The Washington Post was sold last week; to Jeff Bezos, (he's the CEO of Amazon), from the Graham family, one of the very last family-run newspapers in America.
The Post of course broke Watergate. Woodward and Bernstein. Way back in 1972.
One of my lasting memories of the 70's is "All The President's Men." I was a political junkie and the movie was just perfect. Always loved Robert Redford and he just flat out nailed Bob Woodward. Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein was brilliant. And Jason Robards as Ben Bradlee was too good to be true.
Newspapers are a dying breed. That's unfortunate. Then again, from all in the know, Jeff Bezos wants to maintain the integrity of the Post and its still great legacy status not just in Washington, but beyond. I hope that's the case.
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Don't be pessimistic about the change, it could lead to a critically acclaimed and oscar winning film being made about the "new" WP's coverage of the greatest scandal of our generation...namegate.
ReplyDeleteJason Alexander will be cast as a supporting actor playing rich. I predict a Sopranos type ending.
If Jason Alexander is in it then Jerry Seinfeld has to be too. "My goodness! Hooow could you mess up on these naaames? Hoooow? Where's the produuuceer?"[Enter Kramer] "Hey, what's up?" [Enter the assignment editor, known in this adaptation as the News Nazi] "No news for you!"
DeleteI'd see it...
Rich,
ReplyDeleteBack in the late 70's I like many youngsters delivered the paper (SJMercury). I had 160 daily, 250 Sunday. All on my Schwinn! And in the early 70's I sold the Trentontoian in New Jersey on the street corner. Now I read the Merc on my iPad. It's just not the same.
Joe
> And Jason Robards as Ben Bradlee was too good to be true.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've read about the real Ben Bradlee, yes, Robards' portrayal was definitely too good to be true.
Great movie, though. They don't make 'em that way anymore. That Russell Crowe movie from around 1999 about the guy who blew the whistle on the tobacco companies was the last thing comparable.
Integrity in the news business flows not like the water in a bold and formidable river, but more like that from a convenient and functional faucet. It makes a big splash when the spigot is opened wide but keeps things dry as a bone when shut tight.
ReplyDeleteToday's journalists are simple functionaries in service to masters of deception.
@12:45 Spoken like a true poet. Bravo!
DeleteIt will be interesting to see what Bezos will do. I know circulation is down for basically all papers. I still read my local newspaper but now get it online every morning. I love it. No more paper to deal with and it's archived if I want to go back in time for something. I did try the Sunday paper hard copy but will let that edition expire. The online addition, BTW, is dirt cheap. Perhaps newspapers need to think online now and in the future..
ReplyDeleteI've thought about this purchase all week long and I still don't understand why? Why would Bezos spend millions on this giant tottering fossil? What has he to gain? Does he think there may be a terroristic shut down of the electrical power grid, and that physical papers will become the Cat's Meow- Tabula Rasa all over again? I'm fishing here.
ReplyDeleteThere was probably some coordination between his Big Purchase of the Newspaper and last weeks televised feature about Richard Nixon.
Whenever the DIM Idol/Golden Calf known as Obama gets in hot water, some propaganda piece suddenly comes out gift wrapped and ready to say, Well, at least Obama aint THIS BAD,,,Hey?
So it's Obama's fault. Huh. White people have just gone barking mad over a black president.
DeleteNot only have some white people gone "barking mad" over a black president, he's a Democrat as well, really rubbing salt into their wounds. To make matters worse, those politicians who continue the practice of making sure anything from Obama is voted down, will soon find themselves out of a job. I believe that's called karma.
DeleteKarma is when those Bully Union Goons who demanded this present Office Holder's re-election comprehend that ObamaCare means they can only get a part time job, and must pay four times the premium for same amount of health insurance.
DeleteKarma is fighting against Charter Schools in your city and having your kid too afraid to attend the Public Scoolz that look like zoos and produce graduates on that same intellectual level.
Karma is fighting against Voter ID as though it were some strange evil, then being shocked when you learn of illegal immigrants with a long, long record of casting votes and affecting our state elections. Being White has nothing to do with being aware of what is happening to the workforce and being willing to have an honest discussion. I'm Black in Marin, have not and never will vote for this Socialist.
I bet he bought it for the real estate holdings.
ReplyDelete