Martin Peretz

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Martin H. Peretz, also known as Marty Peretz, (born December 6, 1938), is an American publisher. Formerly an assistant professor at Harvard University, he purchased The New Republic in 1974 and took editorial control soon afterwards.[1] He retained majority ownership until 2002, when he sold a two-thirds stake in the magazine to two financiers.[1] Peretz sold the remainder of his ownership rights in 2007 to CanWest Global Communications, though he retained his position as editor-in-chief.[2] He is a member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Board of Advisors.[3]

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[edit] Personal

Peretz is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. He received his B.A. degree from Brandeis University in 1959, and M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, going on to lecture in social studies. Additionally, Peretz has seven honorary doctorates, and in 1982 received the Jerusalem Medal.

Peretz is married to Anne Labouisse Farnsworth Peretz, heiress to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune and daughter of H.R. Labouisse and Elizabeth Scriven Clark. Her wealth is widely credited as having given Peretz the means to acquire The New Republic.[4][5] Peretz is a long-time friend and supporter of Al Gore. He is also a descendant of the Yiddish writer I. L. Peretz. He is the father of director Jesse Peretz.

[edit] Editorial stance

Under the leadership of Peretz, the magazine has generally maintained liberal and neoliberal positions on economic and social issues, and assumed hawkish and strong pro-Israel stances in foreign affairs. Peretz has long supported Democrats over Republicans, including being a major behind-the-scenes benefactor of Eugene McCarthy's primary presidential bid in 1968.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, David D. (2002-01-28). New Republic's Longtime Owner Sells Control to 2 Big Financiers. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  2. ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (2007-02-28). New Republic’s Editor in Chief Sells His Share of the Magazine. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  3. ^ About the Institute: Board of Advisors. Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
  4. ^ Turque, Bill (2000). Inventing Al Gore: A Biography. Houghton Mifflin, 51. ISBN 0618131604. “His 1967 marriage to Anne Labouisse Farnsworth, an heiress to the Singer sewing machine fortune, helped him buy The New Republic from Gilbert Harrison in 1974.” 
  5. ^ Alterman, Eric (2007-06-18). My Marty Peretz Problem — And Ours. The American Prospect. Retrieved on 2008-01-16. “Marty Peretz bought the magazine in 1974 from Gilbert Harrison with $380,000 garnered from the wealth of his wife, Anne Labouisse Farnsworth, heir to one of the great fortunes created by the Singer Sewing Machine company.”

[edit] External links