Ombudsman to weigh in on WaPo 'salon' controversy
The contretemps over the Washington Post's recent sordid attempt to prostitute itself and its reporters isn't over. According to Editor and Publisher, WaPo ombudsman Andy Alexander plans an unusually long column in Sunday's edition:
"He plans to take on the recent debacle over plans to charge guests to attend so-called 'salons' with Post journalists and D.C. officials."After the plan was exposed last week, the Post went into damage-control mode, with Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli maintaining the newsroom was never part of the plan and Publisher Katharine Weymouth apologizing to readers last Sunday in print... Alexander declined to elaborate on what his opinion in the Sunday piece will be."But if his two blog items are any indication, expect a blast at his employers."
"The Post often decries those who charge for access to public officials. This raised the specter of a money-losing newspaper doing the same thing -- and charging for access to its own reporters and editors as well."