Are Brownstein's Loyalties Still Squarely With NJ?
NJ may have just recently teamed up with CBS for the looming presidential election, but its Editorial Director Ron Brownstein will soon be showcasing his talents on ABC and CNN. Is he spreading the wealth or just spreading himself too thin? CNN has him exclusively amongst the cable networks. Brownstein writes a column that will continue to appear in both NJ and LAT.
This all begs the question. Might Brownstein’s role at NJ be diminishing? So far his title has not changed. But his attentions are scattering.
“Nothing is changing with Ron’s role here at all,” NJ Spokeswoman Taylor West told FishbowlDC by email. “He’s just signed exclusive contributor partnerships with ABC for broadcast and CNN for cable. They are both individual arrangements between Ron and the networks that are terrific opportunities for his work and insight to be seen as widely as possible, and obviously good opportunities for National Journal’s profile as well.
“As for NJ as a whole, we are incredibly excited about the partnership we’ve formed with CBS to cover the presidential campaigns. That’s a joint journalistic endeavor involving both newsrooms that we expect to produce very rich, very valuable coverage and insight across all our platforms.
“Different types of partnerships with different outlets aren’t that unusual. We’ve also partnered with MSNBC to put on a GOP primary debate in Florida next spring.”
UPDATE: West had something to add on Brownstein’s abilities. “Anyone who thinks that these partnerships will stretch Ron thin doesn’t know Ron Brownstein. This is a guy who can write a brilliant column, moderate a provocative panel, dig out the most important hidden data from a poll, edit a magazine cover story, and weigh in on the 2012 primary in a television segment…then immediately rattle off the latest Red Sox batting averages. Representing National Journal on ABC and CNN is a win-win for all of us.”
