Newsweek Remake

I had heard that Newsweek was dramatically redesigning its magazine so when I picked up the latest issue I thumbed through it looking for the changes. It has a new look but on that count, I found it too busy and cute. As for content, it's supposed to be "reported narrative" and "the argued essay," with "the straightforward news piece," according to a forward by editor Jon Meacham.

I'm not so sure what this means. It seems to me Newsweek already had "reported narrative" and as for the "argued essay," it's not what I want in a news magazine. I know I am probably wrong about this and wrong to say this but the "argued essay" puts me to sleep. I'd rather get it straight. Is this a response to the blogosphere? If so, it seems wrong-headed.

Newsweek also seems to have cut one of my favorite features, the "My Turn" column. Anna Quindlin has left so there's another favorite gone.

Meacham's argument that Newsweek is going to avoid stories where they can't "add to the conversation" seems solid. Moving the conversation forward is a good goal. I'll even forgive him for saying that newspapers have been forced into the "traditional newsmagazine model" but "there is only so much wisdom one can summon in a few hours." After all, he's carving out Newsweek's territory here. Plus he's right. Newspapers don't have time to be wise.

Michael Kinsley offers a much more insightful slam at Newsweek in a piece in the New Republic in which he takes the magazine apart feature by feature. As for me, I'm still picking it up. (OK it comes in my mailbox every week so it's easy to do). But I have my doubts whether this is a change for a positive or even a real change.