Mr. Magazine

I’m back at Ole Miss for ACT 9: Amplify, Clarify and Testify about the future of print in a digital world, and seeing lots of old friends and making some new ones. I rode in with Jeff Joseph, Publisher and Editorial Director of Lunchbox magazine. His magazine is a lovely example of the future of print: an independent publication serving an enthusiast audience with a premium package. He and Grayson, our student shadow, had a lively conversation about importance of innovation, of trying new things, of coming out from the shadow of the way we’ve always done things and breaking new ground.

Here on campus I see Bo Sacks, Tony Silber, and Samir Husni, Mr. Magazine himself, who is being honored by the University for his leadership in innovation and his insistence that his students and colleagues keep their thinking fresh.

It’s the opening gala and dinner and Robyn Tannehill, mayor of the city of Oxford, is here to welcome us to one of the best small towns in America in which to live, with one of the most beautiful town square in America, on one of the country’s most beautiful campuses; she came in 1988 and has been here ever since, and it isn’t hard to figure out why.

Noel Wilkin, Ole Miss’ provost, spoke about the nature of creativity. Creativity isn’t about waiting for the muse to strike, but about learning, forging new connections, imagining a new world. And ACT 9 aims to share thoughts and ideas that will lead to those connections, both for the good of our industry and for the good of the world.

It’s a worthy start to our three day venture.