The Hot Blog

« Question Of The Week | Main | Indie Theater Plays Grindhouse 8 Blocks From The Clinton »

April 08, 2007

The End Of Longform E-Journalism?

With due respect to Anne Thompson and Premiere Magazine, the reason Premiere died (walking dead for years now) is that it didn't do longform journalism. Instead of becoming America's great journal on film, it became a slightly longer lead, somewhat more glossy EW, selling set visits as news.

There was a great moment, back when John Horn was actually breaking news in a monthly, where Premiere mattered. But with due respect to many fine journalists who worked there to the end, that time is a distant memory. What was great, however, was that people like Kim Masters, who are not built to work at web speed (which she proved at both Inside.com and now at Slate) had a place to work at a slower piece and to do richer work as a result.

That said, there is no reason why that cannot be something done on the web. The first company that turns that corner will have a surprising winner. The problem is monetizing it.

More importantly, I would argue that there is more good work written on film these days than EVER before. We are in a renaissance. We also have a lot of shit flying around. And as in all renaissances, the whores get more attention. But even the diaper dandies of ReverseShot are adding to the conversation in a valuable way, even if they too often lose their way and try to make points be pissing on the adult's table. I am glad they are there. Some will mature and be very important. Others will end up selling time shares. But the mere existance of the blog is a big step.

Manohla Dargis is really the figure head for the expansion of thoughtful movie conversation. A lifelong alt queen, her ascension at the LA Times and now NY Times was driven, in my view, not just by her skill, but by the excitement she engenders in readers, love her ideas or hate them. As a result of her ideas, a different kind of thinking has now joined the mainstream. And Tony Scott, who brings a different sensibility, is better for the intellectual balance across the ink stained aisle.

The many long-standing writers who are being unceremoniously dumped by Traditional Media stil have a place on the web, often reaching more people than ever. Whether you want ALL of Roger Ebert or more form Dave Kehr or to read Amy Taubin or to follow Reid Rosenfelt or even to indulge in a big gulp of Jon Rosenbaum, you can. If you want celebrity gossip, it's around. If you want industry gossip, it's around. If you want some serous discussions of money or marketing or mise-en-scène, it's around.

Premiere was just another excuse ofr studios not to move into the future... just another piece of publicity on the list so that they could excuse not working with "those web people."

And short form journalism will, as it does in EW and People and ET and Access and CNN, continue to thrive. But more depth will emerge as people learn to flex that muscle. It will not be the biggest muscle. Snickers will always be "more satifying" than broccoli. But just as "organic food" is becoming higher profile, so will deeper writing. And when it does, it will be as good as Premiere ever was. And better.

Posted by poland at April 8, 2007 05:24 PM

Comments

Posted by: Jeffrey Boam's Doctor at April 8, 2007 07:13 PM

Posted by: Lota at April 8, 2007 08:32 PM

Posted by: lauren8 at April 10, 2007 07:00 PM

Post a comment