Over at Forbes, Jeff Bercovici’s intrepid take on this or that media happening is usually worth reading because his work evinces a combination of reportage and provocative but thoughtful opinion that is seldom seen on the InterWebs. Here (“The Daily Beast/Newsweek Profitable in 2-3 Years? Hmmm.”) he’s questioning the notion that the combined Newsweek/The Daily Beast is headed toward brea
king even anytime soon, and his approach is rooted in the two basic questions of accountability journalism: Does what you’re saying comport with documentary evidence? And does what you’re saying today match with what you said yesterday? Nonjournalist readers may wonder why
I suggest this ordinary-seeming blog post requires an intrepid journalist. The answer: NewsBeast head editress Tina Brown is a real talent and interesting person who treats her people well and is one of the few sources of paying journalism jobs going right now. And a journalist never knows when he’s going to want a job. Unconsciously or very consciously, media critics are always balancing the value of the story they’re working against the possibility that it will come back in the future to devour their professional prospects. So an awful lot of media criticism is full of pulled punches. Even though his style and tone have nothing to do with snark or rant, I can’t remember Bercovici ever pulling a one.
John Mecklin, writer/editor 