New biz mag "The American" launches

The American, a new business magazine patterned after the early issues of Fortune, published its first issue. It’s a project of the American Enterprise Institute, and a subscription costs $40.

Nick Schulz wrote, “Right out of the gate it features a hard hitting look at the life experiences that have shaped business-pundit-turned-populist Lou Dobbs; counterintuitive pieces on CEO pay and on soon-to-be Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Charlie Rangel; a penetrating interview with Craig Barrett of Intel; and columns on the economics of football, human organ markets, and African entrepreneurs (The American will also feature a column by me about the intersection of technology and ideas). The magazine is handsome and a pleasure to look at and hold. It’s a fun read.

“You’ll find no laments from me about the arrival of the Internet age. I’ve made a living as a web journalist for the better part of the last decade. We have access to more information than ever before thanks to the Web. But there’s still no substitute for a meaty, substantive dead-tree publication. The American will come out six times a year, and if the first issue is any indicator, it will be producing must-read pieces.

“The future of serious journalism in our celebrity-saturated age remains uncertain. But the birth of any new publication that understands the power and importance of ideas should be a cause for celebration. Give thanks this week for a great American.”

Read more here.