>>> NOW, THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE TURNS 100.

AND, IT IS CELEBRATING IN STYLE WITH A NEW NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY THAT TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES FOLLOWING STAFF.

FROM PIECES LIKE THE HIROSHIMA REPORT TO SATIRICAL CARTOONS.

THE MAGAZINE HAS BEEN A PILLAR OF QUALITY JOURNALISM AND HAS REMAIN SO RELEVANT FOR 100 YEARS.

HERE IS A CLIP FROM THE TRAILER.

>> I THINK EVERYONE WHO WORKS AT THE NEW YORKER IS OBSESSED.

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE WHACK- A-MOLE.

YOU THINK YOU ARE DONE BUT THINGS KEEP POPPING UP.

>> YES, CARTOONS GET FACT CHECKED.

>> THE CATS NAMES ARE TIGER, LOVER BOY AND GUMMY BEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> PEOPLE WANT FAIRNESS AND FACT CHECKING AND THEY WANT MEDIA OUTLETS THAT ARE NOT KNUCKLING UNDER.

>> THE COVER NEED TO SPEAK TO THE MOMENT, BUT ALSO BE A TIMELESS PIECE OF ART.

>> DAVID REMLICK IS THE NEW YORKER'S LONG TIME EDITOR AND JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT ITS PRECARIOUS BEGINNING TO ITS SIGNIFICANCE TODAY.

>> YOU HAD NETFLIX COME DO A DOCUMENTARY ON YOU PUTTING TOGETHER THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE.

ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE SHOW IS THEY ASK CELEBRITIES TO SAY LITTLE VIGNETTES.

WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU ENCOUNTERED THE NEW YORKER.

LET US SHOW THE CLIP AND THEN I WILL ASK YOU THAT QUESTION.

>> WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MUCH MONEY.

BUT WE HAD A NEW YORKER SUB CONTRIBUTION.

>> FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT THE NEW YORKER WAS ON SIGN FELLED.

THEY HAD A GREAT EPISODE WHERE ELAINE DID NOT UNDERSTAND ONE OF THE CARTOON CAPTIONS.

>> I GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY AND WAS VERY KIND OF LIKE STARRY EYED ABOUT ALL THINGS NEW YORK.

THE FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD OF THE NEW YORKER AND UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE THIS IMPORTANT MAGAZINE WAS IN AN AN EPISODE OF THE CRITIC.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW I KNEW ABOUT IT BUT IT IS JUST THERE.

IT'S LIKE SAYING WHEN DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY?

>> WHEN DID YOU ENCOUNTER THE NEW YORKER?

>> IN MY FATHER'S OFFICE.

HE WAS A DENTIST.

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS IT WIZ CLOSED AND I WOULD GO READ HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE AND TIME MAGAZINE AND LIFE AND I ENCOUNTERED THIS THING THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

IT HAD DRAWINGS ON THE COVER AND GAG CARTOONS.

AND, IN THOSE DAYS A LOT OF ADVERTISEMENTS.

AND I DIDN'T QUITE GET IT, WALTER, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, MY FAVORITE MAGAZINES WERE THE INFINITELY COOLER ROLLING STONE AND I LIKED THE VILLAGE VOICE A LOT.

HAPPENING.

I GOT TO THE NEW YORKER AND GOT TO UNDERSTAND IT AND GET A FEEL FOR IT WHEN I HAD A TEACHER IN COLLEGE WHO WROTE FOR THE NEW YORKER.

>> AND THAT WOULD BE JOHN MCFEE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

JOHN WHO THESE DAYS IS 93.

HE MADE ME INTO ONE OF HIS FISHES BUDDIES.

>> YOU CALL THE MAGAZINE A MIRACLE.

>> IT IS A MIRACLE.

FIRST OF ALL, MOST PUBLICATIONS, IF THEY ARE LUCKY, IF THEY ARE LUCKY, HAVE A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN THEY ARE IMPORTANT.

WHERE THEY CATCH THE ZEITGEIST IN SOME WAY.

IT WAS AN ASTONISHING THING.

LIFE MAGAZINE HAD A MOMENT BECAUSE OF ITS VISUAL NATURE THAT PRECEDED TELEVISION.

WHEN TV CAME ALONG, LIFE WAS ECLIPSED.

SO TO HAVE SOMETHING LAST 100 YEARS, THAT IS SOMETHING QUITE UNUSUAL IN AMERICAN CULTURE.

AND NEWSPAPERS OBVIOUSLY, THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS THIS.

SO WE ARE CELEBRATING SOMETHING OF THE THING THAT'S HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE PAST.

BUT A LOT OF TIME HAS BEEN SPENT THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE AHEAD FOR US.

>> YOU ONLY HAD FIVE EDITORS IN THOSE 100 YEARS.

TOTALLY AMAZING.

AND I THINK MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE NEW YORKER BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I HAD A FAVORITE BOOK CALL FIRST-DEGREE YEARS WITH ROSS BY JAMES THURBER AND I TALKED ABOUT HAROLD ROSS AND HOW HIS PERSONALITY IMPRINT FIRST-DEGREE DNA OF THE NEW ED.

>> HE IS SOMEBODY WHO MADE HIS WAY HERE.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE ITEM IN NEW ORLEANS?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

HE BOUNCED AROUND.

HE MUST HAVE BEEN IN A NEWSPAPER EVERY SING MONTHS.

HE REALLY BOUNCED AROUND A LOT.

CAME TO NEW YORK.

AND HE HAD IDEA FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

SHIPPING NEWS, AND THERE WAS THIS IDEA TO HAVE A COSMOPOLITAN NEWS MAGAZINE AND MAINLY COMIC AT FIRST.

AND, HE GOT A FAMILY, THE FLEISHMAN FAMILY WHO MADE MONEY IN YEAST TO PUT DOLLARS BEHIND THIS IDEA AND AT FIRST IT WAS A BIG FLOP.

IT WAS NOT GOOD.

AND IT WAS A FINANCIAL FAILURE AS WELL.

AND THEY ALMOST SHUT THE THING DOWN AND HAROLD ROSS WHO IS A BIT OF A CARD PLAYER WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE BOTTLE OCCASIONALLY.

IN AN ALL NIGHT POKER GAME NEARLY LOST THE WHOLE THING.

SO IT IS A MIRACLE IT LASTED TO 1926 MUCH LESS 2025.

>> HE SAID IT WASN'T FOR THE THEY HAD A CARTOON WHERE THEY HAD TO HAVE HAROLD ROSS GO APOLOGIZE TO HIS AUNT.

WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT AND IS THAT STILL WHAT THE MAGAZINE IS ABOUT?

>> I THINK HE WANTED IT FOR A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

IT WASN'T EVEN REALLY, THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T EVEN EXTEND TO THE BROOKLYN OR BRONX.

IT WAS A VERY JAZZ AGE IDEA.

IT HAS SINCE EXPANDED IN ITS SERIOUSNESS AND REPORTING AND LENGTH AND AMBITIONS.

I DON'T THINK HAROLD ROSS MANAGED A MAGAZINE THAT WOULD BREAK THE AB U GAHRIB SCANDAL OR HIROSHIMA.

I WANT IT ON THE RECORD I'M HAPPY TO HAVE ANYONE IN DEBUKE READING THE NEW YORKER.

IT IS FOR WHOEVER HAS EYES TO SEE AND READ.

SO MY ATTITUDE ABOUT THAT I >> HE IS SUCCEEDED BY HIS DEPUTY.

AND HE DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, BUT HE HAD A FEEL FOR THE LONG.

>> FORM.

>> HE DID AND HE WAS ROSS' DEPUTY FOR A LONG TIME.

JUST AS KATHERINE ANGEL INTRODUCED TOP LEVEL FICTION TO THE NEW YORKER.

WILLIAM SEAN PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN BRINGING DEEP REPORTING.

IT WAS THE PIECE ABOUT HIROSHIMA.

RACHEL CARSON ON PESTICIDES AND JAMES BALDWIN ON RACE AND SO ON.

AND SO, IT ALSO SHOWS YOU THAT A MAGAZINE, A PUBLICATION, ANY IMAGINATIVE PROCESS THAT IS NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL IS A COLLECTION OF INTELLIGENCES THAT COME TOGETHER AND I THINK A GOOD EDITOR IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT BELIEVES HE OR SHE HAS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS GENERATING IDEAS.

>> YOU MENTIONED HIROSHIMA.

IT WAS AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR FUN AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR ARCHIVES ARE AND THEY HAVE A DISPLAY OF ALL THE ARCHIVES AND I SAW ON THE WALL A MOST AMAZING LETTER.

I TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH OF IT.

IT SAYS DEAR BILL.

DO YOU THINK YOU COULD TOLERATE FOUR PARTS ON HIROSHIMA?

I CAN'T SAY OF MY MATERIAL ON THE BOMBING THAT IT IS WONDERFUL.

BUT IT IS SOBERS, MOVING AND NEWSY.

I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE CALLING MR.

SHAWN DEAR BILL.

THE REST OF THAT LETTER WAS AN AMAZING LEAP.

>> IT WAS AT THAT TIME.

A LEAP THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN INNUMERABLE TIMES VERY OFTEN A REPORTER WILL COME BACK FROM WHERE HE OR SHE HAS BEEN AND THEY HAVE A STORY TO DELL TELL THAT IS BEYOND THE IMAGINING OF ANY REPORTER.

HE HAD WITNESSED SOMETHING THAT HAD NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED AT ALL EXCEPT IN THE MOST ABSTRACT WAY.

THE HUMAN COST ON THE GROUND HAD NOT BEEN SEEN IN THE UNITED STATES SO WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE FOREIGN JOURNALISTS ARE NOT ALLOWED INTO GAZA.

YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF INNUMERABLE IMAGES BECAUSE OF THE PHONE AND GOD BLESS THEM, JOURNALISTS IN GAZA.

AND BLESS THE MEMORY OF THOSE SO HORRIBLY KILLED.

THAT WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD.

THAT WAS NOT A WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIDEOS ON YOUR PHONE.

AND PERCY BROUGHT THAT HUMAN NEWS TO THE UNITED STATES AND IT MADE INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

IT HAD INCREDIBLE RESONANCE.

>> IN THIS NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY, TINA BROWN, YOUR PREDECESSOR PLAYS A BIG ROLE AND TALKED ABOUT HAVING KIND OF DUSTED OFF AND SWEEPED OFF THE COBWEBS.

FELL ME WHAT SHE DID.

>> YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND TIME THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST ADMIRED BUT ACTUALLY READ.

AND THERE COMES A TIME IN THE LIFE OF ANY LONG STANDING PUBLICATION WHERE YOU CAN FALL INTO HABITS.

OR SELF-SATISFACTION.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THE NEW YORKER WAS PUBLISHING GREAT THINGS.

BUT TINA HAD AN OUTSIDER SENSE OF HOW TO SHAKE THINGS UP.

WE ARE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE MAKE ABSOLUTELY EVERY EDITORIAL DECISION THE SAME.

I WAS BEHIND THIS IDEA OF SHAKING THINGS UP AND SHE MADE MY LIFE A LOT EASIER.

>> WHEN YOU CAME IN, SHE MADE YOUR LIFE EASIER SHAKING THINGS UP.

WHAT DID YOU FEEL YOU HAD TO CHANGE AND WHAT MARK ARE YOU PUTTING ON IT?

>> IT HAS BEEN 27 YEARS, WALTER, TO BE HONEST AND I MIGHT BE THE WORST JUDGE OF WHATEVER MY TERM IS.

BECAUSE I'M SORT OF IN THE THICK OF IT.

YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE BACKWARDS VERY WELL WHEN LOOKING FORWARD ALL THE TIME.

ONE OF THEM HAS TO BE HOW DID THE NEW YORKER ACCOMMODATE TO THE MODERN MEDIA AGE?

HOW DID IT TAKE ON THE INTERNET?

OR AUDIO AND VIDEO?

JUST A DIFFERENT VELOCITY.

HOW DO WE EXIST IN THE WORLD?

WHAT IS OUR VOICE IN IT?

THAT HAS ALL TAKEN A LOT OF ATTENTION AND A LOT OF WORK.

>> ONE OF THE TAKES WAS ABOUT BEING VERY MODERN AND VERY TRADITIONAL.

AS YOU QUOTE SOMEBODY AS SAYING ELITE MOTHER SOMETHING OR OTHER.

AND SO, HE SAID YES.

THEY ACTUALLY RAN THE WORD.

>> MAYBE BY PUTTING THAT ACCENTED PROVES THEIR CASE THAT WE ARE SUCH THAT PHRASE.

>> ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ASPECTS OF THE NEW YORKER IS THE MAGAZINEST COVER.

I WANTED TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE ART EDITOR.

DISCUSSING WHAT GOES INTO DECIDING THE COVER.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THIS CLIP.

>> UNTIL YOU HAVE THE COVER, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PERSONALITY OF THE ISSUE IS.

YOU KNOW.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST SLAP ON AT THE LAST MINUTE.

A COVER NEEDS TO SPEAK TO THE MOMENT.

BUT ALSO, BE A TIMELESS PIECE OF ART.

IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE FRAMED AND PUT ON THE WALL.

CHASING THAT WEEK AFTER WEEK KEEPS ME UP WITH ANXIETY EVEN >> WHAT ARE YOUR ELEMENTS WHERE YOU SAY YES, THAT'S THE ONE?

>> IT HAS TO WORK THE WAY A GRENADE WORKS.

YOU CAN'T, IF YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT FOR FIVE MINUTES WHAT'S GOING ON, OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE EXPLANATIONS ABOUT WHY THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE GOOD, IT DOESN'T WORK.

IT HAS TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.

PEOPLE INTERPRET A JOKE OR IMAGE IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND THAT IS FINE.

THAT'S GREAT.

BUT IF YOU ARE PUZZLING OVER IT AS IF IT WERE AN OBSCURE DRAWING THAT DOESN'T QUITE WORK, THERE IS A PROBLEM.

SO IT IS BASICALLY A TWO PERSON OPERATION.

SHE IS GENERATING IDEAS ALL THE TIME AND SKETCHES AND THEN SHE COMES TO ME AND WE DISCUSS WHAT WE LIKE AND WHAT WE DON'T LIKE.

AND ONCE IN A WHILE, IF I'M ON THE FENCE, I'LL TAKE THAT SKETCH AROUND THE OFFICE TO A FEW PEOPLE THAT I TRUST AND WE WILL MAKE A DECISION.

>> ONE OF THE THING THAT'S HAPPEN INS THIS DOCUMENTARY, YOU ARE ALWAYS WALKING THE HALLS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT IN THIS DAY AND AGE TO BE BACK IN THE OFFICE, SO TO SPEAK?

>> LOOK, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT IS OKAY THERE IS GREATER FLEXIBILITY THAN THERE WAS PREPANDEMIC BUT THE ACT OF BEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH SOMEBODY, BUMPING INTO PEOPLE AND HAVING CASUAL CONVERSATIONS YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE IS INFINITELY BETTER THAN THE BUSINESS OF TEXTING SOMEONE.

CAN WE TALK LATER?

IT IS JUST NOT AS SPONTANEOUS OR PRODUCTIVE.

THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE PIECE OF WORK.

WRITING IS NOT.

WRITING IS, SOME POOR SOUL ALL ALONE IN HER OFFICE OR ROOM.

WHEREVER IT IS TRYING TO APPLY FRONT OF THEM.

THAT IS HARD WORK.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE MAKING OF THE PUBLICATION.

THE IDEAS WE WILL BE VISITING SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR FROM NOW, THAT TO ME REALLY BENEFITS BY BEING IN ROOMS TOGETHER WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.

IT IS AMAZING TO THINK THAT THIS IS UNDER SUCH CHALLENGE.

BUT I THINK TIME WILL BEAR THAT OUT.

>> THERE AREN'T THAT MANY PLACES THAT DO THIS KIND OF SUPERLABOR INTENSIVE SUPER CONFRONTING JOURNALISM.

I MEAN, THEY ARE NOT ACTIVISTS BUT THEY ARE FEARLESS WHEN THE FACTS SUPPORT IT.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IN NEW YORK IS TALK OF THE TOWN AND ONE OF THE GREAT WRITERS WAS EB WHITE WHO MASTERED THAT ART AND MY FAVORITE IS SOMETHING HE WROTE WHICH IS WE RECEIVED A LETTER WRITERS WAR BARD THE OTHER DAY ASKING FOR A STATEMENT ON THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY.

THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE HE WRITES.

VERY DRY AND CLEVER.

THAT IS ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE NEW YORKER.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

I WATCH YOUR SHOW AND I WOULD SAY THE SAME OF YOUR PROGRAM.

IS THAT DEMOCRACY TO SAY THE VERY, VERY LEAST IS UNDER GREAT CHALLENGE NOW.

IT IS UNDER GREAT CHALLENGE FROM ABOVE ALL, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

AND THAT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING TO SAY.

THAT IS SOMETHING TO DO RIGOROUS JOURNALISM ABOUT.

FAIR MINDED, RIGOROUS, ACCURATE JOURNALISM.

BUT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING YOUR OWN, BY THE WAY, PUBLIC TELEVISION, ARE UNDER ASSAULT.

DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION OURSELVES TO STAND UP FOR IT AND DO THE WORK THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL TIRELESSLY.

AND WITHOUT COMPROMISE.

WHEN I SAY WITHOUT COMPROMISE, I DON'T MEAN JUST IN SOME SORT OF VITRIOLIC WAY, BUT REPORTING.

THE LIONS SHARE OF PEOPLE WERE NOT PEOPLE WHO HAD TAKEN OUT A NOTEBOOK IN TEN YEARSMENT THEY HAD THINGS TO SAY.

THEY WERE TALKING HEADS, COMEDIANS.

BUT AT THE HEART OF THE ENTERPRISE OF JOURNALISM IS REPORTING.

FINDING OUT WHAT IS TRUE.

WHAT IS HIDDEN.

AND BRINGING IT TO LIGHT.

AND APPLYING THE REAL STANDARDS OF TRUTH AS BEST YOU CAN IN A GIVEN TIME KNOWING YOU WILL HONEST ABOUT OUR FAILURES AS WELL.

THAT IS AT THE CENTER OF OR WORK, TOO.

WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES TO BE SURE, NOT EVEN REMOTELY.

IF THAT SOUNDS SANCTIMONIOUS, I DON'T REALLY CARE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU WALTER.