James Michaels
James Walker Michaels[1] (June 17, 1921 – October 2, 2007) was an American journalist and magazine editor. Michaels served as the longtime editor of Forbes magazine from 1961 until his retirement in 1999.[2]
Early life
James Michaels was born in
Career
James Michaels stayed with the military until September 1944 when he was released to the Office of War Information. After the war, Mr. Michaels remained in India and worked for the
Mr. Michaels retired from Forbes magazine in 1999 and was succeeded as editor by
Editorial style
According to Allan Sloan of Fortune magazine, James Michaels, "was an absolutely brilliant editor who transformed business magazine journalism."[5] Steve Forbes described James Michaels as a tough editor who wanted articles short, dramatic, and opinionated.[6] According to the New York Times, when Michaels took over as editor, "American journalism remained a polite, dry affair, and corporate spin was reported without much skepticism. Ahead of his time, he made Forbes opinionated, interpretive and often indecorous, a magazine staunchly pro-business (and, its critics said, pro-wealthy) but did not hesitate to skewer companies and executives it saw as failures."[4] According to Forbes, "he despised 'bad actors' who were cheating investors, customers, employees."
According to the New York Times many of his former writers and editors remember Mr. Michaels as much for his brutal assessments of their work as for his incisive teaching. While always a gentlemen and available to talk, he could not stand verbose writing and would ruthlessly cut words and forced writers to state their view. A staunch contrarian, he did not let public opinion dictate the magazines views.
Michaels focused on the needs of his readers, rather than pleasing corporate executives or the mainstream media. Allan Sloan wrote, "Unlike many of his competitors, Michaels didn't particularly lionize corporate chieftains. His focus was on representing small investors' interests."[5] Mr. Michaels wrote, "MY THESIS is this: If newspapers hope to survive they would do well to be less concerned with a liberal social agenda and more with the lives, hopes, and fears of their potential readers."[7]
Michaels was a hater of
As editor, Michaels edited 1,000 issues and he worked on almost every story. He wanted articles to be shorter, more direct, and with a clear conclusion to ensure they were fit for readers. He also wanted stories in Forbes to be original. If a story had been covered in another publication, he didn't want it in the magazine. To quote him, "Our readers look to us for groundbreaking, helpful stuff. Who needs us if we're doing what everyone else is doing?"
Contributions
Mr. Michaels' writing on Gandhi's death is included in the anthology "A Treasury of Great Reporting".
Steve Forbes credits Mr. Michaels with Forbes success. Mr. Forbes wrote, "When Jim joined FORBES in 1954, this magazine was, to put it charitably, second-tier. Moreover, business journalism itself was a backwater, a place where publications dumped their drunks and burned-out sportswriters. Today business, finance and economics are front-page stuff." "Jim made FORBES not only the most influential magazine in the business field but also one of the world's premier publications. Indeed, with no exaggeration, Jim Michaels was the foremost editor of our era. He virtually created modern business journalism."[6]
In the 1950s Mr. Michaels foresaw the growth of the then nascent mutual fund industry. Michaels was integral in the development of Forbes' grading system of the long-term performance of funds.[6] He helped create the Forbes 400 ranking of America's richest people, first published in 1982.
Mentorship and influence
Mr. Michaels has been cited as mentoring and influencing a long and influential group of writers, journalists, and editors including (but not necessarily limited to): Norman Pearlstine, Allan Sloan, Richard Behar, David Churbuck, Gretchen Morgenson, Kenneth Fisher, Peter Brimelow, William M Reddig Jr and Ed Finn.[9]
Awards
Michaels was honored with many awards, including a special Gerald Loeb Award (1972),[10] Editor of the Year by Ad Week (1983), and the Greald Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award (1994).[11] The TJFR Group honored Michaels by naming him one of the Top Ten Business News Luminaries of the Century.[3]
Death
James Michaels died at age 86 of
References
- ^ Morgenson, Gretchen (7 October 2007). "A Taskmaster Who Changed Business News". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d "James W. Michaels, 86; former editor of Forbes". Bloomberg News. Los Angeles Times. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 9 September 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
- ^ a b c "James W. Michaels (1921-2007)". AFS News. AFS Intercultural Programs. 29 November 2007. Archived from the original on 21 July 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
- ^ a b c RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA (4 October 2007). "James Michaels, Longtime Forbes Editor, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
- ^ a b Allan Sloan (4 October 2007). "A farewell to a brilliant business editor". Fortune.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ a b c Steve Forbes (29 October 2007). "James W. Michaels". Forbes.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
- ^ James W. Michaels (21 June 1993). "One size fits none - development of politically correct slant in newspaper reporting". National Review. Retrieved 3 June 2009. [dead link]
- ^ William Baldwin (11 January 1999). "James W. Michaels, feather ruffler". Forbes.com. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
- ^ David Churbuck (3 October 2007). "James W. Michaels". Retrieved 1 June 2009.
- ^ "2 Time men, Newsweek editor winners in 1972 Loeb Awards". The New York Times. 12 May 1972. p. 59. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ "2 Times Staffers Win Gerald Loeb Awards". Los Angeles Times. 10 May 1994. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "James W. Michaels Weds Jean Briggs in Rhinebeck". The New York Times. 30 June 1985. Retrieved 31 May 2009.