The Atlantic Editor Under Fire for Saying Writers of Long Features are ‘Almost Exclusively White Males’
Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was raked across the coals on Thursday comments he made in an interview that white men are the only writers who produce extensive cover stories.
Goldberg’s comments came in an Atlantic piece about how the organization has shaken things up and put women in many more editorial positions than ever before. As he and Executive Editor Adrienne LaFrance took questions on where The Atlantic still needs work, Goldberg offered this take on how hard it is to find people who can write decent, 10,000 word cover stories:
We continue to have a problem with the print magazine cover stories — with the gender and race issues when it comes to cover story writing. [Of the 15 print issues The Atlantic has published since January 2018, 11 had cover stories written by men. —Ed.]
It’s really, really hard to write a 10,000-word cover story. There are not a lot of journalists in America who can do it. The journalists in America who do it are almost exclusively white males. What I have to do — and I haven’t done this enough yet — is again about experience versus potential. You can look at people and be like, well, your experience is writing 1,200-word pieces for the web and you’re great at it, so good going!
After an initial backlash (see that below) Goldberg took to Twitter to clarify his comments:
Re: That @NiemanReports interview: I was trying to explain (and obviously failed to explain) that white males dominate cover-story writing because they’ve had all the opportunities. We’re trying to change that at @TheAtlantic. 1/2
— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) June 6, 2019
2/2 @laurahazardowen‘s story has the details about how we’re trying to improve (going from 17% women leaders to 63% women leaders in less than 3 years, for 1 thing). I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear in this interview, and I’m sorry that I hurt anyone.https://t.co/wQHNsTtiUp
— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) June 6, 2019
He also received support from his colleagues at the Atlantic, who seconded his sentiment:
Journalists who are picked to write cover stories in national magazines are disproportionately white men. We know there are numerous talented women out there who could write our most ambitious stories. Many in our newsroom already are. This is exactly what we’re working on. (2/2)
— Adrienne LaFrance (@AdrienneLaF) June 6, 2019
Goldberg’s remarks have drawn criticism on Twitter, with many perplexed by his suggestion:
What pic.twitter.com/kfxutn9Hkc
— David Klion? (@DavidKlion) June 6, 2019
If the editor at my magazine said this, I would fire him on the spot.
— David V. Johnson (@contrarianp) June 6, 2019
If Jeffrey Goldberg thinks there’s a lack of women who can write 10k word features, then he’s astonishingly ignorant about his peers & he should step aside for a woman to replace him. Immediately. I’m gobsmacked by this interview. Stunned. What an insult. https://t.co/MgG32E6WWS pic.twitter.com/uAZzxJnHWn
— Lisa Goldman (@lisang) June 6, 2019
as a not man who has written a 10K word cover story i gotta say: what the fuck https://t.co/OcStvX6Uh7
— rachel syme (@rachsyme) June 6, 2019
holy fucking shit.
no women in america have written book chapters; how on earth can we find someone to write such things, asks Jeffrey Goldberg, genius editor. https://t.co/GRNvEP7bXA
— Noah Berlatsky (@nberlat) June 6, 2019
The weird thing is I can think of writers who are not white men who CURRENTLY WORK FOR THE ATLANTIC who are more than capable of writing 10,000 word cover articles. https://t.co/L4eNYJzbaA
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) June 6, 2019
Jeffrey Goldberg: It’s really hard to write a bogus 10,000 word cover story linking Saddam to Al Qaeda or drumming up war with Iran, then get promoted to editor in chief. The journalists in America who can do it are exclusively ex-Israeli prison guards. https://t.co/E73GwEZrUH pic.twitter.com/K7nRf68USt
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) June 6, 2019
you know, this is a condition that editors created, it did not occur naturally on its own https://t.co/gxHJlMErUN
— Sarah Jones (@onesarahjones) June 6, 2019
This is just nonsense on stilts.
(It’s *easier* to write long form than short form.)
— Charlie Stross (@cstross) June 6, 2019
[Photo via Ben Gabbe/Getty Images]
This post has been updated.
