'Wash Post" Pay-to-Play Dinner Offer Blows Up -- Here Are Links to Reactions -- And Video Spoof

By: E&P Staff Few newspaper controversies have caused such a wildfire of reaction. Within hours of word emerging, via Mike Allen at Politico, and then spreading, that The Washington Post had offered to host dinners, or "salons," for paying customers (lobbyists?) to meet and greet big wigs and journalists, the newsroom denounced the plan, Editor Marcus Brauchli said "bad idea," and Publisher Katharine Weymouth cancelled it.

The salons were supposed to take place at her house, making many wonder why she now said the idea had not been "vetted."

Now the Post's ombud Andy Alexander (he calls it close to "a disaster") and media reporter Howard Kurtz have weighed in and there's even a YouTube spoof out there. And more: The White House has responded with new rule for attending such gatherings.

Find them all via links at the E&P Pub.