In part 2, he goes over Politico’s multi-platform structure, and how it could be a working model for newspapers in the future.

Background to Politico and Capitol Hill publications

If you didn’t follow the pre-launch saga: Jim Vandehei, former political correspondent, and John Harris, former political editor, resigned from their comfortable seats at the Washington Post last December, convinced by Allbritton Communications’ owner Robert Allbritton to head an online political news venture.

The project was to mount a multimedia Capitol Hill publication, with a limited print edition, a daily online edition, and a few other TV and radio features that could rely on Allbritton’s existing broadcasting resources.

Allbritton, Vandehei and Harris proceeded to strip a few prestigious publications of a couple of their illustrious journalists, such as Mike Allen, former White House correspondent for Time magazine, or Roger Simon, former chief political correspondent for U.S. News and World Report.

The assembled team then succeeded in getting The Politico up-and-rolling in record time, ready for the annual presidential State of the Union speech on Jan. 23. While the ad campaign initially promised that the Politico would create a revolutionary form of insider political news, it seems practical realities soon forced The Politico into more conventional reporting.

Capitol Hill already counts its regiment of heavyweights and lightweights as far as political news goes, especially with the upcoming presidential elections. General news giants didn’t treat Politico’s arrival lightly, such as The Washington Post, which promptly announced the launch of political blogs on its website, in an effort to compete with the voices of the newcomer. Capitol Hill also already counts a flurry of political blogs, such as successful gossip site Wonkette.

Politico stands somewhere in between both weight categories: unlike blogs, it is backed by Allbritton Communications and a veteran famed staff, giving it more infrastructure and networking credibility. And unlike mainstream sources, like the Washington Post, it can engage a larger number of specialized reporters devoted to political news, giving it more depth and wingspan.

Thus, Politico’s main competition will come from the other already-rooted niche political papers, including The Hill launched in 1994 (published thrice weekly when Congress is in session, circulation above 21,000), Roll Call founded in 1955 (published Monday through Thursday when Congress is in session, circulation about 17,000, including 11,000 copies delivered free to Capitol Hill employees), and National Journal Inc, which publishes several titles (including the eponymous National Journal). Like Politico, these also deliver free copies to Congress and Capitol Hill staffers, provide blogs, and offer a print-online formula.

Yet the Politico still aims to beat its competitors by trying to offer a novel, alternative view onto political news. Vandehei (picture below) gives his own insight, in the days after the launch.

The Politico: exclusive content, distinctive voices

To put it simply, The Politico aims to become Washington’s reference for political news. It hopes to do so with a combination of distinctive content and powerful voices, by covering the ‘backstories’ and throwing in an exclusive angle, rather than simply covering mainstream events, such as in-house discussions or the recent travels of a potential presidential candidate.

As far as content, Politico’s main strength lies in its narrow focus, backed by a large journalist team: out of about 50 staffers, there are 23 reporters covering the 2008 US presidential campaign alone, more than most mainstream newsrooms. Politico can also count on its highly-networked staff to grant them access into politics’ underside, get in touch with the right people, and produce some distinctive content. Vandehei wants the paper to “be part of the debate,” and cover breaking news of course, but it will try publishing mostly unique stories, or providing a new angle.
A recent example of this was Politico’s approach in an article about President Bush’s renewed anti-drug ad campaign, on Feb. 9. Besides the actual story, Politico chose to disclose the backstage conversation it held with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which threatened to publicly expose the article’s writer, Ryan Grim. Grim had previously worked for the pro-marijuana Marijuana Policy Project, and the White House Office menaced to complain to Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz, on the pretext that it was a conflict of interest. Rather than cover up this discussion, or pulling off the story, Politico chose to publicly disclose its conversation with the White House Office - making the story more pertinent in the opinion of most readers who commented on it.

Besides spicy content, Politico’s main weapon lies within its unique and skillful reporters.
“There is a common denominator among the people we hired,” he says. How does Vandehei make sure that both online and print content are remarkable? “By hiring freaks.” Politico hired people who are extremely productive, who love doing what they do – who probably would still do it even if they weren’t paid – and last but not least, who have multimedia experience. Staffers who could post an online blurb and write a solid print column in a day, five times a week, and be comfortable talking on the radio or showing up on a TV show if need be. But especially reporters who have the desire, and the penmanship, to give any story a unique spin.
According to Vandehei, Politico will succeed thanks to the analytical and storytelling talent of all of its staffers, including the “natural voice” of Roger Simon and the “distinctive style and reputation” of Mike Allen. If you look at the team individually, he adds, it’s a newsroom among others, but when you look at it in total it can override its competitors.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Politico’s stories will be opinionated personal political agendas says Vandehei. In fact, neither owner Allbritton nor Politico’s journalists want to use the Politico as a political agenda platform.
“There’s enough opinion in Washington,” says Vandehei, who would rather have the stories be straightforward fact-based reporting that can “add some real news value.” There will be “no voice of God,” he says. 
Still, since Politico’s primordial main strength lies within its human resources – its staffers’ unique voices – Politico gives its writers the opportunity to speak in less conventionalized manner. Four blogs, ‘Shenanigans’, ‘The Crypt’, ‘Smith & Martin’ and ‘Mike’s Must Reads’, allow some of Politico’s eloquent writers to use an edgier voice.
As for straight and blunt opinion, the Politico offers a ‘Speak to Power’ section for readers to opine and write editorials, giving readers the direct opportunity to let their voice be heard by members of Congress.

Vandehei is the first to admit the Politico “isn’t anything radical,” but its editorial policy is organized “on covering interesting content,” and that’s enough in itself if its voices can then be “revelatory and provocative about covering political news.”


This series on Politico’s recent launch will continue with Jim Vandehei’s presentation of the Politico’s multi-platform structure, and how he sees newspapers evolving in the future – specialized and referential, along the lines of Politico's own model.

Sources: Jim Vandehei, Executive Editor of The Politico – Editors Weblog