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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

The Incredible Shrinking Press Corps

News   June 30, 2009 at 4:06 pm Josh Feit

The press corps in Olympia is about to lose another reporter.

The Olympian’s Adam Wilson has taken a job as Governor Chris Gregoire’s speech writer.

wilsonbl1

Wilson tells PubliCola: “I’ll still be able to do what I like to do—talk to the public about public policy—in a job that has a future in it. We all know that newspapering is in hard times.”

Wilson has been at the Olympian for five years and wrote a killer state politics blog. He says the Olympian wants to fill his spot. (It’ll be tough to do, I say.)

Asked if this proved he was just another Democrat from the liberal media revealing his hand, Wilson said: “Nobody asked me about my politics in the interview.”


  • Sandeep

    A sad day for the Oly press corps, though I am happy for Adam. Don’t know him personally but have admired his work from afar.

    I hope the Olympian does fill his spot. Otherwise poor Brad Shannon is going to get lonely.

  • Sandeep

    A sad day for the Oly press corps, though I am happy for Adam. Don’t know him personally but have admired his work from afar.

    I hope the Olympian does fill his spot. Otherwise poor Brad Shannon is going to get lonely.

  • Timothy

    Looks like more reason to read Publicola.

  • Timothy

    Looks like more reason to read Publicola.

  • seabos84

    LOMG!

    IF people who are called ‘reporters’ do NOT rock the boat too much while ‘reporting’,

    ya know, like defining some candidates are ‘front runner’ before an election, instead of reporting on ALL candidates for office before an election -

    someday you too can join the robert maks? on a fat payroll!

    I honestly haven’t a clue about this fellows reporting – BUT, I do wonder about the ‘reporting’ I read on this new media acting like the old media.

    If I had been smart enough to prep with all of you, I’d be smart enough to know the new media just isnt’ a new clique of insiders?

    rmm.

  • seabos84

    LOMG!

    IF people who are called ‘reporters’ do NOT rock the boat too much while ‘reporting’,

    ya know, like defining some candidates are ‘front runner’ before an election, instead of reporting on ALL candidates for office before an election -

    someday you too can join the robert maks? on a fat payroll!

    I honestly haven’t a clue about this fellows reporting – BUT, I do wonder about the ‘reporting’ I read on this new media acting like the old media.

    If I had been smart enough to prep with all of you, I’d be smart enough to know the new media just isnt’ a new clique of insiders?

    rmm.

  • Mikos

    Political reporters don’t grow on trees. You can’t just hire one unless you hire one from the same market and that’s a zero sum game. The TIme’s coverage of Olympia dropped off dramatically this year. It lost two of its three Olympia reporters. Even if papers really want to keep covering politics in depth, an experienced reporter will take years to replace.

  • Mikos

    Political reporters don’t grow on trees. You can’t just hire one unless you hire one from the same market and that’s a zero sum game. The TIme’s coverage of Olympia dropped off dramatically this year. It lost two of its three Olympia reporters. Even if papers really want to keep covering politics in depth, an experienced reporter will take years to replace.