Howard Kurtz's jump from the Washington Post to the Daily Beast on Tuesday left most the media-on-media world stunned -- and the newspaper with a big hole to fill.
Here's part of the Post's internal memo, via the Upshot:
With Howie's departure we will begin searching for his replacement, looking for someone who can be a commanding authority on the media. We're seeking a lively, nuanced writer with drive and enthusiasm, and the ability to keep ahead of the changing media world and its impact on politics.
And just who might fill that role?
Here's a reliable (sorry) shortlist of names for the Post to chew on:
Michael Calderone
Reporter and blogger, Yahoo's Upshot
Rationale: Calderone, who prior to the Upshot spent a couple years covering media for Politico, would be great choice for the job -- he's in D.C., and has been covering much of the same ground as Kurtz -- at the intersection of politics and media. But Calderone might not want to leave Yahoo so quickly -- he joined Yahoo in April, and the Upshot was launched in July.
Gabriel Sherman
Contributing editor, New York magazine; special correspondent, New Republic
Rationale: Sherman's name has been mentioned at least twice today -- with the Washingtonian and National Journal’s Matt Cooper name-checking him on their own shortlists. That alone probably makes Sherman the early front-runner, should the Post hire from outside its own talent pool.
Ezra Klein
Blogger, Washington Post
Rationale: Klein has intimate knowledge of D.C.'s clubby, inside-the-beltway media scene, having run the now-infamous “Journolist,” you know, the listserv-thingy that got current Slate scribe and former WaPo columnist Dave Weigel fired. If the Post decides to hire from within, Klein would be a solid choice.
Matt Cooper
Managing editor, National Journal
Rationale: Cooper’s resume reads like a who’s who of D.C. media heavyweights -- The New Republic, Atlantic, TPM, Washington Monthly, Time, Newsweek, Portfolio -- so he’s probably assured of at least a phone call from WaPo executive editor Marcus Brauchli. But the National Journal’s aggressive approach to hiring means they’ll probably be just as aggressive in shielding their new staffers from competing job offers.
Jack Shafer
Press Box editor and media critic, Slate
Rationale: Another fantastic choice -- like Kurtz, Shafer’s one of the most well-read media critics in the business. And he’s a far more “commanding authority” than Kurtz, I’d argue. But would he even want to leave the digital side of the Washington Post Company to battle over column inches? Perhaps not.
Ana Marie Cox
Washington correspondent, GQ
Rationale: There are plenty of people, Cox included, who would love to see it. But it probably won’t happen. The GQ contributor and former Wonkette, Time magazine and Radar writer has become an in-demand political pundit, occasionally subbing for Rachel Maddow on MSNBC.
