David Granger on His Greatest Fear, Paying for Innovation and the Esquire Network So Far
David Granger, Ad Age’s 2013 Editor of the Year, has spent the last 16 years at the helm of Esquire magazine — a time of both great upheaval and unprecedented innovation in the magazine business. He helped steer the Hearst title through a deep recession and out the other side, where it’s now celebrating not only its 80th anniversary but also its expansion into TV, where NBC Universal has made over a cable network in Esquire’s image.
Mr. Granger spoke with Ad Age about the enduring qualities of magazine media, his greatest fear and the precarious topic of one’s legacy. Our conversation has been lightly edited.
Advertising Age: At this point, you could probably start resting on your laurels —
