"The irony is, we were doing this at our own peril, because most of our newsstand executives and circulation executives were saying ‘Don't put Britney on the cover! It's going to bomb on the newsstand!' So we put Britney on the cover despite some of our newsstand advisors."

Of course, when Rolling Stone did it, their website traffic doubled. But you know, The Atlantic is not exactly available by the register at the A&P so yeah maybe Smith is not even lying and they knew it would tank. Still, it was basically the only reason we talked about the magazine since we made fun of their web rebranding so hey, good on you guys. [Folio]

Sitting next to Andrew Sullivan does not mean you have anything to contribute. Especially if you are so inexperienced in this raucous online world that you take such offense at a harmless dig in a post designed to call readers' attention to your brand-new unread online diary.

So Goldberg bitched to Andrew Sullivan, who was understandably "unimpressed." The nice way of saying he didn't give a shit, because he's actually got a thick skin. So Goldberg called Haber, who didn't understand what the hell he was on about. Then, "unappeased," Goldberg called Jack Shafer for some reason to whine that the Observer took his lunch money. And Shafer humored him. Mean Matt Haber should've called you for comment!

The absolute last thing the "blogosphere" needs is another boring old center-left "real journalist" magazine writer dipping his toes into the overcrowded wading pool. Hooray, another liberal hawk is here to write 1,000-word hand-wringing posts about Israel and occasionally link to something terribly interesting he read in the New Republic!

From Goldberg's intro post:

I hope to blog, when the spirit moves me, on the future of Israel, the coarsening of American life, the Jewish predisposition toward dissatisfaction, the Mets (see previous), Dylan and Springsteen, the perfidies of Wal-Mart, genocide in Africa, gun control, the civilizational struggle within Islam, airline delays, screenwriting and the bleakness of journalism.

Lord fucking save us.

The strain of black conservatism that Cosby evokes has also surfaced in the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. Early on, some commentators speculated that Obama's Cosby-esque appeals to personal responsibility would cost him black votes. But if his admonishments for black kids to turn off the PlayStation and for black fathers to do their jobs did him any damage, it was not reflected at the polls. In fact, this sort of rhetoric amounts to something of a racial double play, allowing Obama and Cosby to cater both to culturally conservative blacks and to whites who are convinced that black America is a bastion of decadence. (Curiously, Cosby is noncommittal verging on prickly when it comes to Obama. When Larry King asked him whether he supported Obama, he bristled: "Do you ask white people this question? ... I want to know why this fellow especially is brought up in such a special way. How many Americans in the media really take him seriously, or do they look at him like some prize brown baby?" The exchange ended with Cosby professing admiration for Dennis Kucinich. Months later, he rebuffed my requests for his views on Obama's candidacy.)

[via NYO]

That crisis, like Ms. Spears's, has been notably public: the magazine moved from Boston to Washington in 2005, stopped publishing fiction in every issue, moved its ad office from Washington to New York and has recently ended its pay wall to increase page views. Their anniversary party was one of the most awkward experiences I've ever had around free drinks.

But the crisis isn't to blame for The Atlantic's slip in ad pages. Like every other magazine, they're having trouble finding suckers. Putting Britney on the cover is a calculated move to improve news stand sales. There's no reason to pretend otherwise. America wants think pieces on celebrity just like it wants fluff pieces on politicians. Make more like evil genius Janice Min and don't sweat the difference!

The Atlantic is just trying to expand its appeal, as new Atlantic president Justin Smith admits: "We think the brand's relevance has a broader appeal than the current footprint. ... You could argue that doing a story on the celebrity economy and the new paparazzi economy is a broadening of the footprint."

Or, Britney Spears is a fascinating topic and The Atlantic wants to stay around for another 150 years. One piece of advice, though: If The Atlantic wants to cover celebrities, they're going to have to move faster. Britney Spears is over. Celebrity resurrection is the new celebrity scandal.

[Via TVNewser]

"Is the Atlantic's move to DC transforming it into a supersize U.S. News & World Report?" It is "arguably" getting worse! (Please everyone do not ever use the word arguably again. If you are making an argument? Make an argument. NO DOUBT some people will disagree with you!)

"When the Atlantic was founded 150 years ago, Boston could lay legitimate claim to being America's cultural and intellectual capital; it was also a center of finance." But now Boston sucks!

With "cultural and financial gravity concentrated in New York and political power concentrated in Washington, Boston had cultivated something else: a kind of shared civic arrogance, rooted in memories of past glory, that drove Bostonians to sit in intellectual judgment on the great events of the day...."

Don't get distracted, Adam! The Atlantic actually is obvious and dull and insular! It just used to be obvious and dull and insular from Boston.

Capitol Loss [Boston Phoenix]

Consultancy Founder Devotes Himself To Remaking Atlantic Media Online [WaPo]

Thank you for your interest in The Atlantic Online positions. I wanted to get in touch to give you an update on the status of the openings. Given Chuck Todd's departure, we are placing these positions on hold as we make some internal decisions. When the positions open we will consider all of the applicants that were interested in the positions this time around.

Todd is was the editor-in-chief of National Journal's subscriber-only website The Hotline, and it seems he had been tapped to lead the Atlantic's relaunch, but fled back to his old job left this week to become the political director for NBC News. Our tipster also reports that co-editor Marc Ambinder (who had been an associate editor at The Hotline) might also be on the way out the door.

National Journal, like the Atlantic, is owned by David Bradley's Atlantic Media Company. Which also has a large stake in Harvard's non-alumni alumni magazine, 02138, which also seems to have been running into a spot of trouble lately. Of course, delayed website launches are nothing new; how long has Barry Diller been working on that Onion ripoff by now? But this might be one to keep an eye on, as Politico has been vacuuming up any and all political journalists who can put together a sentence, and Martin Peretz has been taking the rest. (Or at least, he's kept Ryan Lizza!) Maybe there's nothing left for poor David Bradley?

UPDATE: Not so, says Marc Ambinder! "Thought I am flattered that, on what must be an extraordinarily balky news day, my professional life would be subject to a Gawker item, I am happy to inform you that I (a) am not leaving (b) have no plans, intentions, desires or inklings, no inner thoughts, dreams or aspirations - no nothings, to leave, and, further, that (c) reports of Atlantic Politics' demise are also false."

Earlier: "Detested" Marty Peretz's 'TNR' Hard Sell

The HuffPo notes at least ten differences between the old and new drawings. A few items they missed that the drawings omitted altogether: crazily vascular forearms; bear paunch; rolling papers. Also the crazy nerd-chick in the background of the new drawing? Is that the secret crazy tranny that tells him what to change his mind about each week? Or does the Atlantic permanently employ Velma from Scooby Doo? Are they besieged by ghosts?

Greetings From Airworld [Atlantic]
Earlier: Something Special in the Air

Miller's Latest Subject: Qaddafi [Media Mob/NYO]
Earlier: Media Questions Answered: 'Celeb Living' Lives; 'Atlantic' Editor Has a Phone

I mean, I have a really good friend who's an incredible television executive. Her husband's a really highly placed writer. They rock out their lives to the nth, nth degree. Their son's a good friend of ours. I love going to their house. They, you know, order in everything, Flanagan continues. Everybody feels very loved there. It's just different styles.

But that's not how you write, I protest. I mean, do you think your friend is as deeply connected to her son as you are to yours?

No, she says quietly.

Have you two talked about that?

That, Flanagan replies, would be a wounding thing.

At this point, were Mother Theresa still alive, she'd throw the magazine across the room and yell, "What a cunt."

Also, there's a really great profile of Shakira.

Who's The Fairest Wife of All? [Elle]
Love in the Time of Shakira [Elle]

First, we asked yesterday for info about the potentially imminent death of Celebrity Living after a tipster informed us that the mag's distributor was giving up some of its newsstand pockets. Ad Age's restless Nat Ives found the answer. The AMI title is not dead yet, but it's not growing either:

American Media has scaled back its ambitions for Celebrity Living Weekly, the star-gazing lifestyle magazine introduced in April 2005. The decision could be a sign that there actually is a limit to the audience for fame.... [The company] decided disappointing sales for Celebrity Living Weekly meant it shouldn't increase the number of newsstand and checkout-aisle pockets it reserves for the title. While additional pockets present consumers with more chances to buy a magazine, the space is costly and not justified by the return past a certain point.

Then, while there are still a number of known unknowns about Judy Miller's reporting assignment for The Atlantic, the Observer's Media Mobsters have at least answered our latest concern on that front, about how long it would take new Atlantic editor to finally get a working phone:

Though a receptionist at the magazine's Watergate offices said this morning that Bennet lacked a phone line, the editor telephoned this afternoon — using his office telephone, which he said he has had since starting his job.

Thanks, guys.

AMI Puts Breaks on 'Celebrity Living Weekly [Ad Age]
Correction: Atlantic's Bennet Does Have a Telephone [Media Mob/NYO]

A source at the Atlantic confirms that former New York Times reporter/journalistic privilege test case Judith Miller is working on a piece for the magazine.... According to the Atlantic source, Miller is working on a reported piece—and not a first-person account of her crisis at the Times, like Howell Raines' 20,000-odd word Atlantic piece of May 2004.

Newly appointed Atlantic editor James Bennet does not yet have a working phone line. Reached by phone, Miller declined to comment on her Atlantic assignment. "I just got back from the Middle East," she said. "I can t talk right now."

So thanks to the Mobsters we've got our first question answered — confirmation! And the second one is partially answered — a reported piece, not a memoir! But that still leaves the questions of what the topic of the reported piece is, and when we can expect to see it. So get to it, kids. And while you're at it, look into one more query: Bennet was announced as the new Atlantic editor three weeks ago. How long does it take to get the man a phone?

Miller Back From Middle East, Writing for 'Atlantic' [Media Mob/NYO]
Earlier: Breaking Rumor: Is Judy Writing for 'The Atlantic'?

I heard the Atlantic Monthly has Judy Miller working on a story.... I guess it stands to reason since they went and got Howell after he got the boot.

We're inclined to believe the rumor, but we wish we had more detail. Anyone have more confirmation that Judy's working for The Atlantic? On what? To be published when? We'd love to know, and we promise anonymity will be protected — although not, granted, through 85 days in the Alexandria Detention Center.

Earlier: Gawker's coverage of Judith Miller

This makes Bennet's memo an especially depressing one, then. It's not so much that The Atlantic won't be good anymore — we fully expect its excellence will continue. It's rather that we might have to finally start reading VF again. And who the hell has the time for that?

The full memo from Bennet — who apparently goes with both the "thanks" and the "allbest" in his signoffs — is after the jump.

To the staff:

I wish that my first message to you all were not being written with such a heavy heart. I'm sorry to report that William Langewiesche is leaving us later this spring for Vanity Fair, after delivering one more story for The Atlantic. I know he has meant a great deal to you as a colleague. Like many other longtime Atlantic readers, I have known William only by the brilliance of his writing in these pages, and I am very disappointed not to have the chance to work with him as an editor.

Starting in the fall, Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic's managing editor from 1985 to 2005, will also be joining Vanity Fair, as a part-time editor. He has kindly agreed to continue helping us for a couple more months.

The stories that William and Cullen told in The Atlantic have inspired a generation of journalists, but William's own story at the Atlantic should inspire us as well. He arrived here 15 years ago as two unsolicited pieces of a few hundred words, squibs in which Cullen recognized a largely unknown but hugely ambitious writer of great promise. We will miss both of these extraordinary men, but we will honor their record here most by finding and nurturing other great talents. This magazine is the proper home for the most deeply reported and powerfully told stories in journalism.

Thanks and allbest,
James

• When The Atlantic wins, will new editor James Bennet accept the award, or will since-replaced managing editor Cullen Murphy, who actually edited the magazine when the nominated piece were published, get to do it?
• (Related: Will Murphy even be attending as part of the Atlantic crew?)
• How many people will be fired at The New Yorker for fucking up the submissions and therefore bringing the mag its fewest Ellie finalists in years?
• Would New York prefer a medal or a monument for getting five finalist nods? We know it's your record, guys, and bully for you. Now shush until you see if you actually, you know, win any.
• Why has the ceremony been shifted from a luncheon at the Waldorf to an evening event at Jazz at Lincoln Center? (And, more important, will there still be food?)
• Three finalist spots for Time and none for Newsweek, except for excellence online? A lot of good that ASME presidency is doing you, eh, Mark Whitaker?
• And, finally: What the fuck is The Virginia Quarterly Review? How did it end up with six finalists? Have any of you ever read it? Have any of you ever heard of it?

If anyone is familiar with this alleged Virgina Review and wants to provide a few grafs of description, we'd be much indebted. And we imagine not a few of our readers would be, too.

Please?

(After the jump, New York pats itself on the back.)

Atlantic Wins Big at ASME [NYP]
Memo Pad [WWD]
'Atlantic Monthly,' 'VQR' (Huh?) Lead National Mag Award Noms [FBNY]
Earlier: It's Ellie Time

For Immediate Release
March 15, 2006
Contacts: Serena Torrey and Betsy Burton
212-508-XXXX

New York magazine Receives a Record Five National Magazine Awards Nominations

ASME Recognizes Weekly for General Excellence, Design, Photography, Criticism and "Strategist" Section

New York, NY The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) today honored New York magazine with five nominations for its prestigious National Magazine Awards.

New York magazine was nominated for general excellence, design, criticism, photography and for its 18-month-old "Strategist" section.

This is the first time in New York's 38-year history that the magazine has garnered as many as five nominations in one year. The magazine's prior record was three nominations, which it received in 1984, 1986 and 2005, the magazine's first year under editor-in-chief Adam Moss, when it was nominated for general excellence, photography and the "Strategist" section.

Luke Hayman, New York's design director, joined the magazine in May of 2004 after an award-winning 2 _ year stay at Travel and Leisure and before that at Brill Media Holdings and I.D. Magazine. After completing a major redesign of New York magazine in November 2004, Hayman's team gained immediate recognition by the Society of Publication Designers, winning seven merit awards and one silver medal in 2004 and a gold medal award and nomination for best magazine design of the year in 2005.

New York's "Celebrity Psychos" cover was also selected as the best cover of 2005 by Advertising Age.

Photography director Jody Quon joined the New York magazine staff in April 2004 and has already received numerous honors for her team's work, including 13 American Photography 21 awards, and two awards from Photo District News (PDN).

The "Strategist" section was launched in October of 2004 and is overseen by editor Janet Ozzard. Named for New York magazine's longstanding "Urban Strategist" column, the "Strategist" includes the magazine's popular Look Book, its extensive food and restaurant coverage, a new incarnation of the Best Bets column, and numerous other features meant to make the magazine an indispensable guide to living in New York.

Mark Stevens, New York magazine's art critic since April 2004, won the 2004 Pulitzer prize and the National Book Award for the biography De Kooning: An American Master, which he co-wrote with his wife, Annalyn Swan.

# # #

• The Atlantic's William Lang-uh-vee-shuh.
• The New Yorker's Jim Suhr-wick-ee.
• Time's James Pahn-uh-wah-zick.
• Times book critic Mitch-uh-coe Cock-uh-tahn-ee.

Earlier:
Gawker Explainer: Names in the News
Gawker Explainer: More Names in the News
Gawker Explainer: Even More Names in the News
Related:
Archive Search: Langewiesche [Atlantic]
Archive Search: Surowiecki [TNY]
Archive Search: James Poniewozik [Time]
Archives Search: Kakutani [NYT]