I’m announcing my cancellation to Newsweek “ a magazine I’ve been loyal to since my early career days in San Francisco.
It isn’t just the pandering to women by using Hillary on the first cover … or the exploitation of Diana by showing her as middle-aged … or the screaming DSK versus the Maid (all strikingly similar to what a low-minded People might be) . There’s the “crazy” Michele Bachmann shot (prejudicial, but, yes, she is nuts); but … then … a subject that might have been a “saver” — that would be the article on Gloria Steinem.
Now, I’ve been in a huff over the fact that today’s young female professionals don’t seem to know Gloria’s name, much less how she opened doors for their own achievements. Yet even with this opportunity, the story was ultimately disappointing, lacking insight or inspiration … not to mention a lack of getting-there-first given that it’s part of the PR hype surrounding the HBO documentary Gloria: In Her Own Words (premiered Monday, August 15, 9:00 pm EST).
So … while it seems Tina Brown is focusing on building a female audience for Newsweek, are women responding? Not this one.
Which brings me to this …
When what’s passing for Newsweek now arrives in the mail, it gloomily brings home all the yelling, the talking heads, the boisterousness, and loony-tunes that is non-stop everywhere. It’s not news, not commentary, not a “news weekly.”
So, Tina, do us all a favor. Let Newsweek die with the respect it deserves, and bury it. Or change its name to Daily Beast as quickly as possible, so we can avoid memories of what the former Newsweek once was.
Snoety users, do me a favor, there are so many better things to read. Cancel your subscription, too.
Was that a rant? I feel better now,
Harriett@snoety.com
