The New Republic--Again

  ? Et Resurrexit ?

Herewith an overview of the fate of the venerable (100+ year old) publication. The New York Times has just reported that Chris Hughes, a Facebook millionaire, who bought the TNR three years ago, spent three years or so making a mess of it, is now looking for a purchaser, having gotten tired of playing with his toy. The first piece, below, is the Times article. Next, an excellent, extensive New Yorker account of Hughes’ TNR mucking by Ryan Lizza, http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-collapse-new-republic.  

Finally, I am reprinting my December post in which I announce that I am ending my subscription to TNR after about fifty years of reading it regularly. Ruth Bader Ginsburg who had proposed a toast at the festivities celebrating TNR’s 100^th birthday canceled her subscription as well. Let’s hope that the next owner will act so as to tempt us back into the fold and that Chris Hughes comes to play with another toy that does no harm to the commonweal. 

The New Republic Is for Sale Again

By RAVI SOMAIYAJAN. 11, 2016

Chris Hughes, the Facebook co-founder who bought The New Republic in 2012 and prompted a revolt among staff members and contributors when he tried to remake it, said on Monday that he had decided to put the magazine up for sale.

“I bought this company nearly four years ago to ensure its survival and give it the financial runway to experiment with new business models in a time of immense change in media,” he said in a letter to his staff that he also posted on the website Medium. “After investing a great deal of time, energy, and over $20 million, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for new leadership and vision at The New Republic.”

When Mr. Hughes bought the magazine in 2012, many were optimistic about his Silicon Valley experience combining with the publication’s reputation. Shortly after he took over, he rehired Franklin Foer, a well-regarded former editor.

But by late 2014, because of tension between Mr. Foer and a new chief executive Mr. Hughes brought to the magazine, Mr. Hughes decided to replace Mr. Foer. When word got out, Mr. Foer resigned and was followed by a dozen outraged staff employees and dozens of contributing editors. The walkout forced the magazine to cancel an issue.

[Read the whole story: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/business/media/chris-hughes-selling-the-new-republic.html?ref=todayspaper.]

Sunday, December 7, 2014

TNR

The Death of The New Republic

   I’ve subscribed to the New Republic give or take for fifty years. It certainly had its ups and downs during that long stretch, but its Gestalt has essentially remained the same. It purveyed intelligent political and literary commentary that was up to date, but not “mod;” it was seldom doctrinaire, if not always rigorously liberal. I never hesitated to renew my subscription.

   The cast of characters that wrote for the TNR, not to mention the people who guided TNR’s ability to bring out a very worthwhile publication, were a squadron of writers and editors, performing a considerable variety of tasks—and at a very high level of both competence and imagination.

   Thanks to the astonishing ineptitude of Chris Hughes, the late-adolescent new owner of TNR, they are all gone!  But perhaps it was not at all ineptitude, since the proposed changes included a move from Washington to New York; and surely the new “management” could not have expected that a dozen or so people would uproot themselves and their families to follow so insecure a trumpet.

   But if not ineptitude, what has happened was willful destruction. Why do I say that? Because now nothing, yes nothing is left of TNR; the issue “celebrating” its 100 years of publishing will be the last. Again, why do I say that? Because in the five or so pieces I have read about the changes at TNR, not a single sentence appeared about the envisaged substance of the new publication; the entire stress has been on form—on process, with some high falutin’ terms freely slung around. The brains of the outfit, including a number of very distinguished authors were in effect fired, since the circumstances that were created required the resignation of anyone with a modicum of self-respect.

   Who will their successors be? Where will the new brains of the outfit come from? Which of the brethren of the departing will want to take their place? Has the new “management” thought that through and identified the TNR of the future. I am very very doubtful, since it would have been to their great advantage to regale the public with their substantive vision of the future.

   Maybe 100 years is an age that even most publications cannot outlive. Money will keep this one propped up for a while, but I envisage that it won’t be long before it becomes appropriate to recite the mourner’s Kaddish: Yisgadal v'yiskadash sh'mei rabbaw (Amen)bB'allmaw dee v'raw chir'usei . . . .