My quick two cents on Lileks' column being canned is that it's probably going to be best for him in the long run. Whether it was the Back Fence or the Quirk, the Strib just never seemed to know how to take advantage of Lileks' talent as a writer. After I cancelled my subscription to the Strib a few years back, I never really made much of an effort to read his work in the paper. Why settle for a watered down version when I could get the real thing at the Bleat or, to a much greater extent than in the Strib, in his Newhouse columns? I'm sure that someone will understand that you need to just let Lileks be Lileks and he will find a much more friendly place to hang his hat (although it will no doubt be a virtual hat rack.)
It also shows that the new captains of the Strib seem to be no more likely to right the ship than the previous crew. While it may seem hard to believe, the quality of the paper will only get worse from here on out. Which will mean more defections among staff, advertisers, and subscribers. The Strib will matter less and less in the daily lives of Minnesotans and that can only be a good thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment