HuffPo Writer: The Huffington Post is Killing Journalism

Huffington Post columnist Nancy Snow is absolutely livid that more Internet people are reading about a celebrity wedding than the death of New York Times columnist and logophile William Safire. This suggests to her "the death of an esteemed giant in American journalism is less newsworthy than a secondary tier celebrity wedding."

That would be a wonderfully cogent point if her column weren't staring directly into the headline "Who Has the Best Chest in Hollywood?" Unfortunately for Ms. Snow, her column is staring directly into the headline "Who Has the Best Chest in Hollywood?" With busty photos and a poll!

So I've got a question for Snow: Is the Huffington Post trying to kill journalism, too?

I could wax for pages about this high-minded claptrap, but instead I'll just say that what Huffington Post does well is exactly what Nancy Snow hates about the Internet. It brings high- and low-brow news into a forum where a user feels at home watching and commenting on the Saturday Night Live F-bomb, and then reading and commenting on a piece about financial regulation. That's a good thing! Honey not only attracts more flies than vinegar, but also it's stickier. If during a lunch break I'm cruising HuffPo for fluff, I can still find something more substantive about politics or international affairs. In fact I found this Nancy Snow article on Google News ... right after I read about that rushed celebrity wedding!

Watch where you bite, Ms. Snow. It could be hand that feeds you.