,
'.:: ory
complimentary of the PT. He had read thoroughly the last six