Tr100

The modern magazine, "MIT's Magazine of Innovation," covers new technology and how it gets commercialized; is mass-marketed to the public; and is targeted at senior executives, researchers, financiers, and policymakers, as well as for the MIT alumni. The historical magazine was published by the MIT Alumni Association; was more closely aligned with the interests of MIT alumni; and had a more intellectual tone and a much smaller public circulation.

On August 30 , 2005 , Technology Review announced that R. Bruce Journey, publisher from 1996 to 2005, would be replaced by the current editor, Jason Pontin, and would reduce the print publication frequency from eleven to six issues per year while enhancing the publication's website. At this time, Technology Review laid off a number of staff members, including long-time editor Herb Brody, who had been with the publication since 1990. The Boston Globe characterized the change as a "strategic overhaul."

THE MODERN ''TECHNOLOGY REVIEW'' ( APRIL 23 , 1998 - AUGUST 2005 )

The modern ''Technology Review'' bills itself as "MIT's Magazine of Innovation." Since 2001 it has been published by Technology Review Inc., a nonprofit independent media company owned by MIT.

Intended to appeal to business leaders, editor John Benditt said in 1999 , "We're really about new technologies and how they get commercialized." ''Technology Review'' covers breakthroughs and current issues on fields such as Biotechnology , Nanotechnology , and Computing . Articles are also devoted to more mature disciplines such as Energy , Telecommunications , Transport ation, and the Military .

''Technology Review'' is distributed as a regular mass-market magazine and appears on newstands. In 2003 circulation was 315,000, about half that of '' Scientific American ,'' and included 220,000 paid subscribers and 95,000 sent free to MIT alumni.

''Technology Review'' also functions as the MIT alumni magazine; the edition sent to alumni contains a separate section, "MIT News," containing items such as alumni class notes. This section is not included in the edition distributed to the general public.

The relationship between the current magazine and MIT is not as direct as that of the historical publication, but is still close. It identifies itself as "An MIT Enterprise," MIT's website lists it as an MIT publication , and the MIT News Office states that "the magazine often uses MIT expertise for some of its content." The Boston ''Globe'' noted in 1999 that (apart from the alumni section) "few ''Technology Review'' articles actually concern events or research at MIT." However, in the words of editor Jason Pontin:

:Our job is not to promote MIT; but we analyse and explain emerging technologies, and because we believe that new technologies are, generally speaking, a good thing, we do indirectly promote MIT's core activity: that is, the development of innovative technology.

From 1997 to 2005 , R. Bruce Journey held the title of "publisher"; Journey was also the president and CEO of Technology Review, Inc. Editors-in-chief have included John Benditt (1997), Robert Buderi ( 2002 ), and Jason Pontin ( 2004 ).

The magazine has won numerous Folio! awards, presented at the annual magazine publishing trade show conducted by ''Folio!'' magazine. In and Design .

On June 6 2001 , '' Fortune '' and CNET Networks launched a publication entitled ''FORTUNE/CNET Technology Review'' . MIT sued FORTUNE's parent corporation, Time, Inc. for infringement of the ''Technology Review'' trademark. The case was quickly settled. In August the MIT student newspaper reported,
:lawyers for MIT and Time were reluctant to discuss the case, citing a confidentiality agreement that both sides described as very restrictive. Jason Kravitz, a Boston attorney who represented MIT in the case, suggested that the magazine’s change of name to ''Fortune/CNET Tech Review,'' a change that occurred in the middle of the case, may have been part of the settlement.
Many publications covering specific technologies have used "technology review" as part of their names, such as 's '' Nuclear Technology Review .''

In 2005 , ''Technology Review,'' along with '' Wired News '' and other technology publications, was embarrassed by the publication of a number of stories by freelancer Michelle Delio containing information which could not be corroborated. Editor-in-chief Pontin said, "Of the ten stories which were published, only three were entirely accurate. In two of the stories, I'm fairly confident that Michelle Delio either did not speak to the person she said she spoke to, or misrepresented her interview with him." The stories were retracted.

Top young innovators lists

In 1999, and then in 2002-2004, Technology Review produced the TR100 , a list of "100 remarkable innovators under the age of 35." In 2005, this list was re-named the TR35 and shortened to 35 individuals under the age of 35. Notable recipients of this award include SixApart co-founder Mena Trott , Geekcorps creator Ethan Zuckerman , Digital Divide Network director Andy Carvin , BitTorrent developer Bram Cohen and Friendster founder Jonathan Abrams . [http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/10/issue/feature_tr35.asp

THE HISTORICAL ''TECHNOLOGY REVIEW'' ( 1899 - 1998 )

''Technology Review'' was founded in 1899 and currently claims to be "the oldest technology magazine in the world."

In 1899 The '' New York Times '' commented:
:We give a cordial welcome to No. 1 of Vol. I of The Technology Review, a Quarterly Magazine Relating to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published in Boston, and under charge of the Association of Class Secretaries. As far as make-up goes, cover, paper, typography and illustrations are in keeping with the strong characteristics of the Institution it represents. This magazine, as its editors announce, is intended to be "a clearing house of information and thought," and, as far as the Institute of Technology is concerned, "to increase its power, to minimize its waste, to insure {Link without Title} among its countless friends the most perfect co-operation."

The career path of James Rhyne Killian illustrates just how close were the ties between ''Technology Review'' and the Institute. In 1926 , Killian graduated from college and got his first job as assistant managing editor of ''Technology Review;'' he rose to editor-in-chief; became executive assistant to then-president Karl Taylor Compton in 1939 ; vice-president of MIT in 1945 ; and succeeded Compton as president in 1949 .

The May 4 1929 issue contained an article by Dr. Norbert Weiner , then Assistant Professor of Mathematics, describing some deficiencies in a paper Albert Einstein had published earlier that year. Weiner also commented on a cardinal's critique of the Einstein theory saying:
:The pretended incomprehensibility of the Einstein theory has been used as capital by professional anti-Einsteinians. Without prejudice to the cause of religion, I may remark that theological discussions have not at all times been distinguished by their character of lucidity.

The historical ''Technology Review'' often published articles that were controversial, or critical of certain technologies. A 1980 issue contained an article by Jerome Wiesner attacking the Reagan administration's nuclear defense strategy. The cover of a 1983 issue stated "Even if the fusion program produces a reactor, no one will want it," and contained an article by Lawrence M. Lidsky, associate director of MIT's Plasma Fusion Center , challenging the feasibility of fusion power (which at the time was often fancied to be just around the corner). The May 1984 issue contained an expose about microchip manufacturing hazards.

As late as 1967 . the ''New York Times'' described ''Technology Review'' as a "scientific journal." Of its writing style, writer George V. Higgins complained:

Technology Review,

In 1984 , ''Technology Review'' printed an article about a Russian scientist using ova from frozen mammoths to create a mammoth-elephant hybrid called a "mammontelephas.". Apart from being dated " April 1 1984 ," there were no obvious giveaways in the story. The Chicago Tribune News Service picked it up as a real news item, and it was printed as fact in hundreds of newspapers.

The prank was presumably forgotten by 1994 , when a survey of "opinion leaders" ranked ''Technology Review'' No. 1 in the nation in the "most credible" category.

Contributors to the magazine also included Thomas A. Edison , Winston Churchill , and Tim Berners-Lee . {Link without Title}

TRANSITION TO THE MODERN MAGAZINE

A radical transition occurred in 1996 . At that time, according to the ''Boston Business Journal'', in 1996 ''Technology Review'' had lost $1.6 million over the previous seven years and was "facing the possibility of folding" due to "years of declining advertising revenue."

R. Bruce Journey was named publisher, the first full-time publisher the magazine had ever had. According to previous publisher William J. Hecht, although ''Technology Review'' had "long been highly regarded for its editorial excellence," the purpose of appointing Journey was to enhance its "commercial potential" and "secure a prominent place for Technology Review in the competitive world of commercial publishing." John Benditt replaced Steven J. Marcus as editor-in-chief, the entire editorial staff was fired, and the modern ''Technology Review'' was born.

Boston ''Globe'' columnist David Warsh described the transition by saying that the magazine had been serving up "old 1960s views of things: Humanist , Populist , ruminative, suspicious of the unseen dimensions of new technologies" and had now been replaced with one that "takes innovation seriously and enthusiastically." Former editor Marcus characterized the magazine's new stance as "cheerleading for innovation."

By 2003 , circulation had more than tripled (from 92,000 to 315,000). Additionally, in August 2003, a German edition of Technology review was started in cooperation with the publishing house Heinz Heise (circulation of about 50,000 as of 2005). According to The ''New York Times'' , as of 2004 the magazine was still "partly financed by M.I.T. (though it is expected to turn a profit eventually)."

NOTES

:''External links in the following list were last verified 27 August 2005 .

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