Basic HTML Version
48
~od
from the Editor
(Conthwed from page
1)
why the magazines would be late 1n
arriving. The
Readers Digest
people
were so elated that their magazine
brought such an overwhelming response
that they made a special brochure - or
leaflet - reprinting our ad - to be
sent to advertisers.
But all this overwhelming response
did TWO THJNGS:
1) It shot
The
PLAIN TRUTH circula–
tion from a little over one million to
more than TWO MILLJON COPIES. That
was FINE
GREAT
-
GOOD.
BUT-
2) This sudden jump in ci rculation
of
The
PLAIN TRUTH forced us to buy
additional huge 4-color web-fed maga–
zine presses - build larger printing
plants - increase number of employees
in these plants - increase
numb~rs
of
personnel on staffs in offices around the
world. We had to immediately open
new offices in New Zealand and in
Mexico
City.
In Sydney and in Van–
couver, B.C., Canada we had to move
into much larger quarters. We had only
recently moved into larger quarters in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
BUT -
we were not able to build fast enough!
RESULT? We had to build an entirely
NEW printing plant in England, and in
Pasadena, and also move our presses
into larger quarters in North Sydney.
But these plants
aiready are outgrown!
So both in Pasadena aod at Radlett,
England, we are proceeding to DOUBLE
the size of these plants. But it will take
time to build!
We have to get along meanwhile in
our new overcrowded plants. With cir–
culations expanding, we simply cannot
handle additional expansion UNTJL the
new plants and additíonal presses and
equípment are installed.
THEREFORE we are forced to SLOW
DOWN operations in the meantime
UNTJL our expanded facilities are ready.
We KNEW we probably would have to
build bigger than we did. These NEW
EXPANSIONS were planned - but we
did not want to spend the money to
The
PLAIN TRUTH
build bigger than the need. So we did
not build the maximum size at once.
We are MORE THAN DELIGHTED at
this overwhelming GROWTH aod suc–
CESS. We are SORRY we have to ask you,
our readers, to receive
The
PLAJN
TRUTH only every two months tempo–
rarily, instead of monthly.
Also, the savings in cost of produc–
tion will ease the load of paying for the
new expanded facilities. To this end,
further, we will , until October, reduce
the broadcasting of
The
WoRLD
ToMORROW on maoy stations to once a
week. However, on most of the larger,
more powerful stations, the program
will continue through the summer daily.
We started a new magazine -
TOMORROW'S W oRLo -with the June,
1969, number, with a circulation of
125,000. This current issue has grown
to almost a HALF MILLION copies in ten
short months -
actually 475,000
copies!'!
REMEMBER -
our
lemporary
bi–
monthly plan does not shut off receiving
NEW SUBSCRIBERS. lt merely reduces the
frequency of issue until new facilities
and increased reveoues make monthly
issues once again possible.
But I must take you into my con–
fidence one step further.
These cutbacks in publishing and
broadcasting alone do not solve the
situation, however.
Our operations have grown large,
worldwide. With our publications,
radio and TV broadcasting, and pur–
chase of advcrtising space in the world's
mass-circulation magazines and news–
papers, we now serve 150,000,000
people. That involves the handling and
expenditure of large sums. To remaío
successful in this ever-GROW!NG service
in the public interest, we must maintain
a wise and sound financia! policy. We
cannot be careless in the handling of
funds.
Hundreds of commercial operations,
including giant corporations and a very
large number of small businesses, have
been for a year or more seriously
affected by an economic recession and
the tight money situation. Cutbacks in
the United States Government's space
program and the Vietnam war are forc–
ing many firms, large and small, into
serious financia! trouble aod in many
April-May, 1970
cases failure. This general condition
naturalJy affects us.
This great Work is financed by the
contributíons of 125,000 Co-Workers
who BEL!EVE in this vital program lead–
ing hundreds of thousands into a BET–
TER QUALITY LIFE! Although we DO
NOT SOLIC1T
NEW CONTRIBUTORS
al! have become contributors VOLUN–
TARJLY and without solicitation or
urging by us - nevertheless, it JS neces–
sary to EXPLAJN that there is
need,
under present circumstances, to increase
revenues.
The very GROWTH and SUCCESS of
our circulation-expansion program has
increased
operational
expenditures.
Therefore it is incumbent on me to
make a frank and candid STATEMENT to
our readers of the ENT!RE circumstances
that have led to the
temporary
bi–
monthly policy for
The
PLAJN TRUTH.
This is not a request - we want new
Co-Workers to
become
contributors vol–
untarily - unsolicited. But when addi–
tional ones do wish to have part in this
great Work, in
what·eve,.
amount, they
are welcomed gratefu l1y. (lncidentally,
there is nothing to join, never any
obligation.)
The new TOMORROW'S WORLD
magazine was designed origioally, when
started last June, to serve the 125,000
regular contributors who were supply–
ing the financia! needs of this Work.
But after issuance of the fust oumber
we felt that many others - readers of
The
PLAJN TRUTH, and listeners to the
worldwide broadcast,
The
WoRLD
ToMORROW, would also want to receive
this sparkling new magazine of Biblical
understanding, edited by the Graduate
School of Theology of Ambassador Col–
lege. We offered it. The circulation sky–
rocketed. In these few months it has
grown from the initial 125,000 copies
to oearly half a millíon - 475,000
copies the last issue - 350,000 new
readers
beside
contributors. So that
expansion, too, becomes part of the cir–
cumstances leading to the bi-monthly
temporary policy.
So, I felt personally that this com–
plete and frank statement was due our
entire readership. The expansion pro–
gram has been an overwhelming suc–
cess. It has also brought problems. They
will be solved. This worldwide service