Pat Carbine
Pat Carbine | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 31, 1931 |
| Alma mater | Rosemont College(B.A.) |
| Occupation | Magazine editor |
| Known for | Co-founder ofMs. |
Patricia Theresa Carbine(born January 31, 1931) is an American feminist and magazine editor. She was executive editor ofLook,which was the highest position held by a woman at a general interest magazine, and the vice president and editor-in-chief ofMcCall's.She was one of the founders ofMs.magazine and served as one of the first publishers and the first editor-in-chief.
Early life
[edit]Carbine was born on January 31, 1931, inVillanova, Pennsylvania.[1][2]Her parents are James T. Carbine and Margaret Carbine (née Dee). She attendedMater Misericordiae Academybetween 1936 and 1948. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English fromRosemont Collegein 1952.[1]She was a trustee of the college between 1972 and 1996.[3]
Career
[edit]Carbine joined the magazineLookin 1953 as an editorial researcher, eventually being promoted as assistant managing editor in 1959.[4]She became the managing editor in 1966 and the executive editor in 1969, which was the highest position held by a woman at a general interest magazine, although the owner of the magazine refused to put a woman's name on the top of the masthead.[4]She went on strike on August 26, 1970, for theWomen's Strike for Equality.[5]In 1970, she became the vice president and editor-in-chief ofMcCall's,where she tried to modernize the magazine with a new section called 'Right Now'.[3][6]
Ms.magazine
[edit]In 1971, she was approached byGloria Steinemwho was looking to create a newsletter focusing on the women's movement. Along withElizabeth Forsling Harris,Carbine convinced her that a magazine was the best approach as it was more likely to make money and to serve as a 'forum'. The trio attempted to source funding for the project and finally received an offer fromClay Felker,editor ofNew Yorkmagazine, who suggested publishing a preview of the new magazine – titledMs.– in the year-end issue ofNew Yorkand as a stand-alone January issue.[7][8]
In January 1972, when the initial issue was selling out, Carbine leftMcCall'sto joinMs.as a publisher.[9]The decision was encouraged by a couple of incidents with the management of the magazine. Carbine chose Steinem as theMcCall'sWoman of the Year in 1972 but the management was concerned that she was too radical and considering re-printing the magazine covers to instead featurePat Nixon,until Carbine threatened to publicly resign. She also encouraged reporting on issues which were concerning to advertisers. When she asked the management to break her contract in order to joinMs.,they agreed.[3]
Carbine was the editor-in-chief of the first independent issue of the magazine in July 1972.[4]She was one of the original shareholders of the magazine, alongside Steinem, Harris andWarner Communications.[7]She was a founder and director of the Ms. Foundation for Women, Inc. and the Ms. Foundation for Education and Communications, Inc.[4]The other co-founders of the magazine wereLetty Cottin Pogrebin,Nina Finkelstein,Mary Peacock,Margaret Sloan-HunterandSuzanne Levine.[10]She was responsible for training the female ad sales force for the magazine, although she and Steinem had to make their own calls to thead agenciesin the early days of the magazine.[6]Her decision to hire women in this role was unusual for the time. She also focused on finding advertisers who were not usually associated with women's magazines, including auto manufacturers, financial services and alcoholic beverages.[3]
She was a board member of theMagazine Publishers of America(MPA) between 1973 and 1988, the first woman to serve on the board. She was a member of the board of theAdvertising Council,where she was the first female chair, and a member of theAmerican Society of Magazine Editors.Carbine successfully persuaded the MPA not to hold the annual conference in Florida, due to the state's importance in the campaign to ratify theEqual Rights Amendment(ERA).[3]She was vocal in criticizing newspapers, including specificallyThe New York Times,for refusing to useMs.as a designation.[11]
In 1975, Carbine and Steinem were sued by Harris for $1.7 million for fraudulently misrepresenting the value of the magazine's shares and for forcing her to share her ownership rights, but the case was dismissed.[8][12]
Legacy
[edit]Carbine's papers are held bySmith College.[13]
References
[edit]- ^abWho's who of American Women.Marquis Who's Who.1973. p. 143.ISBN978-0-8379-0408-5.
- ^Ciarrocchi, Pat (June 27, 2022)."Pat Ciarrocchi: 'Why are we back here in this place?'".The Philadelphia Inquirer.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^abcdeLove, Barbara J. (2006).Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975.University of Illinois Press.ISBN978-0-252-09747-8.
- ^abcd"Ms. Magazine".Missouri School of Journalism.July 13, 2012.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^"Wonder Woman's Secret Past".The New Yorker.September 15, 2014.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^abSteinem, Gloria (2014)."Sex, Lies, & Advertising".Readings in Advertising, Society, and Consumer Culture.doi:10.4324/9781315701271.ISBN9781317461364.
- ^abFarrell, Amy Erdman (1994)."A Social Experiment in Publishing: Ms. Magazine, 1972-1989".Human Relations.47(6): 707–730.doi:10.1177/001872679404700607.ISSN0018-7267.S2CID145504256.
- ^abPogrebin, Abigail (October 28, 2011)."An Oral History of 'Ms.' Magazine".New York Magazine.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^Kilkenny, Katie."How a Magazine Cover From the '70s Helped Wonder Woman Win Over Feminists".Pacific Standard.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^O'Reilly, Jane (June 26, 1972)."Whatever Happened to 'Ms.'?".New York Magazine.pp. 39–41.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^"Top Editor of Ms. Finds Press Remiss On Women in News".The New York Times.April 16, 1976.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^Ivins, Molly (August 24, 1976)."Judge Dismisses Suit Against Ms".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
- ^"Collection: Pat Carbine papers | Smith College Finding Aids".findingaids.smith.edu.RetrievedAugust 19,2022.
External links
[edit]- Interview with Pat CarbineonWNYC
- Pat Carbine: Leading The Feminist Movement Through Journalismon Comcast Newsmakers