"The Economist: Magazine of the past, present, and future."

A catchy slogan, no? The Economist itself can feel free to use it, for a small fee. But it probably does not need to. Because those looking for "the way forward," "the new model," or "the next big thing" in the uncertain world of magazines need look no further than the haughty stalwart that is the most successful British media export since Ali G.

Many visionaries would scoff at the notion that ...