July 2, 2009
Kind of Like if Blue Cross Sponsored Health Coverage on NPR…
Shocking news on Politico this morning, the Washington Post is offering lobbyists the chance to sponsor discussions at publisher Katharine Weymouth’s house. Attendees would allegedly include top Obama administration playas and the top of the WaPo food chain. Doesn’t that beat all? Not quite. The news was broken by a lobbyist who was disturbed by the ethics of the Post’s offer. When you’ve sickened a lobbyist, you’ve really beat all.
Politico obtained the one-page “Underwriting Opportunity” offer from an unnamed Washington health care lobbyist.
‘Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth … Bring your organization’s CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama Administration and Congressional leaders’ …
‘Washington Post Salons are extensions of The Washington Post brand of journalistic inquiry into the issues, a unique opportunity for stakeholders to hear and be heard,’ the flier says. ‘At the core is a critical topic of our day. Dinner and a volley of ideas unfold in an evening of intelligent, news-driven and off-the-record conversation. … By bringing together those powerful few in business and policy-making who are forwarding, legislating and reporting on the issues, Washington Post Salons give life to the debate. Be at this nexus of business and policy with your underwriting of Washington Post Salons.’
The first ‘Salon’ is titled, ‘Health-Care Reform: Better or Worse for Americans? The reform and funding debate.’”
Oh, hell, no. You have got to be kidding me! Better to close up shop than be a tool for both an administration and an industry the paper should be covering. Making kissy face at Weymouth’s house while pretending to cover these people impartially would make the Post a laughingstock. Wouldn’t it? I hope we’re not so far gone that this could go on without readers batting an eye. I know, I know, the Post’s point would be that there are no readers, but that only because their website sucks so hard. Have you ever searched for something on there? You could enter an exact phrase and not get the article you’re looking for. Katharine Weymouth needs to call the Nerd Herd, lock the door, and get to work on web design. Charge for access to your product, not for access to your subjects. That’s just sick.
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[...] Alison Brownrigg wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt‘Washington Post Salons are extensions of The Washington Post brand of journalistic inquiry into the issues, a unique opportunity for stakeholders to hear and be heard,’ the flier says. ‘At the core is a critical topic of our day. … [...]