Phoenix New Times is pleased to announce the hire of Douglas Markowitz as culture editor. He replaces Becky Bartkowski.
Doug, who is 23, was born and raised in South Florida. He completed undergraduate studies at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and briefly attended Sophia University in Tokyo.
For his first three years at UNF, he spent most of his time at Spinnaker Media, the student-run campus press, and served as chief copy editor and assistant program director of the radio division. Upon returning to the U.S. from Tokyo, where he took classes in religion and screenwriting, he finished his bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in film studies. During his senior year, he found time to participate in Model UN, join the student senate, and start a campus film society which provided free screenings to all students.
He also began writing for Miami New Times, which culminated in an extended internship with the publication upon his return home to South Florida. At New Times, Doug became a prolific writer on arts and culture in Miami, covering museum exhibitions, upcoming concerts, and major events such as Art Basel, III Points, and Ultra Music Festival. Much of his writing focused on the nascent “SoundCloud Rap” scene, which erupted out of Miami and Broward County in 2017. In the last year, he covered a rogues’ gallery of rising stars such as Lil Pump, Bhad Bhabie, Ski Mask the Slump God, and of course the late XXXTentacion.
Doug is a deep enthusiast of the arts. He enjoys film, especially foreign film; visual art, especially the abstract expressionists of the mid-20th century; Japanese literature; and, of course, all types of music. His favorite musical artists include Radiohead, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Oneohtrix Point Never, Caetano Veloso, and too many more to list in full.
And now, a message from the new editor:
I suppose, though I am only 23, that I’ve had a more interesting life than most. I think of that Thoreau saying – “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation” – and I am thankful that mine has not been a quiet one. Then again, if you had told me a few months ago that I’d be shipping out to the only state hotter than the one I grew up in, to Phoenix, Arizona, would I have believed you? Fuck, no. And yet, here I am, in the city that rose from the desert.
I came here to serve you, Phoenix. If you’re feeling your life is one of quiet desperation, I want to help you make it a little more interesting. I am here to tell you where to go, what to do when you’re done with work and long for the warmth of human companionship. I am here because this is a young city, still dusting off its feathers as it readies itself for flight, and there are stories to be told.
Whether I find them is also up to you. I need your guidance, Phoenix, just as you need mine. New Times needs your stories just as you need us to tell you what concerts are coming to The Van Buren, or what movies you can catch at the FilmBar, or what the lineup for FORM is going to look like. I’m new here. I want to hear from you. I want to hear from everyone, especially those whose voices could use a little more of a boost.
I’ll do my best for you, Phoenix. Thanks for having me.
Doug can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 602-229-8458.