Washington Post To Hire Two Bloggers

According to Wizbang, the WaPo is looking to hire both a Conservative and Liberal blogger. The Raw Story broke the news here. And Wonkette gives the impression that the decision might have already been made.

Which we’ve known for a little while now, though it didn’t seem like that big a deal — Brady had already announced his intention to hire a Domenech replacement, and the point/counterpoint style blog seemed a natural way to deflect knee-jerk criticism of whomever he settled on hiring. We’ve heard a number of other additional rumors about the hires, about Brady’s job, and about the future of washingtonpost.com as an autonomous entity, but for some reason, people at washingtonpost.com (unlike their friendly and charming print-based comrades) just don’t like talking to us on the record (looking back, we should’ve just asked Froomkin on Tuesday).

To be fair to Washingtonpost.com Executive Editor, Jim Brady, that isn't a hire I think I would want to make. If you hire an old hand in journalism, you run the risk of putting up just more of the same. Granted, it might have a Conservative bent on the right side. But knowing a little bit about journalism, it doesn't automatically a good blogger make.

The pace required is much different than a daily deadline. As I have remarked to some print type friends, blogger's deadlines come and go by the minute and by the hour, there always being another one right ahead.

On the other hand, hiring a pure blogger in this day and age is a significant risk. And that holds true for a selection from the Right, as well as the Left. Judging from the Domenech hiring, I fear that they will hire someone more provocative than need be. The Internet magnifies and hastens everything as it is. Starting out with too much fire could easily cause the blogosphere a blaze it really doesn't need right now.

On the other hand, they don't want bland or boring, either. I'd try to hire someone who is a pure blogger but someone with a little age. Unfortunately, that would likely be difficult, as I don't imagine it'll be a lucrative position for someone mid-career. Interesting that I see the position as requiring a mix of both age and youth.

I don't know him at all, not his age, experience, or situation - but I'd suggest someone like Rick Moran. We had one dust up before, I believe. But he strikes me as at least one individual who might fit the bill on the Conservative side.

Comments

[bryce]

Gee Dan why not you?

[Dan]

I doubt I could afford to do it. And I also like to blog on topics other than politics. I suspect they will also want someone in or very near DC. That would make sense. To be honest, I don't have a lot of hope that it will amount to much. They'll likely hire a journalist and tell him to blog.

It's a wonderful gesture by the WaPo, but it'll likely be just another inside the beltway type writing more of the same. Look at all the good Conservative bloggers. What they are adding isn't unique, it's only noteworthy because it's affiliated with the WaPo.

But, who knows. And it is a positive development for blogging in general. They deserve much credit for that.

[Bryce]

The gig definitely gives someone a big stage, you are probably right that they will turn a journalist into a blogger, while the two are related I get the impression that bloggers need to to be more shoot from the hip sort of people, and obviously more opinionated. They seem to be looking to someone on the young "hip"side as well. On the left they should consider Amanda Marcotte, she is very funny. On the right, homeschooling seems to take the hipness out of most bloggers, so I do not know where they are going to go.

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