7 ms·
Glenn Greenwald is leaving The Guardian
- pcrh 13y agoHoly cow... The implication is that he is aiming set-up his own news organization.
- latj 13y agoI didnt get that at all. He could just be joining a venture with other journalists? Similar to propublica.org.
- redthrowaway 13y agoHe's stated he's forming a new organization "with serious backing": http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-will-leave-guardian-to-create-new http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-w...
- latj 13y agoYes, I understand. However the article didnt impliy he was starting his own organization- he could be joining other journalists to start a new organization. My example was propublica.org -- a news organization that was founded after an angel donor provided funding to form an organization for investigative journalism after Rupert Murdoch bought the wall street journal. I'm not saying its not the case, I just didnt see that implication. Personally, I think it would be a mistake for him to start "his own" organization. First, it would be hard for him to keep doing what he's good at as he would be pulled in more directions and into more discussions about organization, money etc. Secondly, I think a "G Magazine" would not have nearly the impact that a propublica-clone would have. We need less personality and more people willing to grind the shit out.
- pcrh 13y agoThe implication comes from the phrase "I was presented with a once-in-a-career dream journalistic opportunity that no journalist could possibly decline.", i.e. he isn't being fired or something.
- buro9 13y agoThe original source of the leaked story: http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-will-leave-guardian-to-create-new http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-w... The headline: "Glenn Greenwald Will Leave Guardian To Create New News Organization" All of the info being quoted elsewhere stems from that story, and is now confirmed by the post on Glenn's blog.
- driverdan 13y agoSince when does BuzzFeed break real news and not just blogspam? That's newsworthy itself.
- buro9 13y agoI (and others) tried submitting it, but all BuzzFeed links are [dead] on arrival due to the blogspam they've done over the years (along with gawker, etc).
- dailyrorschach 13y agoThey actually break quite a bit of news, along with clogging the internet with blogspam. It's a pretty fascinating business model.
- oskarth 13y agoInteresting. If it indeed is a new venture, which seems likely, where's the money coming from? Benevolent billionaire?
- martythemaniak 13y agoHe could crowdfund it by selling yearly subscriptions. I'd easily pay $60 a year for a investigative-minded digital magazine with Greenwald as Editor-in-Chief.
- masmullin 13y agoI wouldn't pay 60. But I might cough up 30 for some sort of digital edition so long as the reporting is high quality.
- zmitri 13y agoHey, if you don't mind, would you take a look at this http://www.beaconreader.com http://www.beaconreader.com and let me know what your thoughts are? Readers pay a single $5 a month fee, but get access to everything on platform (Over 40 professional journalists). Example of an article http://www.beaconreader.com/eric-randolph/what-one-refugee-story-says http://www.beaconreader.com/eric-randolph/what-one-refugee-s...
- adventured 13y agoI really like the concept. It desperately needs a new name. Beacon is a weak word, and Beacon Reader flows really poorly. It doesn't convey impactful journalism. It'd be proper for the #3 newspaper in Sioux Falls (if there were such a thing). My two cents for what they're worth.
- ParadisoShlee 13y agoBaconreader... I'm not going to lie.. I expected this to be a reddit or rss feed.
- 13y ago
- stfu 13y agoI can definitely see that working. The mainstream-critical news field seems very populated by extremely polarizing figures. On the libertarian side there is very little between full blown conspiracy theory mongers (ala Axel Jones) and those more affiliated with one political who pick up the stories that advances their viewpoints (Drudge, Mother Jones). Greenwald brings the right level of mainstream credibility to carve out a new brand in that space.
- dublinben 13y ago>The mainstream-critical news field seems very populated by extremely polarizing figures Do you think that Greenwald is any different? He's been a polarizing figure for years, even before becoming a focal point of the Snowden/NSA story.
- stfu 13y agoYes, at least for the way he presets himself. He is able to put a serious argument forward and able to discuss things head to head with conventional journalists. If you compare the video where Greenwald gets some hard questions by some BBC reporter in comparison to how Jones handled the interview with Piers Morgan it feels like two completely different worlds.
- Terretta 13y agoI think he's different. Polarizing on given stories, sure, but also non-partisan. I appreciate Greenwald's journalism because he doesn't play favorites when it comes to calling people out. People seem to think he's a liberal but over the past decade he's been just as likely to call out Obama, Krugman, et al., as Bush/Cheney & Co.
- swalsh 13y agoWho leaked the news that he was leaving?
- gkoberger 13y agoSnowden.
- kmfrk 13y agoHe just can't help himself.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- GigabyteCoin 13y agoBuzzfeed apparently: http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-will-leave-guardian-to-create-new http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/exclusive-glenn-greenwald-w...
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- mcantelon 13y agoHe managed to do just fine before Snowden.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- natural219 13y agoThis is actually entirely untrue. Greenwald was a prolific blogger far before the Snowden leak. In fact, I only found out, like, a couple of days ago that he was responsible for publicizing the Snowden leak.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- icelancer 13y ago> But I'd wager that 95% of the HN (and the population at large) did not recognise his name. I'll take a bet at window max for the population of HN. Greenwald was very well known.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- jacobquick 13y agohe was right there too
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- deleted 13y ago
- gkoberger 13y agoI'd assume wherever he's going (some people are saying it's his own organization) will be well funded -- he'll need a good team of lawyers watching his back. Now probably isn't the time to "go it alone" for him. The Guardian sent lawyers to take care of the Miranda airport incident, and I presume they've been working around the clock to keep him protected with the Snowden stuff. EDIT: he'll be head of building an "entire journalism unit" for a general-interest (sports, etc) organization, and it is well funded by a "particular backer": http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/10/15/glenn-greenwald-bolts-the-guardian-for-some-fabulous-media-organization/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/10/1...
- sjtgraham 13y agoBezos
- backprojection 13y agoIs this just speculation? It's fine if it is, I'd just like to know.
- gkoberger 13y agoSpeculation; nothing has been announced. However, the first interview by Greenwald was given to the Washington Post -- which Bezos just purchased.
- selmnoo 13y agoThe people backing him would be really going against the grain since Greenwald is pretty anti-establishment. Snowden provided material to both Washington Post and the Guardian, but it was the Guardian that chose to really dive into it and milk it all the way -- Washington Post hesitated. A lot of people are hungry for Greenwald giving them more Snowden leaks, the backer probably understands this. The understanding with Greenwald is he's not afraid to piss off people -- if he gets more leaks in his hands, he's going to let the public in on it. It's hard to imagine Bezos getting himself into this kind of public hot grounds, so I think it's highly unlikely that Bezos is behind this. edit: small grammar fix; thanks cpeterso
- arca_vorago 13y agoI can't wait to find out what it is and what kind of participation is available. GG has been doing some of the best reporting on a variety of issues for at least a few years.
- frabcus 13y agoPhilanthropy is one of the few credible models left for good journalism. (The other being pay-for niche, like the Economist). So I like that another really excellent philanthropically funded news organisation is starting (Pro Publica has been good).
- pekk 13y agoI suppose it is also "philanthropy" when a very wealthy donor pays for journalism which reflects his political views or objectives. As long as you share those political views or objectives, that is, then it is "philanthropy" rather than journalism bought and paid for.
- alex_doom 13y agoThat's pretty cynical, I highly doubt he's going to be asked to shape a story to fit someone political viewpoints. Unless you think he's going to work for Fox News ;)
- pekk 13y agoHe already shapes stories to fit someone's political viewpoints. If we are going to be cynical about Fox News and everything else, why should Greenwald be the one exception to our cynicism?
- ereckers 13y agoIs he looking to fill that huge hole left from the shuttering of Current TV?
- comice 13y agoIf it's funded by advertising, it will still have pretty major journalistic limitations. I for one hope it's funded some other way (and no, not by Bezos either!)
- Glyptodon 13y agoSo maybe Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, then?
- glomph 13y agoDoes anyone think this might be because the UK has such a terrible record on the free press front in recent months? Such a shame if it is costing UK papers serious talent (which I would not be surprised at). I mean why the hell work for a UK paper when you could work somewhere else given we have the internet now.
- lostlogin 13y agoWhere is good? A friend who works for Al-Jazzera recently described going through customs in Israel and the US. It's blatant intimidation as far as I see it. Kids with gun holding him in hot rooms while interrogating him when in Israel and only a little better when in the US. Given the way most countries kowtow to the US and Britain, where could one work from without problem? And even then journalists usually need to travel and you're back at the mercy of other countries.
- ThinkBeat 13y agoIs it possible that the Guardian cannot afford to keep him on anymore? I would bet the English/US government has been leaning very heavily on the organization, legally, financially, intimidation, blackmail? It might have reached a tipping point?
- DanBC 13y agoI think the Guardian would have published any details of government pressure, and other UK media would have joined in with strong condemnation. Our publishing industry does have problems, but we're not that bad yet.
- summerdown2 13y agoThere's certainly government pressure, which seems to be ramping up. Even if you ignore the destruction of media drives (and relocation to America), and detention of Miranda. 1. Pretty well all parts of the story have D notices in the UK: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/17/defence-d-bbc-media-censor-surveillance-security http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/17/defence-d-bbc-m... 2. The Home Affair's committee is looking into the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/16/mps-investigate-guardian-edward-snowden-leaks http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/16/mps-investiga... and 3. They've been criticised by the Prime Minister: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24555955 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24555955
- tg3 13y agoThe announcement said "We are of course disappointed by Glenn’s decision to move on, but can appreciate the attraction of the new role he has been offered." - that sounds like a news organization losing a great reporter rather than letting him go.
- pekk 13y agoTo the fanatic, absolutely everything is further proof of his own pre-existing beliefs.
- AsymetricCom 13y agoI seriously doubt it. That's like saying Michael Jordan is too expensive for the Bulls.
- bbit 13y agoIt's hard nowdays to find a medium that will post your slander and lies so this is a good step for him.
- vpeters25 13y agoI hate to be a conspiracy nut here. I think I've watched one too many political thrillers where they get rid of the nosy reporter by offering him a job he just cannot refuse. Edit: grammar
- dombili 13y agoSo, if he's launching his own thing, then it's going to be like Democracy Now, except Greenwald's project will be privately (?) funded. That's good, I guess. Greenwald has my respect as a journalist and I can't wait to find out what he'll do next.
- chipotle_coyote 13y agoThe (apparent) sponsor of the new venture is Pierre Omidyar, the original founder of eBay. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/15/us-usa-security-greenwald-idUSBRE99E18D20131015 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/15/us-usa-security-gr...
- llamataboot 13y agoI have heard speculation that it is Omidyar, which feets his personality and post-ebay activities. He has been funding investigative journalism in Hawaii for a few years now, has a ton of $$$, is interested in changing the world, etc
- andrewcooke 13y agoi just searched for the name (since it meant nothing to me; turns out he founded ebay) and there are reports saying this - http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/15/uk-usa-security-greenwald-idUKBRE99E18E20131015 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/15/uk-usa-security-gre...
- Myrmornis 13y agoUgh, I don't like the sound of this. But he is one of the people I respect most on the planet so I suppose that means I should have faith that he's doing the right thing. Call me unimaginative but I thought it was an extremely good thing to have someone with his views at a respected, establishment media organization.
- ethanhunt_ 13y agoStatement of the Guardian's Jennifer Lindauer: "Glenn Greenwald is a remarkable journalist [...]" Better late than never, I guess.