Marcus Webb is International Content Editor for Time Out and Co-Editor of his own title Delayed Gratification. Grab a quick-fire 60 seconds and discover what life's like working on one of the biggest brands in publishing while running your own magazine.
How did you become an Editor?
Luck, if I’m honest. I’m a failed musician who ran away to Dubai as I couldn’t get a job in the UK. It proved the smartest decision I’ve ever made. While the place itself wasn’t to my taste, chronic understaffing gave me the chance to learn every aspect of the publishing business – page layout, copy editing, cover design – you have to wear a lot of hats.
Favourite mag growing up?
I’d like to drop some cooler names, but honestly nothing beats the excitement I felt when I heard the latest issue of Transformers comic thwacking onto the doormat.
First job?
In publishing – Assistant Editor of Digital Studio – the Middle East’s favourite B2B film production magazine. Out of publishing – I was an ice cream man in an ancient van with a broken tinkle. The children were greeted with Darth Vadar rasping ‘Oranges & Lemons’ at them.
Biggest influence?
Rob Orchard. We’ve worked together since my first week in Dubai and now co-edit Delayed Gratification. Ten years of ‘creative differences’ and we’re still friends.
Your most interesting interview?
Shepard Fairey – who we not only interviewed for the first issue of Delayed Gratification, his work appears on the cover. He was incredibly perceptive and amazingly generous in helping out a self-funded, start-up magazine just because he liked the concept.
What’s your career highlight?
Launching Delayed Gratification. Putting my money where my mouth is by launching an intelligent print product into a market that seems to be heading in the other direction. It may yet prove my undoing, but at least I’ll know we tried.
Learn everything. You need to be able to discuss design with the creative team, the website with your developers and advertising with the sales manager. You can’t bury your head in words and expect everything else to take care of itself.
Most embarrassing moment?
Meeting Liv Tyler when I was a little worse for wear at the wrap party of the final ‘Lord Of The Rings’ film and calling her Liz Taylor all night. She corrected me the following morning at a press conference in front of the world’s media.
What advice would you give to aspiring Editors?
Learn everything. You need to be able to discuss design with the creative team, the website with your developers and advertising with the sales manager. You can’t bury your head in words and expect everything else to take care of itself.
What makes your magazine unique?
For Time Out, we’re in a unique place to expand online. For 40 years we’ve been dealing in exactly the sort of information and critical recommendation people want – the growth of digital makes it even easier to get this information to people. Delayed Gratification is almost the opposite of this. In a time when everything is going faster, it deliberately slows down and really plays to print’s strengths – it’s well produced, nicely designed and designed to be treasured.
How has the competitor landscape changed in the last decade?
Almost impossible to answer in 60 seconds. In some ways everything’s changed – particularly for Time Out with the rise of UGC sites offering contributor reviews. I think this has just made the need for informed opinion even greater.
Most innovative thing you and the team have come up with?
I think Delayed Gratification is a pretty innovative magazine. It certainly swims against the current tide.
How is your title adapting to new innovations in delivering content?
For Time Out – we’re embracing it, looking at more and more digital outlets for our information. For Delayed Gratification – we’re going the other way for now and investing in a purely print product. After all, everyone needs a screen break!
Your fantasy front cover?
An original piece by David Hockney.
