Forbes Magazine Names Successor to Editor

Forbes magazine said longtime Editor James W. Michaels, 77, will be succeeded by Managing Editor William Baldwin, 47, effective Jan. 1. Michaels, who had been the top editor for more than 37 years, will become group vice president for editorial, overseeing Forbes’ ongoing expansion into other media, including books and television. Although Malcom S. “Steve” Forbes Jr. holds the title of editor in chief, Michaels has been the day-to-day editor who puts his stamp on virtually every piece of copy in the magazine. Long the leader among general business magazines, Forbes is receiving a renewed circulation challenge from Time Warner Inc.’s revamped Fortune magazine. The announcement is the second high-level editorial change in a year for Forbes. A year ago, longtime Managing Editor Lawrence Minard was appointed editor of Forbes Global Business and Finance, an international edition of Forbes that launched in March.