Business NEWS

What is Washington Post “Salon” Katharine Weymouth Scandal?

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:July 3, 2009

“Washington Post salon” on health care reform at the home of Publisher Katharine Weymouth on July 21- canceled.

When I first heard about this early today, I was pretty sure that it was an Obama fundraiser. I didn’t think it possible that the paper could go below zero credibility. But with this stunt, they managed.

The Washington Post was caught today selling dinner seats to lobbyists for a chance to chat with Obama officials or reporters.

The Washington Post asked lobbyists and business leaders to pay $25,000 to attend a dinner discussion with government officials and journalists at the home of its publisher, and then canceled the event after the invitations became public.

The dinner party was to have 20 or fewer guests, including Obama administration officials, members of Congress, business leaders and lobbyists, according to the flier.

Each salon would have one or two sponsors who would pay $25,000 to underwrite the event and invite guests. The Post envisioned a series of 11 salons that could be sponsored for a total of $250,000. Weymouth on Thursday canceled the whole series.

Politico.com first reported Thursday on the dinner, saying the newspaper had circulated a flier offering lobbyists and organization executives a chance to meet with Beltway insiders at the home of publisher Katharine Weymouth, for an “off-the-record dinner and discussion.”

The Washington Post Co.’s newspaper division reported an operating loss of $54 million during the first three months of the year.

Is it that the media are much worse (more corrupt, less careful, more dishonest) now than in the past? Or is it just that with the internet, more people are watching?

Washington Post was selling lobbyists access to its own sources.

Those sources they’s worked so hard to cultivate — and protect — were to be served up, alongside the reporter whose notebook they slithered out of, to people paid by corporate America to influence our national discourse.

Another question is: had Congresspersons, their staff, or Administration officials been contacted yet to participate? What were THEY getting out of this ugly deal?

Like this article! ‹ Exelon sets out ‘final’ takeover bid for NRG Energy, parent of Reliant Energy Johnson & Johnson and Elan Corporation plc merger- Announce Definitive Agreement for Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Program ›
Share this Post: Get It Delivered To Your Inbox

Readers Rating:

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

Popularity:
17959 views

Comments:
Comments

Leave a Comment:

Tagged with: charles pelton, Katharine Weymouth, Lobbyists, Marcus Brauchli, media, newspapers, salons, Washington Post

roamer2

What's surprising about that as Katherine Weymouth is one of the most corrupt people in D.C. I personally witnesssed that at first hand. She should fall on her own sword and resign but that is highly unlikely. There are different rules for "monied" people than for the rest of us.