TWO NEW WATS RECORDS; RECORD NUMBER OF NAMES; EXCELLENT BOOK RESPONSE
Two New WATS Records: A record-breaking response to the telecast “Revelation: Catastrophic Event” inundated the Pasadena and Big Sandy WATS offices over the weekend of November 23-24. A total of 25,552 calls were answered — more than 5,000 (25 percent) over the previous record. The number of calls would have been approximately 1,200 higher had Chicago station WGN not preempted the program because of a TV special.
Then the following weekend (November 30-December 1) the program "The Plain Truth About Christmas" brought in 26,020 calls, setting a new record. This is the 10th time this year that each previous record has been broken. The telecast about Christmas has always pulled very well. However, this response was nearly double last year's airing (December 2) which produced 13,101 calls. As we enter the winter season, we are seeing the full effect of the new stations added this year.
Record Number of Names: This year a record number of new people have been added to our computer file. This file contains not only the "Plain Truth" subscription list, but also those of "The Good News," "Youth" magazine, the Correspondence Course and others who request only booklets.
The number added through October was 1,763,834 — which surpassed the total for all of last year. Of these new people, 1,455,000 subscribed to "The Plain Truth" and 227,000 were sent a sample copy at the request of a friend. The remaining 81,000 did not subscribe to "The Plain Truth" but did request other literature.
The "World Tomorrow" program was the No. 1 source of these new names — it brought in 495,000 (28 percent of the total). The newsstand program was No. 2 with 288,000 (16 percent). Other major sources include "Plain Truth" blow-in cards, literature envelopes, the waiting-room program, the April READER'S DIGEST ad and a direct-mail letter that offered "The Plain Truth."
Based on the current rate of adding new people, we will probably reach the two million mark before the year is over.
Excellent Book Response: The response to Mr. Armstrong's offer of "Mystery of the Ages" to "Good News" readers has set a new record. We have now received 200,000 letters — a 41.7 percent return. The former record was set in 1964 when 41.4 percent of the subscribers requested the book "God Speaks Out on the New Morality." The total response will continue to climb and may reach 50 percent. Many have read the first installments in "The Plain Truth" and are anxiously awaiting the complete volume. Some state they expect Mr. Armstrong's book to answer questions that have puzzled them all their lives.
It seems incredible that with all of our belt-tightening, 1985 will prove to be a record-breaking year in almost every category.
UPDATE FROM MAIL PROCESSING
Worldwide Church of God