In the news: Staff shakeups at one magazine publisher raise questions about the state of magazine editing as a whole.

"What happens when magazine editors start reporting to the business side?" asks a recent MediaBistro.com headline. The first sentence responds, "It is this week's [November 1] biggest and most far-reaching NYC media world question."

The article goes on to discuss the recent staff shakeup at Time Inc. that has left editors reporting to the presidents of their magazine groups (rather than to an editor-in-chief). This mingling of the business and editorial sides raises important questions about the future of magazine editing, a profession already in flux thanks to multiplatform workflow and the mounting popularity of native advertising. Read more about the staff changes at Time here.

Also Notable

Life as a Magazine Editor

Recently, Montclair State University's The Montclarion ran a feature chronicling the life of InStyle deputy managing editor Lisa Arbetter. She sums up the job in just three words: "'challenging, exciting, and competitive.'" She goes on to discuss how today's magazine editing is truly a multimedia experience involving print and digital content, TV, and even books. But perhaps her best advice addresses the sometimes precarious relationship between editors and writers: "'It's a partnership, not a battle. Any good writer appreciates what an editor brings to his/her piece, and a good editor will show restraint with a writer's work.'" Read the entire piece here.

"Ambidextrous" Publishing?

Are reader attention spans really as short as the hype would have us believe? No, says Uzoamaka Maduka, cofounder and editor-in-chief of The American Reader. The literary magazine, which launched a year ago, offers up new fiction, poetry, and criticism. She refers to her magazine as "ambidextrous," engaging readers in both print and digital formats, and shuns the idea that readers aren't still looking for longer-form content. Read more here.

Digital Magazine Design Tips

Recently, London hosted its annual Digital Magazine Awards. Rob Boynes of Dennis Publishing shared five important design tips for digital magazines. Read them here.

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