Washington Post Cancels Off The Record Salons Following Uproar Over Pay To Play Access

Update: The Washington Post has canceled its planned salon at Katharine Weymouth's home based on the uproar over the sale of access to government officials and members of the Washington Post staff. The publisher spoke to her own paper's Howard Kurtz:

"Absolutely, I'm disappointed," Weymouth, the chief executive of Washington Post Media, said in an interview. "This should never have happened. The fliers got out and weren't vetted. They didn't represent at all what we were attempting to do. We're not going to do any dinners that would impugn the integrity of the newsroom."

Original Post: The Washington Post is responding swiftly to a Politico report that the paper is selling off the record access to administration officials and newspaper editors and reporters for $25,000 and up.

Politico reported Thursday morning on a flier being circulated offering an "underwriting opportunity" for "Washington Post salon," where, for $25,000 per sponsor, organizations and lobbyists can cozy up to administration officials:

"Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate," says the one-page flier. "Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. ... Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders ...

Washington Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli sent the following email to staffers at 10:33 AM Thursday distancing the newsroom from the event:

Colleagues,

A flyer was distributed this week offering an "underwriting opportunity" for a dinner on health-care reform, in which the news department had been asked to participate.

The language in the flyer and the description of the event preclude our participation.

We will not participate in events where promises are made that in exchange for money The Post will offer access to newsroom personnel or will refrain from confrontational questioning. Our independence from advertisers or sponsors is inviolable.

There is a long tradition of news organizations hosting conferences and events, and we believe The Post, including the newsroom, can do these things in ways that are consistent with our values.

The Washington Post made a similar statement to Politico, saying that the flier circulated was merely a draft and that, as presented, it would preclude participation from the Washington Post newsroom:

The flier circulated this morning came out of a business division for conferences and events, and the newsroom was unaware of such communication. It went out before it was properly vetted, and this draft does not represent what the company's vision for these dinners are, which is meant to be an independent, policy-oriented event for newsmakers.

As written, the newsroom could not participate in an event like this.

We do believe there is an opportunity to have a conferences and events business, and that The Post should be leading these conversations in Washington, big or small, while maintaining journalistic integrity. The newsroom will participate where appropriate.

Get HuffPost Media On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[henrypapillon]

I believe the Bush Administration already did this with Armstrong Williams when they paid him to give a favorable review of No Child Left Behind.

[MadHeart]

It wasn't just Williams. They bought Fox, too, among many other outlets, and made their own "reporting" using fake "reporters."

[nellie]

How can the Post sell access to members of congress? This makes no sense.

[obamanomics]

The best part is the WP is one of the rags that has a leftist, skewed, non reality based poll that is constantly posted up for all to see and comment about on this site.

[BCLance]

That's laughable. Try reading the paper every now and then. The Post marched in time with the Bush administration, and certainly isn't "leftist."

[Soulsurfer]

Wearing those red colored glasses again, eh?

[Ramus]

The Washington Post and the New York Times are not "leftist". Centrist or to the right of center is more like it. And above all, bought. (Make that also bought.)

[Ihaveadream]

If you like what pay to play has done to government, and the fun and games by the Pentagon with their "on message" ex General "experts" on CNN, you'll love this. In the "news" fear sells. So imagine the pay to play headlines based on the fear machine by the drug companies. Watch this video narrated by Judi Dench about the corporate peddling of drugs all over the world

The last days of health freedom http://www.therealfoodchannel.com/page/24.html

[WorkingClass]

Now we can call it the Washington Pimp. Had enough?

[Grunty1]

Now the WP isn't never pretending to be anything more than an outlet for the rich and powerful.

[TaylorRae]

There is a slimy, icky feel to this that I just can't quite put into words. It's just one of those things that make you a little queasy and uncomfortable. Would Woodward and Bernstein have been able to uncover the Watergate scandal if they'd been part of a salon with folks from the Nixon White House? And if they uncovered it, would they have been able to write about it or would a $250,000 payment to the newspaper........you get it.

[idisVA]

What have we become as a country

[obamanomics]

250k that's a bargain compared to what Obama bought ABC News for. Get ready for the state run media. Chavez, Castro, Obama.

[BCLance]

You might want to find out what, if anything, the administration knew about this. The Post is promising things from its *own* staff that it might not even be able to deliver. I know it may be asking too much, but did you read the article?

This is particularly funny since it was the Bush administration that actually had talking points meetings and memos going out to friendly reporters to prime their message. You house is made of glass, and shattered long ago.

[clutchkill]

Faux news anyone? Not even close to the other nets is comparison. but your to ignorant to admit that right? Ignorance must be bliss.