Since 1961, Atlanta magazine has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles. The city's only general-interest magazine, Atlanta is recognized regionally and nationally for journalism and design excellence, with more than 300 regional and national awa
rds. The magazine was founded in 1961 by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, but from its inception it was much more than a promotion piece for its namesake city. Founding editor Jim Townsend, described by Time as "the father of city magazines," set the standard from day one with cutting-edge design, powerful graphics, and investigative and creative articles by some of the emerging talents of the 1960s. The magazine's pages carried work by Anne Rivers Siddons, Bill Diehl, and others who would go on to be hugely successful novelists, under the art direction of Bob Daniels, who later left to serve as art director of Esquire. Over the decades, the legacy of excellence has continued, with noted magazine writers such as Tom Junod, Luke Dittrich, Justin Heckert, and Paige Williams on staff, and contributors ranging from novelists such as Pat Conroy and Terry Kay to noted nonfiction authors such as Melissa Fay Greene and Steve Oney. The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce sold the magazine in the 1970s. After a series of ownership changes during which the content and design continued to evolve, Emmis Publishing bought the magazine in 1993. Emmis also owns Texas Monthly, Indianapolis Monthly, Cincinnati magazine, Orange Coast, and Los Angeles magazine. Emmis Publishing is a division of Emmis Communications (NASDQ: EMMS), an Indianapolis-based diversified media firm.
