A bigger monthly magazine

Welcome to WORLD’s new monthly magazine! Our editorial team has big plans for this new ­format, many of them realized in this first issue. Our aim is to serve you better in print and on all our platforms. I’d love to hear from you with your first impressions, but also later as you read and consider more deeply.

When I explained a few weeks ago our move to a monthly WORLD Magazine, I didn’t mention the financial effects, and many of you asked me about it. There is a big one, of course—we’ll be spending less on postage. That played into our decision, because we all would rather spend more on additional reporting and less on postage. But this was a decision years in the making, driven more by content considerations than financial ones.

Our goal is to have these monthly issues arrive in your mailbox before the first of the month of the cover date. This is the July issue, so we hope you’re seeing it by June 30. Many are seeing it earlier than that—but still, we have to make allowances for our friends in far-flung states like California, Hawaii, and Alaska. (When it comes to international ­delivery, all bets are off.)

In this space, I’ll be updating you on WORLD News Group activities, projects, and milestones, including occasional stories about the offbeat travels of our staff, such as a recent trip to the nation’s capital for a race—not a political one:

• WORLD’s Washington, D.C.–area staff, along with one Asheville staffer, made a good showing in our first ACLI Capital Challenge 5K on May 15. The Capital Challenge features runners and teams from all three branches of government, including sitting members of Congress, White House staff, and three current Supreme Court justices. (Brett Kavanaugh had the fastest time among justices this year). The “fourth branch” was also well represented, with members of the news media making up the majority of runners. WORLD’s team placed 4th in our category of media organizations. Sadly, NPR and Fox News came in ahead of us, but we beat NBC News and Voice of America. WORLD Radio’s Jenny Rough, team captain, had the best time of WNG runners, and we're already training for next year. (And by we, I don’t mean me.)

• In other news, World Journalism Institute just wrapped up its primary college-level course at Dordt University. For the second year in a row, we added seats beyond our capacity. And for the second year in a row, we are adding a second course later this summer to work with applicants we couldn’t accommodate at the main course. Also taking place this summer: WJI’s second high school journalism camp at Dordt (wji.world/programs/high-school). Finally, in August, WJI’s third European course. I’ll let you know how all of those go.

• If you’re reading this before June 30, that means our fiscal year hasn’t ended yet. Debra Meissner, who runs our fundraising efforts, asked me to mention that you can give online, you can give from your donor-advised fund, and you can give noncash gifts, like stock. Or cars (or boats or airplanes). It’s easy. Really. Find out how at wng.org/donate.

I hope you enjoy this new WORLD Notes format. Since I’ll be updating you 12 times in the coming year instead of 24, I’ll be trying to pack a lot into each edition. Ideally, you’ll find equal measures of quantity and quality. Probably too early to say, but that’s what I’m aiming for.