Viva La Cola!

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.

It’s Bumbershoot’s 40th Anniversary, and We’re Giving Away Tickets!

PubliCola Adds Life   August 12, 2010 at 2:17 pm Josh Feit

But first you’ve got to answer a question.

In honor of Bumbershoot’s 40th Festival (September 4-6 at Seattle Center) we’re going to roll out a question a week, one for each decade that Bumbershoot has been bringing great acts to Seattle. (Dylan, Weezer, and Mary J. Blige are coming this year!)

Each week’s winner scores a pair of Standard Tickets (with guaranteed Mainstage access) to each day of the Festival!

Here’s your 1970s question: Coming off the exploding ’60s, the ’70s were a tense time of cultural change when everything was politically loaded. Choose your favorite ’70s hit and write a brief essay—200 to 300 words—explaining the secret political message, the subtext, if you will, of the song.

Advice: Choosing something like Ohio, Neil Young’s anti-Nixon tirade, isn’t gonna score as well as explaining the political significance of the Ohio Players’ No. 1 hit,  Love Rollercoaster.

Send essays to Wes@publicola.net—be sure to put “Bumbershoot contest” in the subject line.

Full Bumbershoot schedule here.  Full Festival details here.




  • Barleywine

    I hope PubliCola has a link to all the submissions.
    Bet they're all winners, 'cause I love me some seventies.

    Really, I just want to learn about Love Rollercoaster.
    Was the scream real? Say what?