From the beginning, in 1973, Texas Monthly has made no small plans. Our mission then was to do what no one else was doing: tell the whole state’s story, in a voice distinctly our own. Bold, informed, incisive, and funny, we were different from what Texans read in the papers or saw on TV. The bolder Texas got, the bolder we did too. The more Texans wanted to know about crime, culture, politics, and music, the more we told them.
The trail of deeply reported, artfully presented long-form stories stretches back to day one, and few magazines can boast a better tradition of ambitious and consequential storytelling. You could search far and wide and never find a higher expression of masterly irreverence than our annual Bum Steer Awards. And when you needed some advice—or a laugh—the Texanist was right here for you.
Forty-four years later, we’re still making big plans. That same Texas Monthly voice you’ve come to know and love will remain, but soon you’ll be able to hear it more often and in more places than ever before. As the team here begins writing the next chapter of this magazine’s story, we have you in mind. We want to be more entertaining, valuable, surprising, and useful, and we have some ideas for what that might look like. We know you’re used to Texas Monthly on your coffee table. But we want you to look for us in other corners of your life as well: in your in-box, on your phone, through your earphones, and at live events around the state.
We also want your voice represented here. Texas is a big state, which is part of what makes it magical, and with that size comes a wide range of opinions and perspectives on everything from art to culture to business to politics. Being based in Austin is both a strength and a handicap when your goal is to represent all of Texas. We intend to lean into those strengths and address the shortcomings, and on that point we would benefit from your help and your feedback. We will certainly entertain and inform you. We hope to challenge you. We may infuriate you on occasion. But if you’re Texan, Texas Monthly should feel familiar, within reach, and always worth your while. Happy reading.
