By Foster Kamer 7/24/12 1:49pm

HOW THIS ALL WENT DOWN

Sidney Harman Tina Brown

A Brief History of the Sidney Harman Era at Newsweek, Which Is Now Over

Remember that time Newsweek magazine was put up for sale by The Washington Post and then “saved” by then-91-year-old stereo magnate Sidney Harman (of the wonderful line of audio/visual products Harman + Kardon)? Well, less than two years ago, that actually happened. Now, that era is over, as the Harman family is done investing in Newsweek. As a result, IAC is now a majority owner, with a print publication on its books. How, exactly, did any of this happen in the first place? Read More

By Kat Stoeffel 7/12/12 1:30pm

Things Spy Did First

rottenteeth

The New Republic‘s Kate Middleton Cover: SPY Homage?

Our first thought upon glancing at the latest New Republic cover was that new editor-in-chief, Facebook founder and marriage equality activist Chris Hughes was cribbing from Tina Brown‘s playbook. It has all the elements of a latter day Newsweek cover: A royal, buzzy photoshop, canny packaging. (Duchess Kate Middleton is more symbol than subject, as Britain’s royal family is not mentioned in the editorial package.)   Read More

By Foster Kamer 6/12/12 4:19pm

WHEW

Tina Brown (Photo: BeastTV)

That Time Tina Brown Almost Turned Obama Into Trayvon on the Cover of Newsweek

The presence of Tina Brown atop the Newsweek masthead has been nowhere more evident than on the cover of the magazine itself, from S & M to a very dead (and very photoshopped) Princess Diana. Love or despise Tina Brown’s cover-work, they’ve made people talk.

Surely, though, there have been more than a canceled ideas from that wellspring of manufactured, marketed scandal-making that didn’t pan out for whatever reason.

And today, we learn about one of those firsthand. Read More

By Drew Grant 4/09/12 2:24pm

Media and Race

Taki Theodoracopulos with 'Greek Pudding' Arianna Huffington (PcM)

Taki’s Mag Founder Speaks Out on John Derbyshire Race Controversy: ‘It’s Nice to Be Light Sometimes’

“I don’t think he did anything that extraordinary, to point out what Blacks themselves point out,” Taki Theodoracopulos told The Observer over the phone this afternoon.

He was talking about National Review journalist John Derbyshire’s controversial article, “The Talk: Nonblack Version,” written for Mr. Theodoracopulos’ namesake webzine, Taki’s Mag.

Within 72 hours after its publication, the Review announced that it was “parting ways” with Mr. Derbyshire, saying that the author was using the conservative publication’s name to “to get more oxygen for views with which we’d never associate ourselves otherwise.” National Review‘s Editor-In-Chief Rich Lowry said the piece “lurches from the politically incorrect to the nasty and indefensible.”

Mr. Theodoracopulos, who called himself a “great fan” of Taki’s Mag (which is actually edited by his daughter, while dad plays the role of curator, pulling in big names from his thick Rolodex), had his own opinion of why Mr. Derbyshire was let go. Read More

By Kat Stoeffel 3/23/12 10:28am

Feuds

Chanel Boutique Inauguration - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2012

Karl Lagerfeld Still Angry at Tina Brown, Calls Newsweek ‘Shitty Little Paper’

In January, Newsweek style writer Robin Givhan published a thoughtful essay about the influence of fashion’s foot-in-mouth Renaissance man Karl Lagerfeld.

“Karl Lagerfeld is overrated,” it began. “Such a statement rings like heresy within a fashion universe where the highly acclaimed designer struts upon his lofty stage as the creative director of Chanel—but it’s true.”

It rang like heresy to Mr. Lagerfeld, anyway. He’s been punishing Newsweek boss Tina Brown for it ever since.  Read More

By Kat Stoeffel 2/17/12 12:19pm

Summits

womenintheworld

Men Moderate Tina Brown’s Women in the World Summit

Tina Brown is securing the the lineup for her annual Women in the World summit, which kicks off early next month. On opening night, March 8, CBS This Morning host Charlie Rose will moderate a  conversation between Secretary Madeleine Albright and Angelina Jolie on how women rebuilt communities after wars in Congo, Kosovo and Bosnia. Read More

By Drew Grant 12/16/11 4:21pm

Media

'Newsweek' makes a baby!

'Newsweek' Wants You to Help Name Employee's New Baby

Interesting: Most soon-to-be parents squabble for months over baby names. But if you work at Tina Brown‘s Newsweek, one of the nice perks is that you can just put the question to your magazine’s 1,500,000+ Twitter and Tumblr followers and let them decide for you! At least, that’s what Deputy Editor Paula Szuchman was forced by Tina Brown to do in an attempt to boost the company’s image as a warm, friendly work environment chose to do. Read More