Spreading the News

"New York’s mission was to compete for consumer attention at a time when television threatened to overwhelm print publications. To do that, Mr. Felker came up with a distinctive format: a combination of long narrative articles and short, witty ones on consumer services. He embraced the New Journalism of the late ’60s: the use of novelistic techniques to give reporting new layers of emotional depth. And he adopted a tone that was unapologetically elitist, indefatigably trendy and proudly provincial—in a sophisticated, Manhattan-centric sort of way. The headlines were bold, the graphics even bolder.
"The look and attitude captured the attention of the city and influenced editors and designers for years to come. Dozens of city magazines modeling themselves after New York sprang up around the country."

Deirdre Carmody in The New York Times writes an obit for Clay Felker, founding editor of New York magazine.