Michaels, James Walker

▪ 2008

      American magazine editor

born June 17, 1921, Buffalo, N.Y.

died Oct. 2, 2007, New York, N.Y.

was credited with having transformed the reporting of business journalism during his service as editor (1961–99) of Forbes magazine. Michaels demanded tight, original reporting with a strong and independent point of view, in contrast to the polite stance that was previously in vogue. He was known as an incisive, almost ruthless editor who personally reviewed much of what appeared in the magazine. Michaels began his career in journalism as a reporter for United Press International in India and in 1954 became a reporter with Forbes.

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