Graydon Carter on the Golden Age of Magazines and His Memoir 'When the Going Was Good'

The Watergate Scoop and Vanity Fair

• 💡 The memoir opens with the Watergate informant Deep Throat scoop, a two-year project that demonstrated Vanity Fair's long-game approach to journalism.
• 📌 This story was significant as one of journalism's last great secrets, highlighting the magazine's ability to break major news.

From Provocateur to Tastemaker

• 🎭 Carter discusses his transition from co-founding the satirical Spy magazine to taking over The New York Observer and then Vanity Fair.
• 🎯 He notes that his initial arrival at Vanity Fair was challenging, as he had previously written critically about the magazine.

Editorial Freedom and Proprietorship

• 🚀 Carter contrasts his experience with Conde Nast chairman S.I. Newhouse Jr., who provided editorial and financial freedom, with modern billionaire media owners.
• 🌟 Newhouse's love for magazines and branding, and his support for editors, is highlighted as a key factor in shaping Carter's career.

Hallmarks of Print's Golden Age

• ✍️ The golden age of print magazines was characterized by the ability to assign writers for long-form pieces and send them anywhere globally.
• 🏆 High-level competition among editors, advertisers, and photographers fueled excellence, with magazines being thick, well-paid, and culturally influential.
• 📰 The ubiquity of newsstands meant magazines offered a visual snapshot of the culture, a contrast to today's media landscape.

The Editor's Mindset

• 🧠 Carter describes a successful editor as fearful and curious, constantly driven by the thrill of the chase and the anxiety that someone else might break the story first.
• ✨ This inherent drive and interest in many subjects remain his motivation.