The creators of Broadsheet have adapted the blog-inspired, nugget-a-day format we already know and love from Salon.com's War Room feature, among others. The treatment of politics in War Room is serious, underneath it all--but politics is intrinsically entertaining, it is spectacle. Its discussion lends itself very well to a gossipy forum.

Though I applaud the new feminist venue in Salon, I'm not sure feminist commentary always lends itself so well to the Broadsheet treatment. A one-time subscriber to Ms. Magazine, I remember instances of sexist advertising, sexist celeb comments, and the like, garnering sarcastic return-jabs in the pages of Ms.. On the other hand, grave, disturbing topics warranted long, thoughtful pieces in that publication.

Maybe I think some of the coverage in Broadsheet is flippant. Maybe that's the source of my discomfort. The well-intentioned editors haven't sorted out, as Ms. editors so scrupulously did, what kind of story needs what kind of take.
8:30:52 AM    comment []