A short note here since Doug Mataconis fills us in better than I can HERE. It’s no secret that many of us here at TMV have enjoyed reading and linking to Andrew Sullivan since he has been an independent spirit and thinker. And now he reaffirms why he is a must read for many TMV writers and readers. He’s giving up his big corporate spot at The Daily Beast (one of the best big blog/websites in terms of its writers and custodianship of the Newsweek brand) and is going to set up a totally independent company. Here’s his post.
Sullivan has taken a lot of heat from both the left and right in recent years because he will reach a conclusion that doesn’t fit into cookie-cutter, tiresome partisan hackery, embrace it and passionately articulate it. Just like clockwork, blogs of the left and right blast him for being too much on the other side. But that’s the price he has paid for offering content and conviction not 24/7 political campaigning for a party. And people who read his blog need to read his longer pieces, which are useful role models for aspiring journalists and opinion piece writers. Yes, indeed, he can write more than quick blog posts…
Bravo for Sullivan for making another independent decision — a decision that isn’t just business but about content and conviction. The Daily Beast will still be a great place to visit with its many fine writers (particularly John Avlon) but it will be missing something when it is Sullivan-less.
And we’ll continue to read and link to Andrew Sullivan (and Andrew: if you have a widget for your new site, send it to us please and we will display it). It’s so nice to see writers and politicians who show independence. Sullivan was a pioneer in blogging and I’m betting he’ll be considered a successful pioneer in his new venture as well.
With continued — and refreshing — independence.
Follow media blog reaction HERE on Mediagazer.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.