Today's link-bait (it worked!) from Politico:
WashPost sells access, $25,000+
By: Mike Allen
July 2, 2009 08:04 AM EST
For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors.
Thank you! Good day!
Really, what more do you need to know?
Here's some of the language of the offer:
"Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate," says the one-page flier. "Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. ... Bring your organization’s CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders ...
"Spirited? Yes. Confrontational? No. The relaxed setting in the home of Katharine Weymouth assures it. What is guaranteed is a collegial evening, with Obama administration officials, Congress members, business leaders, advocacy leaders and other select minds typically on the guest list of 20 or less. ...
"Offered at $25,000 per sponsor, per Salon. Maximum of two sponsors per Salon. Underwriters’ CEO or Executive Director participates in the discussion. Underwriters appreciatively acknowledged in printed invitations and at the dinner. Annual series sponsorship of 11 Salons offered at $250,000 ... Hosts and Discussion Leaders ... Health-care reporting and editorial staff members of The Washington Post ... An exclusive opportunity to participate in the health-care reform debate among the select few who will actually get it done. ... A Washington Post Salon ... July 21, 2009 6:30 p.m."
This comes at remarkable time for the Post, really, with columnist Dana Milbank just having whispered to the Huffington Post's Nico Pitney that he was "such a dick" during their televised battle over newspaper versus blogger ethics.
Perhaps, for an extra ten grand, they'll bring Milbank into the salon, to whisper to you that, "you're such a rich dick."
The Post is already scrambling to walk this one back:
Kris Coratti, communications director of Washington Post Media, a division of The Washington Post Company, said: "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 are, which is meant to be an independent, policy-oriented event 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."
Doesn't look much like anyone's buying it, so far. Instead, people just want to know who, if anyone, has agreed to pay, and which members of the administration, Congress, or the Post staff have agreed to go.
Really, how do you finesse your way out of this one? It's a huge black eye for the Post. And clearly there will be a financial price as well, with the paper also having written itself out of the once-lucrative Blogger Ethics Panel business from this point on.
UPDATE: More discussion in TomP's diary, here.