What a week.
First we learned the ex-WaPo reporters, John Harris and Jim VandeHei, registered www.postpolitics.com and then sold it back to The Washington Post AFTER they started Politico.
VF: Beltway Boys
Harris and VandeHei had begun, early on, registering domain names, including postpolitics.com, which the Post, when it began to realize it might have to do some online coverage of its own, bought back for an undisclosed sum last year
Today Politico fired another Roman Candle across the river.
EXCLUSIVE – For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives OFF THE RECORD, NON-CONFRONTATIONAL access to Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors. Here’s a flier that was circulated yesterday to a health-care lobbyist, who said he feels it’s a conflict for the paper to charge for access to its “health care reporting and editorial staff.” The flier was provided to Politico last night at Rhodeside Grill (hat tip: “Nate Peters”)
Something is fishy in the Potomac.
UPDATE : Mike Allen posted an entire story and will include WaPo’s response when it arrives. Of course, this has also been Drudge bombed .
UPDATE 2 : Fark has jumped into fray .
UPDATE 3: Politico doesn’t look to be backing down. They’re pushing this story against their media brethren on their front page.
UPDATE 4: The Washington Post responds.
FishbowlDC: WaPo responds to Weymouth Salon Debacle
The flier circulated this morning came out of a business division for conferences and events, and the newsroom was unaware of such communication. It went out before it was properly vetted, and this draft does not represent what the company’s vision for these dinners which are meant to be an independent, policy-oriented events for newsmakers.
As written, the newsroom could not participate in an event like this.
We do believe there is an opportunity to have a conferences and events business, and that The Post should be leading these conversations in Washington, big or small, while maintaining journalistic integrity. The newsroom will participate where appropriate.
UPDATE 5 : Calderone: WaPo responds to flier controversy
Executive editor Marcus Brauchli addressed the flier in a staff memo obtained by POLITICO. Brauchli said the paper "will not participate in events where promises are made that in exchange for money."
UPDATE 6 : Boy, this escalated quickly.
Politico: WaPo cancels lobbyist event amid uproar
Richard Perez-Pena: Washington Post Cancels Series of ‘Salons’ Charging Lobbyists for Access to Its Staff
FishbowlDC: Brauchli Declares WaPo "Newsroom Independence"
UPDATE 7: Everyone in the pool!
Barack Obama’s Teleprompter: The O Experience
UPDATE 8 : White House responds
Politico: Gibbs tackles WaPo controversy
UPDATE 9 : WaPo Ombud Responds
Andrew Alexander: The Post’s ‘Salon’ Plan: A Public Relations Disaster
For a storied newspaper that cherishes its reputation for ethical purity, this comes pretty close to a public relations disaster.
Politico reported this morning that The Post has been soliciting lobbyists to pay from $25,000 to $250,000 to underwrite off-the-record “salons” at the home of publisher Katharine Weymouth that would provide access to administration and congressional leaders and the paper’s reporters and editors.
The story, accurately reported by Politico (and former Post) reporter Mike Allen, is based on a flier being circulated by a new marketing arm of The Post that has been created to host conferences and events.
UPDATE 10 : Weymouth sends memo to WaPo staff
Matt Dornic: Weymouth Offers Explanation to WaPo Staff
UPDATE 11: Howard Kurtz weighs in
Kurtz: Post Publisher Cancels Plans for Off-the-Record ‘Salons’
The Post Co. lost $19.5 million in the first quarter and just completed its fourth round of early-retirement buyouts in several years, prompting Weymouth to look for new sources of revenue.
UPDATE 12 : Jamison Foser uses 2,775 words to tell us he’s had enough
Media Matters: Howard Kurtz’s wasted opportunity