Comments on: The budgetary ax cuts Slate’s wine column http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/ wine talk that goes down easy Sun, 26 May 2013 06:05:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Dr. Vino http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-351067 Dr. Vino Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:21:16 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-351067 James, Yes, they did try unsuccessfully to add a paywall in 1998. Maybe now with the WSJ and NYT (semi-permeable) paywalls in place, there would be more appetite for readers paying for content?

There’s a provocative call out now from Paul Smalera to “reboot” Slate and have them devise a new business plan. “What Slate needs is a CEO, someone who can lead a spinoff, attract venture capital, talent in the engineering, sales and business staffs with the prospects of equity and a clean, er, slate, with which to reinvent the modern online magazine.”

Here’s a link to a summary.

Carle – I had not heard about the “celebrity” wine column in the WSJ. It sounds frightening. Too bad Mike is not a celebrity–unless he has an upcoming reality TV show that I don’t know about.

]]> By: Carole Wurster http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350865 Carole Wurster Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:36:59 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350865 Is it true that the WSJ is planning a celebrity and wine column?(Fall). It would be nice if Mike could land a spot there. I’ve enjoyed his writing and always learn something from him.

]]> By: James McCann http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350861 James McCann Sat, 27 Aug 2011 17:18:16 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350861 Actually, Slate tried and failed a subscription model. They evolved back to “free” because subscriptions failed, not because of a corporate philosophy.

]]> By: Dr. Vino http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350801 Dr. Vino Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:57:05 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350801 Phil – I’ve always admired Slate’s writing. And I’ve been impressed that they have been able to make a go of it solely based on internet sales. But maybe they haven’t. Microsoft may well have been using it as a loss-leader when they founded it; WaPo may have purchased it for prestige (or to lead their online presence) rather than profits. Whatever the case, it appears the model is not working, which is too bad. Journalism has yet to grasp a business model that works today.

Maybe Lucky Peach offers some clue? Here’s a NYT story about it if you’re not familiar with it.

]]> By: Lyman Dally http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350799 Lyman Dally Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:03:51 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350799 Sadly it’s a problem manifesting over several years (since 2004 IMO) with practically all publications: they cut back or eliminate the fun and ingaging things (art, good writing, non-stock photography) that made the publication worth reading in the first place. And when it happens not enuff people ever complain, so it becomes a standard practice.

]]> By: James Koch http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350796 James Koch Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:18:14 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350796 One I’ve read out loud many, many times: “Wine for Tightwads. Cheap wine you can actually drink.” http://www.slate.com/id/2085758

]]> By: Phil http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350795 Phil Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:05:13 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350795 Definitely sad to see another national wine column ended, I’m sure that someone of Mike’s stature and ability will land on his feet.

I’d also say that you might want to rethink your respect for the Internet free model of publication. Hasn’t exactly worked out and no one has made it work yet (making it work=turning a profit so you can stay in business).

]]> By: Wino http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350794 Wino Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:32:04 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350794 It would be great if he could take over for the imbeciles at The Wall Street Journal. Jay is a complete lightweight and a serial name-dropper (it isn’t about wine, it’s about Jay!) and Lettie isn’t much better. Her columns have the weight of meringue and about as much substance, not to mention that they read like diary entries (me, me, me!). They are just awful.

]]> By: Terroirist » Daily Wine News: Empty Slate http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350784 Terroirist » Daily Wine News: Empty Slate Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:04:15 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350784 [...] latest round of layoffs. His column will be sorely missed, but I’m excited for whatever’s next. As Dr. Vino wrote, Steinberger “writes with tremendous verve, brio, wit, knowledge, and a nose for a good story as [...]

]]> By: Mike Dunne http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350762 Mike Dunne Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:03:09 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350762 This is a damn shame, but I’m as confident as I am hopeful that Michael Steinberger’s incisive perspective on wine will survive on an equally visible and influential platform. The New York Times, for one, needs a voice with more grounding and interest in New World wines, but as a supplement to the fine work by Eric Asimov, not a successor. Thanks for these helpful and valuable links.

]]> By: Wino http://www.drvino.com/2011/08/25/mike-steinberger-slate-wine/#comment-350751 Wino Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:08:36 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=9514#comment-350751 This is a huge loss for wine lovers. Damn.

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