The New Yorker
A sophisticated humor magazine with serious journalism and fiction.
The New Yorker is an American magazine founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for The New York Times, with entrepreneur Raoul H. Fleischmann. It features journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry, and is known for its rigorous fact-checking, long-form journalism, and single-panel cartoons. The magazine has gained a reputation for publishing serious essays and fiction for a national and international audience, and has won eleven Pulitzer Prizes since 2014, the first year magazines became eligible for the prize.
- founded
- February 21, 1925
- founders
- Harold Ross and Jane Grant
- field
- Magazine publishing
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Robust fact-checking, illustrated covers, long-form journalism, single-panel cartoons, and high college-educated readership
Lore & Background
Ross wanted to create a sophisticated humor magazine different from what he saw as 'corny' humor publications like Judge or the old Life. He partnered with entrepreneur Raoul H. Fleischmann to establish the F-R Publishing Company, and the magazine's first offices were at 25 West 45th Street in Manhattan. Ross edited the magazine until his death in 1951, and during its early years, the magazine prided itself on cosmopolitan sophistication, with Ross declaring in a 1925 prospectus that it was 'not edited for the old lady in Dubuque.'
Although the magazine never lost its touches of humor, it soon established itself as a preeminent forum for serious fiction, essays, and journalism. Shortly after World War II, John Hersey's essay 'Hiroshima' filled an entire issue. The magazine has published short stories by many respected writers, including Truman Capote, Vladimir Nabokov, Alice Munro, and others. Publication of Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' drew more mail than any other story in the magazine's history. Since the late 1990s, The New Yorker has used the Internet to publish current and archived material, and its complete archive was fully digitized in 2025 as part of its centenary publishing efforts.
Reader's Guide
The New Yorker's significance lies in its enduring influence on American journalism, literature, and culture. It established a distinctive editorial tone under Harold Ross, emphasizing rigorous fact-checking and a blend of humor and serious writing. The magazine became a platform for major literary figures, publishing short stories by writers such as Truman Capote, Vladimir Nabokov, and Alice Munro, and its nonfiction features covered a wide range of topics, from eccentric evangelists to the perception of time. Its editorial traditions, including 'Profiles' and 'The Talk of the Town,' set a standard for magazine journalism. The New Yorker also influenced similar magazines like The Brooklynite and The Chicagoan. In the digital era, it adapted by expanding its online presence and digitizing its archive. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center study, The New Yorker, along with The Atlantic and Harper's Magazine, ranked highest in college-educated readership among major American media outlets. It has won eleven Pulitzer Prizes since 2014, reflecting its continued impact. The magazine's legacy includes its role in bringing modern literature to a large audience, as noted by Kurt Vonnegut, and its distinctive style, described by Tom Wolfe as 'leisurely meandering understatement.'
Did You Know?
- The New Yorker was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for The New York Times.
- Publication of Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' drew more mail than any other story in the magazine's history.
- The New Yorker has won eleven Pulitzer Prizes since 2014, the first year magazines became eligible for the prize.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is The New Yorker?
The New Yorker is an American weekly magazine first published on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross, his wife Jane Grant, and investor Raoul H. Fleischmann. It blends serious long-form journalism with satire, fiction, poetry, and its signature single-panel cartoons for a highly educated national and international readership.
What are The New Yorker's signature traits or 'powers'?
The publication is best known for its exceptionally rigorous fact-checking process, its illustrated covers, and its commitment to in-depth reporting and literary fiction. Its single-panel cartoons and witty commentary give it a distinctive voice that sets it apart from other newsweeklies.
How did The New Yorker's story begin?
Harold Ross, a former newspaperman, and Jane Grant, a reporter at The New York Times, teamed up with entrepreneur Raoul H. Fleischmann to launch the magazine in New York City in early 1925. The first issue hit newsstands on February 21, 1925, and the title was reportedly chosen because Ross liked the word 'New Yorker' as a descriptor for the city's residents.
Why is The New Yorker important in the world of publishing?
Since 2014, when magazines first became eligible, The New Yorker has collected eleven Pulitzer Prizes, underscoring its influence in American journalism and letters. It has become a benchmark for long-form storytelling and cultural criticism, shaping how a broad audience engages with serious writing.
What kind of content can a reader expect in a typical issue?
A standard issue mixes investigative reporting, political and cultural criticism, personal essays, short fiction, poetry, and the magazine's well-known cartoons. The mix of hard news, literary work, and humor in a single package is what gives the New Yorker its reputation as both a news source and a reading pleasure.
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