THE PLANK OCTOBER 27, 2009
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Politico owner Robert Allbritton is planning to launch a local Washington D.C news website, TNR has learned. In his most direct challenge to The Washington Post since launching Politico, Allbritton is putting former Washingtonpost.com editor Jim Brady in charge of the new Metro site, sources said. Details are still emerging, but this is what I've learned so far: The new site will feature a mix of original reporting, aggregation, and GPS-map features. The site will cover D.C and the suburbs, and echo Politico's aggressive, scoop-oriented focus. Allbritton's spokesperson couldn't be reached. Brady declined to comment, as did Politico executive editor and co-founder Jim VandeHei.
With Politico and now a local news site, Allbritton signifies he wants his D.C media empire to go after the Post's core franchises. The hiring of Brady to run the site is a major move and ratchets up the competition with the Post. Politico, of course, was launched by former Post veterans John Harris and Jim VandeHei. Recently, Politico hired former Post editor Bill Hamilton. Brady's departure from the Post earlier this year came as Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli is completing a high-profile merger of its print and online newsrooms.
It's unclear how many reporters and editors will staff the new site. I'll keep reporting and update as I learn more.
3 comments
This would indeed be a worrisome development for the Post, if the Post were actually in the business of reporting local news. Since the Post's interest in local news is confined to a twelve-foot radius around the Wilson Building, Politico's move shouldn't be a problem. If anyone should be concerned about the Politico, it's the Washington Times and the Examiner, both of which differentiate themselves from the WaPo as much with superior coverage of local news as with their overt rightwing slants. What would really threaten the Post would be if Politico did for coverage of the Redskins what it's planning to do for local news.
- rhubarbs
October 27, 2009 at 6:35pm
If they do a sports section, then the Washington Post is dead. I hear that's the sports section is their breadwinner right now.
- Virginia Centrist
October 27, 2009 at 9:06pm
VC, it's great to see your comment! But a question: Does the Post even have a sports section? As far as I can tell, the Post has a Redskins section, but damned if I can find any coverage of sports or teams I actually care about, such as the Nationals or the Caps. Seriously, aside from the occasional Boswell column, you'll get better coverage of the Nats reading the AP game notes on Yahoo than you will from reading the Post, and while the hockey coverage has improved, the local prep reporting is anemic. If it's the middle of baseball season and I want to read two or three stories about the Redskins, and I don't really care if the score of last night's Nats game is to be found above the fold, the the Post is for me. If not, then I have to turn elsewhere for my sports news.
- rhubarbs
October 28, 2009 at 11:10am