On Feb. 27, room 211 in Allen Hall was filled with students, professors and community members alike, all there to hear one person speak: David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker.
Although Remnick appeared on Zoom, he held a strong command over the room as he spoke about the origins of The New Yorker and the context journalism exists in today.
His career led him from The Washington Post to The New Yorker, where he became editor in 1998. Aside from heading the publication, he has written profiles of larger-than-life figures like Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen, and won a Pulitzer prize for his book “Lenin’s Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire.”
Remnick appeared on Zoom to speak to the SOJC’s New Yorker class, taught by Professor Charlie Butler, but the conversation was open to everyone.
“I emailed their public relations VP — I said, ‘I might as well try.’ They got back to me within 15 minutes and said ‘This is great. I can’t believe you’re doing this class, let me check,’” Butler said. “By two o’clock that afternoon we had the date. They said, ‘we’ll give you an hour.’ He gave us 61 minutes.”
The discussion began with Remnick explaining the culture at the time The New Yorker was starting up — the magazine began with the intention of being a good humor magazine. “It’s 1925 and everybody’s having a good time. The Depression hasn’t started. They don’t know about the war, and they’ve just finished the first World War,” Remnick said. “New York is booming. Jazz is happening for them.”
Following its 100th anniversary, The New Yorker reflects on changes made to the magazine since 1925 — the way they approach profiles being one example.
“The one piece of quote, unquote, ‘serious journalism’ in that first issue is a profile of the guy that runs the Metropolitan Opera in New York. It’s a terrible piece. It’s not good, and sometimes when you start something — it’s a good lesson in life — you don’t always get it right the first time,” Remnick said. “You fail, and then you fail again, and you learn from your failures, and you start to figure yourself out.”
Over time, The New Yorker found its footing, leaving many points in the magazine’s history to reflect on. What did they do wrong? According to Remnick, the magazine missed an opportunity when they didn’t profile The Beatles in the 1960s. What did they do right? Doechii. Six months ago, a fact checker suggested the rapper as someone the magazine needed to write a profile on.
“We try to get younger people who may not have most senior positions to come to ideas meetings for this reason,” Remnick said. “I had never heard of Doechii. So I go on YouTube, and I check out that NPR desktop concert. She’s fabulous, absolutely knockout fabulous.”
Earnestly curious, Remnick took the opportunity to ask the people in the room what they wanted to see from The New Yorker that they aren’t already getting. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings,” he said.
As the conversation turned toward the current media landscape, Remnick spoke candidly about the pressure on journalism right now. He referenced recent lawsuits against the AP, ABC and CBS by the Trump administration as concerning attitudes toward the mainstream press. He encouraged an approach of fearlessness and honesty.
After a few sheepish admissions from students that they had never read The New Yorker before this year, Remnick acknowledged decreased readership as something to be expected and something that reflects a larger shift in society. People are more frequently looking at their phones on the New York subway than they are reading a newspaper or a magazine.
Remnick is hopeful for the future of journalism, and his hope radiated through his words and around the room; as grateful as the occupants of Allen 211 were for his presence, he was for their presence.
Ending with a tongue-in-cheek remark, Remnick said, “I’m really grateful to be here, and I’m very flattered that you’re paying such attention to the New Yorker past and present. I hope you’ll pick out your 20 favorite friends and give them subscriptions.”
