What a fantastic interview! I also miss print journalism so much. I’m an elder Millennial but grew up in a home where my parents always subscribed to the local newspaper and Newsweek. I used to read them both practically cover to cover (well I did skip sports lol) and I miss that breadth and exposure to new things that you and Tina talk about. I feel inspired to subscribe to a print magazine or paper now!
I must confess that I never ever read sports. I am a total sports dunce (unless it’s about a cultural thing, like racism in football.) I would read the money section (and I mean, SNORE) over sports!
This was brilliant! You're an expert interviewer Pandora and it shows. I love that I now know that Tina Brown did not know was TLDR was until pretty recently!
This was brilliant! SO much fun to read and so interesting - especially because I did not know who Tina Brown was (shame, I'm young, forgive me) but am now obsessed. I, like you, am always deeply anxious about fact checking on Substack. The lack of referencing/citing of sources on here fills me w rage. What do u mean people just come on here and lie?!?! Idk if its just the history/politics degrees in me where you have to cite like you life depends on it, but I don't understand peoples blasé approach to information sharing. I big time think Substack a) need a plagiarism scanner and b) fact checking !!! but it'll never happen.
To paraphrase her, it seems like to be a journalist now is like having to ringmaster a circus lol.
We actually talked about this! (I had to cut it down a lot as it ran to 11,000 words lol.) And she said she thought Substack should provide that service; my thoughts are that it would then make Substack a much more expensive platform for the writers, and that the commission might be 30% say, rather than the current 10%, which *then* makes it unviable for a lot of writers who are already earning a small fraction for their writing. We really went round the metaphorical houses on this one 😂
Oh intrigue she thinks they should too! I'd hadn't thought of the pov from your thoughts but you make a good point - if only there was some sort of magic way for those services to be brought in and for it to NOT affect takeaway money for everyone else. The metaphorical houses are always worth a go around lol
The state of magazines, in particular, makes me sad—I love magazines and would've loved to work at one, but when I graduated from a professional writing program a couple of years back, I knew there was no stable future there. Still got the chance to work at a college magazine, so I'm very thankful for that, but I wish the general interest and other niche magazines didn't have an overall bleak future.
A great interview Pandora and Tina! I too am “a magazine romantic” and worked as editorial assistant at ACP in the 80s in Sydney. One of the editors was Trevor Sykes.
THANK YOU for this. So interesting (and I have constant anxiety about the editor/fact-checker thing on here, it’s my one gripe with Substack, glad to know I’m not alone!)
Brava! A few years ago a friend got me the issue of Vanity Fair when I was born. There’s an excellent archive online but there is something fantastic about holding an old magazine. Madonna is on the cover (December 1986) and there’s a hall of fame photo series including the following remarks in the editor’s letter: “The same is true of this year’s gleaming batch. From Meryl Streep to Dr Robert Gale, these are the high performers who, when conviction stirs, are willing to leap without a safety net. Our wild card is the young British actor Daniel Day-Lewis. We’ve decided he has the makings of an Olivier or Gielgud —- and I suggest we meet here in fifty years’ time to see whether or not we got it right”.
Wow, this is one of the realest conversations around the state of journalism that I've ever read - and who better to have it than Tina and yourself! Huge props, will be sharing far and wide.
This is an EXCELLENT read and as a fellow journalist confirmed many things I’ve been thinking about over the past several years. Thank you!
What a fantastic interview! I also miss print journalism so much. I’m an elder Millennial but grew up in a home where my parents always subscribed to the local newspaper and Newsweek. I used to read them both practically cover to cover (well I did skip sports lol) and I miss that breadth and exposure to new things that you and Tina talk about. I feel inspired to subscribe to a print magazine or paper now!
I must confess that I never ever read sports. I am a total sports dunce (unless it’s about a cultural thing, like racism in football.) I would read the money section (and I mean, SNORE) over sports!
This was brilliant! You're an expert interviewer Pandora and it shows. I love that I now know that Tina Brown did not know was TLDR was until pretty recently!
This was brilliant! SO much fun to read and so interesting - especially because I did not know who Tina Brown was (shame, I'm young, forgive me) but am now obsessed. I, like you, am always deeply anxious about fact checking on Substack. The lack of referencing/citing of sources on here fills me w rage. What do u mean people just come on here and lie?!?! Idk if its just the history/politics degrees in me where you have to cite like you life depends on it, but I don't understand peoples blasé approach to information sharing. I big time think Substack a) need a plagiarism scanner and b) fact checking !!! but it'll never happen.
To paraphrase her, it seems like to be a journalist now is like having to ringmaster a circus lol.
We actually talked about this! (I had to cut it down a lot as it ran to 11,000 words lol.) And she said she thought Substack should provide that service; my thoughts are that it would then make Substack a much more expensive platform for the writers, and that the commission might be 30% say, rather than the current 10%, which *then* makes it unviable for a lot of writers who are already earning a small fraction for their writing. We really went round the metaphorical houses on this one 😂
Oh intrigue she thinks they should too! I'd hadn't thought of the pov from your thoughts but you make a good point - if only there was some sort of magic way for those services to be brought in and for it to NOT affect takeaway money for everyone else. The metaphorical houses are always worth a go around lol
Your generosity in sharing interviews like this is really second to none, Pandora.
Thank you for such an interesting exchange.
Print enthusiasts unite! 🗞️📰
Throughly enjoyed this!
The state of magazines, in particular, makes me sad—I love magazines and would've loved to work at one, but when I graduated from a professional writing program a couple of years back, I knew there was no stable future there. Still got the chance to work at a college magazine, so I'm very thankful for that, but I wish the general interest and other niche magazines didn't have an overall bleak future.
A great interview Pandora and Tina! I too am “a magazine romantic” and worked as editorial assistant at ACP in the 80s in Sydney. One of the editors was Trevor Sykes.
Thank you so much, what a brillaint interview! She truly is the royalty of journalism. So much respect for her. Loved this.
I cannot tell you how many times I got a quote like ‘stick to your knitting’ back from
Magazine bosses
I bet you have some GREAT anecdotes up your sleeve, Lorraine!
THANK YOU for this. So interesting (and I have constant anxiety about the editor/fact-checker thing on here, it’s my one gripe with Substack, glad to know I’m not alone!)
I have multiple gripes hahahaha
LOL indeed
“I still have such a lot of news juice in me” what a way with language. Loved this interview and Fresh Hell is a great read.
So good isn’t it. I’m also obsessed with “intellectual serendipity” which I never had the language for
I LOVED this interview and am desperate for someone to help me find the New Yorker issue that was ONE PIECE???
It was by Mark Danner - about El Salvador and El Mozote x
oh you genius! have now linked that in the piece and it's also here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1993/12/06/the-truth-of-el-mozote
Brava! A few years ago a friend got me the issue of Vanity Fair when I was born. There’s an excellent archive online but there is something fantastic about holding an old magazine. Madonna is on the cover (December 1986) and there’s a hall of fame photo series including the following remarks in the editor’s letter: “The same is true of this year’s gleaming batch. From Meryl Streep to Dr Robert Gale, these are the high performers who, when conviction stirs, are willing to leap without a safety net. Our wild card is the young British actor Daniel Day-Lewis. We’ve decided he has the makings of an Olivier or Gielgud —- and I suggest we meet here in fifty years’ time to see whether or not we got it right”.
I think they did, and then some.
Tight copy is the hardest to write and the best to read - she's so right!!
Literal icon !
Wow, this is one of the realest conversations around the state of journalism that I've ever read - and who better to have it than Tina and yourself! Huge props, will be sharing far and wide.