Evan Smith Leaves One Partisan Rag for Another

Evan Smith leaving Left-leaning Texas Monthly to launch “non-partisan” Texas Tribune. I’ll believe that when I see it.

UPDATE (July 21) — local political journalist (and hardcore Liberal) Elise Hu is leaving KVUE News to join the “non-partisan” (in much the same way that Media Matters is “non-partisan”) team at the Texas Tribune. She joins her fiance and fellow Liberal Matt Stiles, who is leaving the Chronicle for the Tribune.

So far I count three avowed partisan Liberals to zero Conservatives at this new “nonpartisan public media organization.”

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The Texas Monthly magazine skews more than just a little-left. So I’d be very surprised if the new Texas Tribune doesn’t do exactly the same:

It’s no secret that I’ve been consulting with my friend of fifteen years, the venture capitalist John Thornton, on a project very close to his heart: a nonprofit, nonpartisan public media organization whose mission is to promote civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government, and other matters of statewide interest. As John has been telling anyone who will listen, the Texas Tribune will publish original news reporting online (much like ProPublica) and put on conferences, conversation series, and other on-the-record, open-to-the-public events (much like the Aspen Institute)….So in mid-August, when all of you are moving bins and boxes into the University Park development, I’ll be schlepping my accumulated possessions around the corner, into the Chase Bank building, to begin work the following week as the CEO of the Texas Tribune.

I’m sure Evan thinks Texas Monthly was “non-partisan”, too.

The venture is being funded by John Thornton, general partner of Austin Ventures, a venture capital firm:

An active supporter of Texas Democrats, Mr. Thornton, 44, who is based in Austin, said he is giving up partisan politics for the sake of the Texas Tribune.

Uh huh. Sure he is. And to show his commitment to giving up “partisan politics” he went out and hired a partisan politics editor from Texas’ largest left-leaning magazine.Though, if Mr. Thornton and Mr. Smith are honest about their desire to run a non-partisan, both-sides of the aisles venture, they’re going to need some (or at least one) Conservative writer.

So, if Mr. Thornton and Mr. Smith are serious and honest — I’ll be glad to write for them on a per-article contributor basis. My rates are reasonable. So give me a call and we’ll chat about it.

The surest sign of the expected “non-partisan” nature of this new venture is how excited the local liberals are about it:

The upcoming launch of the Texas Tribune will mark a definitive turning point for Texas journalism. I’m excited about this project, and look forward to reading and learning more about what Evan, Mr. Thornton, and others have planned for the project.

Sounds like the only thing changing for Evan Smith is his address.

Luckily we now have an alternative to Texas Monthly in the newly launched Texas Magazine.