Advice Quote by Nat Hentoff
“Clay Felker was then - he had - to his credit, he had created New York Magazine, which was the first of the city magazines that covered the city and gave all kinds of advice and all that sort of stuff. And there were copies all over the country by the time he left. He had, however, a view of journalism that was very much, I must say, like Tina Brown's at The New Yorker. You hit 'em hard, fast, give 'em something to talk about the day after the paper comes out, as contrasted with William Shawn, who gave them something to talk about two or three years from then.”
About This Quote
Source Magazine: New York Magazine, 1968, founding editor
Felker believed journalism should be punchy, timely, and provoke immediate conversation, unlike slower, reflective styles.
In simple terms: Journalism should be fast, provocative, and spark quick discussion.
Key Takeaway
Create content that grabs attention now.
Themes
journalism
media
culture
innovation
impact
Mood
energetic
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- launching a new magazine
- writing a breaking news piece
- producing a viral article
- adapting to digital media trends
Key Concepts
magazine publishing
editorial strategy
audience engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance immediacy with depth?
- What stories benefit from quick impact?
A Different Perspective
May sacrifice depth for speed, risking superficial coverage.
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![“[William Shawn] took over The Voice and tried to turn it into New York Magazine - very glitzy covers that promised practically nothing in terms of what was inside, very rushed paper anymore. You - not very contemplative, thoughtful or whatever.” quote by Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1e/nat-hentoff-1615_contemplative_william-shawn-took-over-the-voice-and-tr_809810.jpg)
![“[Margot Hentoff] thinks - first of all, she - this I hear from a lot of people beside her. She thinks that men have no business getting into this argument at all unless they're going to be pro-choice. But it turns out that a fair number of fetuses are male, and besides that, we are all one part of…” quote by Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/060/nat-hentoff-1615_argument_margot-hentoff-thinks-first-of-all-she-t_42891.jpg)
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