Harper's > Karyn.
January 28, 2011 9:44 AM Subscribe
Save Harper's.
A magazine much beloved of the blue, Harper's has recently been thrown into turmoil. One year ago this week, the nonprofit's publisher fired the editor-in-chief over the objection of the entire editorial staff; since then, much of the senior staff has left, and the remainder has tried to unionize. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the pro-union publisher has not proven himself so pro-union when it comes to his own staff, attempting to "lay off" the union's leader, literary editor Ben Metcalf, just three months after creating the (non-union) position of deputy editor just above him on the masthead. In response, the staff circulated an open letter protesting the layoffs, signed by 84 frequent contributors and former editors.
The publisher has consistently refused to allow the nonprofit foundation to accept donations from anyone other than himself, even as similar magazines have cultivated donor networks with some success. Now, in the thick of negotiations over the layoffs, the staff is organizing a pledge drive, designed to show the publisher (and potentially a labor-relations board) that there's appetite among fans to help keep America's oldest monthly magazine afloat. Anyone with some spare bux hanging around can contribute them here.
A magazine much beloved of the blue, Harper's has recently been thrown into turmoil. One year ago this week, the nonprofit's publisher fired the editor-in-chief over the objection of the entire editorial staff; since then, much of the senior staff has left, and the remainder has tried to unionize. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the pro-union publisher has not proven himself so pro-union when it comes to his own staff, attempting to "lay off" the union's leader, literary editor Ben Metcalf, just three months after creating the (non-union) position of deputy editor just above him on the masthead. In response, the staff circulated an open letter protesting the layoffs, signed by 84 frequent contributors and former editors.
The publisher has consistently refused to allow the nonprofit foundation to accept donations from anyone other than himself, even as similar magazines have cultivated donor networks with some success. Now, in the thick of negotiations over the layoffs, the staff is organizing a pledge drive, designed to show the publisher (and potentially a labor-relations board) that there's appetite among fans to help keep America's oldest monthly magazine afloat. Anyone with some spare bux hanging around can contribute them here.
This post was deleted for the following reason: I heart Harpers and a post about this situation or how it plays out would be okay, but the Go Pledge framing here is really pretty much not okay. -- cortex
The donation link points on to a Google spreadsheet doc, wherein you are pledging to donate, should donations mean anything in the future:
posted by filthy light thief at 9:51 AM on January 28, 2011
Please enter the dollar amount you are willing to pledge. We appreciate any help you can offer. You won't be charged now; if we can get pledges totaling $25,000 we'll be back in touch with information on how to pay.Weird.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:51 AM on January 28, 2011
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posted by filthy light thief at 9:48 AM on January 28, 2011