The New York Observer - FishbowlNY http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny Turning the Page For New York Media Copyright 2013 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:00:19 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Ben Widdicombe Joins New York Observer as Contributing Editor Ben Widdicombe is joining The New York Observer as a contributing editor. The Observer reports that Widdicombe will pen a regular column for the paper. He will also remain editor of Gilt City.

Widdicombe was the founder of the Daily News’ popular gossip column, GateCrasher. He wrote the column from 2004 to 2008.

“This is just the latest good news for the Observer,” said Rafi Kohan, the Observer’s deputy edior, in a statement. “Ben is the best, so obviously we’re excited to have him.”

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/ben-widdicombe-joins-new-york-observer-as-contributing-editor_b82815#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/ben-widdicombe-joins-new-york-observer-as-contributing-editor_b82815 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=82815 Thu, 16 May 2013 09:30:49 +0000 Observer Randomly Picks Jared Kushner’s Brother-in-Law as ‘Important Philanthropist’

The latest issue of Observer Philanthropy features a list of the “20 Most Important Young Philanthropists” and surprisingly, Eric Trump graces the cover. He’s also praised inside and proclaimed a “powerhouse.”

Trump, as you probably know, is the brother-in-law of the Observer’s owner, Jared Kushner. What a crazy coincidence!

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/observer-randomly-picks-jared-kushners-brother-in-law-as-important-philanthropist_b79143#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/observer-randomly-picks-jared-kushners-brother-in-law-as-important-philanthropist_b79143 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=79143 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:50:07 +0000 People Praised by The Observer Love The Observer The New York Observer’s latest issue featured a list of “The Most Influential New Yorkers of the Past 25 Years.” New York’s Daily Intelligencer caught up with Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump — who both made the list — and surprise! They both spoke glowlingly about the paper.

The Donald wanted everyone to know that he not only loved the Observer, he just learned the word ”vibrant:”

I picked up the paper. I read the most vibrant paper and I called Jared [Kushner]. I said, ‘This paper is vibrant.’ The last issue was so great. Not because I was in it, by the way. It was just so great. And I said, ‘You’ve really done a great job, because it was so vibrant.’

Ivanka echoed those sentiments, but failed to use the word of the day:

continued…

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/people-praised-by-the-observer-love-the-observer_b78824#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/people-praised-by-the-observer-love-the-observer_b78824 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=78824 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:32:08 +0000 Aaron Gell Departs New York Observer Aaron Gell has decided to move on. Only weeks after Ken Kurson was named editor-in-chief at the New York Observer, thereby demoting Gell, he emailed staffers to announce that he was leaving the paper. Gell had been with the Observer since 2010.

In the memo obtained by Capital New York, Gell said he is leaving to do some consulting for a start-up.

A snippet from the note:

Working for the Observer has been the best experience of my career; I credit that to all of you, especially, but also to Peter and all the writers and editors who passed through and helped create a newspaper that despite, ahem, everything has remained such a special place to work. It has been an absolute blast. There really is no publication like it in the world. Maybe for a reason, but still.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/aaron-gell-departs-new-york-observer_b75046#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/aaron-gell-departs-new-york-observer_b75046 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=75046 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:50:54 +0000 New York Observer Names Ken Kurson EIC Ken Kurson has been named the new editor-in-chief of The New York Observer. Kurson has been a contributor to Esquire since 1997, a political consultant and speechwriter for Rudy Guiliani, and has worked at Jamestown Associates, a political communications firm in New Jersey. No word on what will happen to Aaron Gell, who was named the paper’s interim editor after Elizabeth Spiers departed in August of last year.

As the New York Times notes, Kurson’s Republican ties will certainly cause some to wonder (perhaps more than they already do) about the objectivity of the Observer.

Kurson, of course, thinks it’s no big deal. “People will think what they want,” he told the Times. “I will have to earn their trust. I have had a long and honorable journalistic career, calling it like I see it and being a straight shooter.”

“Ken knows the ideas, stories and voices that make up New York better than anyone,” wrote Jared Kushner, in a note to staffers announcing the move. “He is a journalist and an author and through his years as a consultant observed the figures who create the framework of business, politics, media, tech, culture and real estate in our city.”

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-york-observer-names-ken-kurson-eic_b73850#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-york-observer-names-ken-kurson-eic_b73850 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=73850 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:18:07 +0000 The New York Observer Names New Managing, Exec Editors The New York Observer has named Emily Anne Epstein its new managing editor and Faye Penn its new executive editor. Epstein comes to the paper from The Daily Mail. Her work has appeared in publications such as Time, The New York Times and The Week.

Penn was formerly a features editor for The New York Post and New York. She is also the founder of Brokelyn, a popular blog about living on a budget in Brooklyn.

Capital New York reports that Michael Woodsmall, the Observer’s previous managing editor, is now on the Observer Group’s business side.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-names-new-managing-exec-editors_b70503#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-names-new-managing-exec-editors_b70503 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=70503 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:10:33 +0000 Observer Media Group Names Michael Albanese President The Observer Media Group, parent of The New York Observer, has named Michael Albanese its new president. The New York Post reports that Albanese, the former publisher of Spin, resigned from the magazine Monday.

Albanese had been with Spin since 2006.

Albanese takes over for Christopher Barnes, who left Observer Media in the beginning of August. Elizabeth Spiers also departed the paper at that time.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/observer-media-group-names-michael-albanese-president_b70175#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/observer-media-group-names-michael-albanese-president_b70175 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=70175 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:38:03 +0000 The New York Observer Endorses Romney For those of you who decide who to vote for based on newspaper endorsements, The New York Observer is officially in Mitt Romney‘s corner:

A candidate has emerged from the rough and tumble of the primaries with his dignity intact. The system has produced not a demagogue but a manager, a candidate whose experience is rooted in the pragmatism of the business world rather than the ideology of partisan politics.

That candidate is Mitt Romney.

Please note that this vote of confidence occurred before last night’s debate.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-endorses-romney_b70126#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-endorses-romney_b70126 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=70126 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:15:57 +0000 New York Observer Shutters Velvet Roper Velvet Roper, the nightlife site from The New York Observer, is being shut down. According to The New York Post, the soon-to-launch website for Scene magazine — a glossy about where rich people hang out — will replace velvetroper.com. Julie Dannenberg, CEO of Scene, said the magazine is “doing well,” which we assume is the opposite of how Velvet Roper was doing.

Aaron Gell, editor-in-chief of the Observer, sort of confirmed that by telling the Post, “Scene needs an online home, and it became obvious we are just competing with ourselves. Scene is the stronger brand.”

Laura Griffin, editor of Velvet Roper, is now listed as a consultant.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-york-observer-shutters-velvet-roper_b68273#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-york-observer-shutters-velvet-roper_b68273 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=68273 Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:30:09 +0000 Exodus from New York Observer Continues Elizabeth Spiers left the New York Observer in August, and ever since then, the floodgates appear to be open. Capital New York reports that another Spiers hire, Megan McCarthy, is departing the paper. McCarthy is the fourth Observer staffer to leave within a couple weeks.

The others who departed include Foster Kamer (left for Complex), Brian Gallagher (moving) and Laura Griffin (unknown).

McCarthy did not say what her plans for the future were.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/exodus-from-new-york-observer-continues_b67835#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/exodus-from-new-york-observer-continues_b67835 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=67835 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:34:41 +0000 Elizabeth Spiers Departs The New York Observer [Update] Elizabeth Spiers (a former Mediabistro editor-in-chief) is leaving The New York Observer. According to the paper, Spiers — who joined as editor in February of last year — is stepping aside to launch a new company, and will remain a part time consultant for the Observer Media Group.

Executive editor Aaron Gell is succeeding Spiers as the Observer’s new editor-in-chief.

“Elizabeth has been a phenomenal editor and manager,” said Jared Kushner, in a statement. “Not only did she bring on a wonderful team, she redesigned the paper and websites, launched a slew of new verticals and web properties, and invigorated the newsroom, all while more than doubling web traffic. I’m grateful for her efforts, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.”

UPDATE:
Christopher Barnes is also leaving. Check out the full internal memo here.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/elizabeth-spiers-departs-the-new-york-observer_b65489#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/elizabeth-spiers-departs-the-new-york-observer_b65489 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=65489 Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:50:09 +0000 The New York Observer Adds to Betabeat Team Jessica Roy has joined the staff at the New York Observer’s tech blog, Betabeat. Roy has written for various publications, including Salon, The Daily, The Nieman Journalism Lab, Good, Gawker, and The Huffington Post. She was also a writer for one of mediabistro’s blogs, 10,000 Words.

In a post announcing the change, Roy said that she will be moving from San Francisco back to New York within the next month.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-adds-to-betabeat-team_b55736#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/the-new-york-observer-adds-to-betabeat-team_b55736 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=55736 Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:15:55 +0000 Most Popular FishbowlNY Stories for the Week Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

  1. New York Times Photographer Wins World Press Photo of the Year, February 10
  2. New York Post Defends Greg Kelly (left) Coverage, February 13
  3. XXL Staffers Suspended Over Offensive Video, February 16
  4. People Rated Strongest Magazine Brand Among Advertisers, February 14
  5. The New York Observer Refers to Greg Kelly as ‘Rape Stud,‘ February 10
  6. Orgs to Newsweek: Stop F-ing Up, February 13

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]]> Jerry Barmash http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/most-popular-fishbowlny-stories-for-the-week-42_b53894#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/most-popular-fishbowlny-stories-for-the-week-42_b53894 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=53894 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:40:33 +0000 New Culture Reporter at The New York Observer The New York Observer has brought on Rozalia Jovanovic as a culture reporter. According to the Observer, Jovanovic starts Thursday and will cover the New York art scene for the paper’s culture section and its GalleristNY website.

“I’m excited to have Rozalia join our growing arts desk,” said editor-in-chief Elizabeth Spiers. “Her experience and passion for the subject will be a great asset to GalleristNY and the New York Observer.”

Most recently, Jovanovic was an editor at Flavorpill.

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]]> Felicia Pride http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-culture-reporter-at-the-new-york-observer_b53591#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/new-culture-reporter-at-the-new-york-observer_b53591 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=53591 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:45:57 +0000 BetaBeat Founding Editor Departs The founding editor of The New York Observer’s BetaBeat blog — Ben Popper — is departing to take a spot as the East Coast Editor of VentureBeat, a technology publication.

Popper, who has also contributed to such publications as The New York Times, Fast Company and Slate, tweeted that he will begin his new post on Monday.

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]]> Chris O'Shea http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/betabeat-founding-editor-departs_b50811#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/betabeat-founding-editor-departs_b50811 http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/?p=50811 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:07:50 +0000