Why the Portfolio idea failed
John Koblin of the New York Observer has an interesting examination of the founding of Conde Nast Portfolio that helps explain why the two-year-old business magazine failed. Koblin writes, “The appeal of these early dream-versions of Portfolio is rather obvious. Condé Nast gets to penetrate a mostly male ad market with a magazine that could […]
Portfolio spent money fast
Belinda Luscombe of Time magazine writes about the cash-spending ways of now-closed Conde Nast Portfolio magazine. Luscombe writes, “But many of the killer bylines only popped up occasionally. ‘They were willing to throw tons of money at writers, but they couldn’t figure out how to use them,’ says one former staffer. ‘They all got about […]
NYTimes to start new Sunday biz column aimed at helping consumers
The New York Times announced Wednesday that it’s beginning a new Sunday business section column called The Haggler designed to help consumers with problems with companies. A story in the Times stated, “We’d like readers to send in their complaints about specific transactions that have gone haywire: outrageous cell phone bills, airline ticket trouble, car […]
FT asks readers for input on editorials
The Financial Times is beginning a project where it asks its readers for advice on its editorials, writes Stephen Brook of The Guardian in London. Brook writes, “Readers will be able to help shape the paper’s editorial line through its Arena blog, which launches today, joining Financial Times writers in online debates about topics for […]
More details on SABEW's departure from U of Missouri
Janese Heavin of the Columbia Daily Tribune in Missouri reports additional details of why the Society of American Business Editors and Writers members decided to leave the University of Missouri for Arizona State University. Heavin writes, “No one spoke on behalf of keeping the program at MU, said Scott Newman, a member of the SABEW […]
TheStreet.com editor in chief total pay rises 61 percent
TALKING BIZ NEWS EXCLUSIVE David Morrow, the editor in chief of TheStreet.com, received a 61 percent increase in total compensation in 2008. according to the company’s proxy statement. Morrow’s total pay was $495,157, up from the $294,548 he was paid in 2007. The proxy did not provide any compensation data for Jim Cramer, a co-founder […]
McGraw-Hill CEO declines comment on BusinessWeek's performance
With the closing of competitor Conde Nast Portfolio, you’d expect that those interested in future performance of BusinessWeek might want to know how it could benefit. The business weekly has seen nearly a 40 percent decline in advertising revenue during the first quarter. So J.P. Morgan analyst Michael Meltz poses the following question earlier today […]
Lipman to blame for Portfolio's failure
Paul Smalera, a former Conde Nast Portfolio staffer, writes on Gawker that the business magazine’s demise rests solely on the shoulders of editor Joanne Lipman. Smalera writes, “Yet in too many ways to enumerate here, we did not operate in what I fondly call a reality-based environment. In Lipman’s meetings, firings were never firings, stories […]
Business journalism and ethics
The Society of American Business Editors and Writers held its 2009 Gary Klott Memorial Ethics Discussion on Tuesday, and as usual, members voted on how they would react to certain situations. Here are some examples: 1. An important election is about to take place. To show your support for a particular candidate, do you: A. […]
Dow Jones Newswires hires two new columnists
Dow Jones Newswires announced Tuesday that it has hired two non-journalists to be columnists. Paul Sharma, based in London, joins as a telecommunications, media and technology columnist and Donna Childs, based in New York, joins as a financial services columnist. “The appointments of Paul and Donna are part of our overarching strategy to enhance our […]
