Conde Nast Portfolio's shopping spree

John Koblin of The New York Observer writes Wednesday about how business magazine Conde Nast Portfolio appears to have gone on another shopping spree to hire journalists.

Koblin wrote, “Recently, Portfolio has gone on a significant shopping spree of its own. In mid-January, the magazine brought in longtime Vanity Fair contributor David Margolick to become a contributing editor; this just two months after poaching VF contributing editor Suzanna Andrews. They have also signed former New York Times executive editor Howell Raines to a contract; hired former New York Post city editor Dan Colarusso to run their Web site; and put longtime freelancer James Verini on contract. Two weeks ago, editor Joanne Lipman was speaking to Slate founder Michael Kinsley about a potential consulting relationship.

“How is the embattled business start-up beefing up its masthead so aggressively (albeit with contract rather than staff writers, two of whom, Daniel Roth and Gabriel Sherman, departed during the holiday season)?

“‘They gave me everything I asked for,’ said Ms. Thomas, author of the hit book Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster (Penguin Group, $27.95). ‘I asked for the title of European editor because I thought it sounded very grand, and they said, ‘Sure, all right.’ And I asked for a decent salary, and they said, ‘Sure!’ I was like, ‘Wow, all right.’ I asked for an office [in Paris] and they said, ‘We’ll see what we can do!’ And I said, ‘Cool.” You go, sister girlfriend!”

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