American Society of Magazine Editors

American Society of Magazine Editors
Name	American Society of Magazine Editors
Abbreviation	ASME
Formation	1963
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	United States
Language	English
Leader title	President

American Society of Magazine Editors is a professional association representing editors from national, consumer, trade, and digital magazines in the United States. Founded in 1963, it has served as a forum for editorial standards, professional development, awards, and advocacy, engaging with publications, media companies, and cultural institutions. The organization convenes leaders from publications such as The New Yorker, Time, Vogue, The Atlantic, and National Geographic while interfacing with partners including Columbia University, Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, PEN America, and The Pulitzer Prizes.

History

The organization was established in 1963 amid a changing media landscape featuring outlets like Life (magazine), Newsweek, Harper's Magazine, Esquire, and Playboy. Early activities intersected with initiatives from National Magazine Awards stakeholders and dialogues involving figures from Time Inc., Condé Nast, Hearst Corporation, Meredith Corporation, and editorial offices modeled on practices at The New Republic. The group navigated tensions during the rise of The Village Voice and alternative weeklies, responded to technological shifts exemplified by The New York Times Company’s digital ventures, and adapted through the advent of online platforms such as BuzzFeed, HuffPost, Slate, and Vox. Its archives reflect engagement with cultural debates involving personalities linked to Truman Capote, Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion, Gay Talese, and institutions like Columbia Journalism Review.

Mission and Membership

The organization's mission emphasizes editorial excellence, ethics, and professional development, aligning with the standards championed by The New Yorker editors, award bodies including National Magazine Awards, and academic programs at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Membership traditionally comprises editors-in-chief, managing editors, digital editors, and FOTO editors from titles spanning Architectural Digest, People, Rolling Stone, GQ, Bon Appétit, Scientific American, MIT Technology Review, Foreign Affairs, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Fast Company. It partners with trade groups such as Association of Magazine Media and corporate publishers like Hearst Corporation, Condé Nast, Time Inc., Meredith Corporation, and Future plc to recruit professionals from regional and specialty publications including The Atlantic, Mother Jones, The Economist, and The Spectator.

Governance and Leadership

Governance has involved elected boards and executive officers drawn from editors at The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Chicago Magazine, Wired, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and The Washington Post Magazine. Chairs and presidents have included prominent editors with prior roles at Time, Newsweek, Slate, The Atlantic, and Mother Jones. The board has worked with legal counsel and advisors familiar with issues litigated before bodies like the Supreme Court of the United States and regulatory discussions touching stakeholders such as Federal Communications Commission critics and advocates from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Awards and Programs

The organization administers awards and programs recognizing excellence in feature writing, design, reporting, and digital innovation, linked to ceremonies involving institutions like The Paley Center for Media and juries including members from Columbia Journalism Review and PEN America. Signature programs have celebrated work published in outlets such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, New York, Vanity Fair, Wired, The New York Times Magazine, and National Geographic. Educational initiatives partner with universities including Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University, and Harvard University to host panels featuring editors and writers such as David Remnick, Nicholas Thompson, Anna Wintour, Graydon Carter, and critics associated with The New Republic.

Advocacy and Industry Initiatives

Advocacy efforts address press freedom, newsroom diversity, digital transformation, and standards echoed by organizations like Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, and National Association of Black Journalists. Initiatives respond to commercial challenges faced by publishers such as Condé Nast, Hearst Corporation, Time Inc., Gannett, and Tronc during transitions to platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google, Instagram, and YouTube. The organization has convened coalitions with peers from Association of Magazine Media, News Media Alliance, Online News Association, and academic centers like Columbia Journalism Review to address issues like content moderation, advertising models, subscription strategies, and diversity commitments endorsed by groups such as Asian American Journalists Association and National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Publications and Research

The organization's publications and research include reports, style guides, and white papers distributed to members and partner institutions such as Columbia University, Pew Research Center, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, and Knight Foundation. Studies have examined trends observable at outlets like BuzzFeed, Vice Media, Vox Media, Politico, Axios, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, covering metrics related to readership, digital metrics, revenue models, and diversity benchmarks. The society's materials have been cited by scholars at Harvard University, Stanford University, NYU, and by commentators in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal.

Category:Professional associations based in the United States Category:Magazine industry