Marcus Brauchli Is Insanely Wealthy

In your staggering Tuesday media column: Marcus Brauchli is far richer than a newspaper editor should be (especially considering the new classified ad numbers), the future of Harper's debated, and Julia Allison overcomes media haters (like Richard Lawson).

An upcoming book says that former WSJ editor Marcus Brauchli (now editor of the Washington Post) left the WSJ with a severance package worth $6.4 million. Goodness. Does that make Brauchli the richest newspaper editor in history? Quite possibly! It also explains why you didn't hear a lot of "Rupert Murdoch will destroy the WSJ" objections from Mr. Marcus Brauchli.

Gazonga: Newspaper classified ad revenue declined by 70% in the past decade. And that's the story, folks.

Should Harper's Magazine go online-only? Since it's already supported largely by charity, it could be a good candidate—it doesn't have to worry as much about losing ad revenue, and it would save a bundle on printing and distribution costs. The downside: the magazine would surely lose some of its older readers. And, worse, it's hard as hell to impress that girl on the subway with The Strand bag by reading Harper's on your Iphone.


Famous media person Julia Allison declaims on the perils of haters such as trashy blogs, and gives advice on how to persevere on your path to becoming a famous media person, an example of which would be Julia Allison. Taking the other side in this debate is an email from Richard Lawson, who explains why he's always so mean to Julia Allison, and why he hates her, and her media fame, and why he does not want Julia Allison to earn a living of any sort. Watch this fascinating media item from beginning to end right this very minute!