Making Media
Episode 11 Harvard’s Media Giant
Making Media

Episode 11: Harvard’s Media Giant

Making Media

Episode 11

Harvard’s Media Giant

Adi Ignatius is the editor-in-chief of the Harvard Business Review. We cover the secrets behind HBR's longevity, why they have editors rather than writers, and how he thinks about HBR's unique business model.

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(00:03:50) - (First question) - His most memorable experience as a field journalist in Beijing

(00:06:13) - Why it’s so important for media leaders to be adaptable

(00:07:10) - His perspective on generative AI as it relates to media and journalism

(00:10:46) - The characteristics of the HBR that have enabled it to continue for over 100 years

(00:12:54) - The most impactful aspects of their business model and legacy

(00:14:39) - The roles of both their freelancers and in-house editors

(00:19:48) - How they capitalize on different platforms across the HBP brand ecosystem

(00:21:44) - Their signature Case Studies series

(00:24:20) - The relevance of print media versus digital formats in their business today

(00:25:57) - How their brand image continues to evolve naturally

(00:27:42) - The role of diversity in the HBR’s culture and design

(00:29:02) - The balance between their subscription-based model and advertising revenue

(00:32:20) - Broadness versus specificity in their content

(00:33:33) - Keeping their content timely but thorough in the era of digital immediacy

(00:35:53) - Their sizeable social media presence

(00:39:18) - How working with Harvard sets them apart

(00:41:26) - What he has learned throughout his career about branding

(00:44:30) - Their book
HBR at 100
and the potential for true classics being made in the digital era

(00:46:53) - The common threads he can identify in their most influential articles

(00:48:40) - The Debrief

Harvard’s Media Giant

Introduction

Dom
Hello, and welcome back to another week of Making Media. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Adi Ignatius, the Editor and Chief of the Harvard Business Review. HBR is the crown jewel in Harvard’s media arm, which is called Harvard Business Publishing. This media business has intrigued asset classes for quite some time. It's over 100 years old and has created some of the best business content ever produced.

But a few people talk about it as a media force. Last year, it made $302 million in revenue. It had 11 million monthly visitors to its website, and it's followed by tens of millions of people on social media. There's no question it deserves paying closer attention to. That's exactly what Matt and I did in November last year when we did a Business Breakdowns episode on how Harvard Business Publishing works.

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