Mr. Magazine™ Talks With Tom Martinelli, Publisher of new york by rail Magazine

Print is dead? Tom Martinelli has spent more than two decades proving otherwise.

As publisher of new york by rail, Martinelli has built a magazine around a very specific mission: inspire readers to get on a train and discover New York and the surrounding region.

In his latest conversation with Samir “Mr. Magazine™” Husni, Martinelli talks about why print continues to matter, even as digital and social media have become essential parts of publishing.

For Martinelli, the two aren't competing with each other. Print can introduce readers to places and experiences they may never have thought to search for online. Digital can then take that curiosity further.

The conversation also turns to AI and trust. Martinelli sees AI as a useful tool for research and ideas, but draws an important distinction when it comes to the human experience behind good editorial content. His writers actually take the trips they write about.

“AI has not been out taking trips,” he tells Samir.

Martinelli also shares the story of a traveler who picked up new york by rail in Albany and was so inspired by what she read that she changed her itinerary. That relationship eventually grew into a collaboration that now helps connect the magazine's print content with its social media presence.

It is a fitting example of Martinelli's larger point: print doesn't have to compete with digital. The two can make each other stronger.

After 23 years, 17 consecutive issues recognized with APEX awards for magazine excellence and plenty of changes in the publishing business, Martinelli is still thinking about the same challenge: how to stay relevant.

Samir's conversation with Martinelli explores what he's learned along the way, why people still want to pick up a great magazine and where new york by rail goes next.

Read the full Mr. Magazine™ interview with Tom Martinelli on Samir Husni's Mr. Magazine™.