WHAT'S BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER?

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Roger Black is a pioneer. His art direction of iconic print brands and high-profile redesigns, his early embrace of digital publishing technology, and his typographic innovations are hallmarks of a 50-year, trailblazing career.

He’s refined his design mastery at publications ranging from Rolling Stone to Esquire to Newsweek to The New York Times Magazine. He’s written books and started companies. He’s worked for clients on every continent.

And now, at 73, Black’s focus has shifted to type. More specifically Type Network, a font platform launched in 2016, where he serves as the company’s chairman.

Black’s design legacy not only includes memorable makeovers but also the fundamental need for an underlying reason and purpose behind them, often sophisticated, always functional. Throw in his signature color palette — red, white, and of course, Black — and you’re in business.

All that said, Black preaches that the true DNA of a successful brand identity is its typography.

We talked to Black about…..

- why he left home in the third grade ...

- how an early blunder almost cost him his publishing career...

- what it felt like to follow in his mother’s footsteps at the New York Times...

- what he thinks are the five best-executed magazines of all time...

- ...And about why he’s always on the move — and where he’s headed next.

A production of Magazeum LLC ©2021–2025

Magazines: The Original Influencers

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For decades, print magazines have been an unrivaled platform for creativity and impact. A medium built on striking visuals, provocative ideas, and vivid storytelling that allowed its creators to reach deep into the souls of their readers—and move society forward in the process.

Print Is Dead. (Long Live Print!) is a podcast about magazines and the people who made (and make) them. Magazines that combined thought-provoking attitudes and values with a distinctive look and feel—and cast a long and powerful shadow on American culture and public discourse.

We’ll hear stories and learn lessons from legendary designers, editors, writers, publishers, photographers, illustrators, photo editors, and more—stories and lessons that capture a magical history of innovation and inspiration, and that point the way forward. We’ll go deep into the lives and careers of this astonishingly talented group of creators, and tease out what these giants—past and present—have to teach the next generation of creators.

If you’re in the magazine business—if you’re in any business focused on content creation—this podcast is for you. We hope you’ll join us.

A production of Magazeum LLC ©2021–2025