A newspaper famous for printing extraordinary stories will finally cease printing. Succumbing not pressures about the validity of its stories, but to its bank balance.
Praised in the movie Men In Black as “the best damn investigative reporting on the planet”. At its peak in the ’80s the Weekly World News sold 1.2 million copies a week. In recent times its circulation has fallen to 80,000. Reports suggest its demise is due to the internet stealing its reader base, and a reduction in advertising revenue.
So, after 28 years, the last issue will be printed on 27 August. But don’t worry, the WWN will still be available online.
References
- Tabloid Soon to Check Out (NPR, 25 July 2007)
- Aliens abduct supermarket tabloid (News.com.au, 13 Aug 2007)
- America mourns supermarket tabloid (BrisbaneTimes, 13 Aug 2007)
- Landmarks: Tabloid checks out (SMH, 14 Aug 2007)