• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login
  • Register

Publishers Lunch

The Publishing Industry's Daily Essential Read

  • Publishers Marketplace
  • Site Guide
  • Help

Harper’s Magazine Fires Editor James Marcus

April 17, 2018
By Erin Somers

Subsequent to our brief note from Monday that Harper’s Magazine editor James Marcus has left the publication, Marcus tells PL that he was fired on Friday afternoon, for “opposing the publication of Katie Roiphe’s cover story in the March issue.” The article, “The Other Whisper Network: How Twitter feminism is bad for women,” drew criticism online in January before it was published, over suggestions that Roiphe intended to reveal the identity of the creator of the “Sh—y Media Men” list. That controversy led to the list’s creator Moira Donegan identifying herself in her own article for The Cut.

Marcus gave us this account: “All I can say for the moment is that Katie Roiphe’s article was assigned over my objections by Rick MacArthur, the magazine’s publisher. I nonetheless worked very hard on the piece, as did the rest of the editorial staff. I had hoped that despite our differences, Rick and I could agree to disagree and move on. He could not. When I was fired on Friday afternoon, it was clear that the dispute over Roiphe’s article was the main cause.”

Harper’s vice president, public relations Giulia Melucci wrote to us that, “For the record, it was I who assigned that piece, not Rick MacArthur.” She added, “As to the reasons for James’s firing, it is not our policy to discuss such matters with the press.” In further reply, Marcus notes “Giulia knew Katie socially and reached out to her. By herself, she didn’t have the authority to assign or edit anything: she’s a publicist. So it was Rick’s call.” He added, “Either way, let’s just say it was an unconventional editorial process.”

Marcus was promoted to serve as the magazine’s top editor since June 2016, taking over after Christopher Cox was fired after only three months in the position. He joined Harper’s in 2010 as deputy editor and was later promoted to executive editor.

Filed Under: Free, How Publishing Works, News

sidebar

Primary Free Sidebar

Login


Forgot password
Get Full Access
The publishing industry's essential daily read

Each Publishers Lunch Deluxe subscription includes full access to our searchable multi-year archive of industry news, a nightly email reporting 10 to 50 deal transactions, and our database of industry contacts, scripts, and posting privileges.

Learn More

RSS Automat

  • Netflix and Hachette Livre to Make Asterix Animated Series March 3, 2021 Deadline
  • Parul Sehgal Reviews the NYT Book Review Over the Years February 27, 2021 NYT
  • For Food Writers, Newsletters, YouTube, Patreon and Books Provide Self-Publishing "Haven for Escapees of Traditional Media" February 26, 2021 Food52
  • Easy Question: "Is It Time to Kill the Book Blurb?" February 24, 2021 WSJ
  • Amor Towles' The Lincoln Highway to Publish October 5 February 17, 2021 Publisher page
  • Reporting On Losses at Reed Exhibitions Alone Misses the Point: The Parent Company Raised Their Dividend, Had Adjusted Profit of Over £2 Billion, Spent Almost £900 Million On Acquisitions, and Can Afford to Treat Customers Better February 11, 2021 Press Release
  • DOJ Drops Lawsuit Against Stephanie Winston Wolkoff Alleging Her Book Violated A White House NDA February 9, 2021 Washington Post
  • NC's Foggy Pine Books Featured in Star-Studded Super Bowl Ad February 8, 2021 Hollywood Reporter
  • Some Other Authors Hoping to Sell Books on Reddit-Inspired Traders February 5, 2021 NY Post
  • Pen/Faulkner Longlist Named February 3, 2021 Awards site
© 2021 Publishers Lunch. All Rights Reserved.