Michael Noer
Encyclopedia
Michael Noer is an American business writer and editor who has worked for Forbes Magazine and Wired Magazine, and is currently the executive news editor for Forbes.com.
in 1992, the year before he became a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and spent 15 months traveling through Europe
and the Middle East studying the history of Santa Claus
.
As a reporter for Forbes, Noer worked on the Forbes 400
list, and in 1996 was the founding managing editor of Forbes.com. In a piece written by Adam Penenberg
under Noer's tenure, the site uncovered the journalistic fraud of New Republic reporter Stephen Glass, a scoop that is widely considered a landmark moment for internet journalism and inspired the 2003 film Shattered Glass. From 1999 to 2000 Noer served as Business editor of Wired, where he edited the Wired 40.
After returning to Forbes.com, he helped create the Forbes Fictional 15
, for which he wrote a satiric look at the business practices of Santa Claus. He also edited a variety of features for the site, including a look at the greatest athletic achievements of all time,
as well as special reports on communicating, money, and work.
. Forbes simultaneously opened up a reader response forum to discuss the issues raised by the two articles, and Steve Forbes, the magazine's editor-in-chief and leading shareholder, issued a public apology.
Career
Noer graduated cum laude from Rice UniversityRice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in 1992, the year before he became a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and spent 15 months traveling through Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Middle East studying the history of Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
.
As a reporter for Forbes, Noer worked on the Forbes 400
Forbes 400
The Forbes 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by Forbes Magazine magazine of the wealthiest 400 Americans, ranked by net worth. The list is published annually in September, and 2010 marks the 29th issue. The 400 was started by Malcom Forbes in 1982 and treats those in the list like...
list, and in 1996 was the founding managing editor of Forbes.com. In a piece written by Adam Penenberg
Adam Penenberg
Adam L. Penenberg is a US investigative journalist best known for uncovering the journalistic fraud of The New Republic reporter Stephen Glass in 1998. He was portrayed by Steve Zahn in the movie Shattered Glass...
under Noer's tenure, the site uncovered the journalistic fraud of New Republic reporter Stephen Glass, a scoop that is widely considered a landmark moment for internet journalism and inspired the 2003 film Shattered Glass. From 1999 to 2000 Noer served as Business editor of Wired, where he edited the Wired 40.
After returning to Forbes.com, he helped create the Forbes Fictional 15
Forbes Fictional 15
The Forbes Fictional 15 is a list generated by Forbes magazine that lists the 15 richest people in the realm of fiction. The members are characters from movies, books, cartoons, television, video games, and comics....
, for which he wrote a satiric look at the business practices of Santa Claus. He also edited a variety of features for the site, including a look at the greatest athletic achievements of all time,
as well as special reports on communicating, money, and work.
Sexism controversy
On 22 August 2006, Forbes.com published Noer's article Don't Marry Career Women, which included statistics used to defend a thesis that men were unhappier in marriages in which the women earned more than $30,000 a year, as opposed to marriages in which the women worked less. Due to the controversy the article sparked among readers and bloggers, it was taken down after only one day. Hours later, it was republished with a counterpoint piece entitled Don't Marry A Lazy Man, by Elizabeth Corcoran, a Forbes senior editor based in Silicon ValleySilicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
. Forbes simultaneously opened up a reader response forum to discuss the issues raised by the two articles, and Steve Forbes, the magazine's editor-in-chief and leading shareholder, issued a public apology.