Howard Fineman has been promoting his role in the sale of Newsweek for $1 (and $70 million in debt) to 91-year-old Sidney Harman (the Harman in Harman-Kardon):
Fineman said he’s known Harman and his wife, Congressman Jane Harman, for many years. Their children all went to Sidwell Friends, the same elite school the Obama daughters now attend. Fineman said he doesn’t know Harman’s exact plans but described him as a “a deep guy” with varied interests in the arts and philanthropy.
Harman had better have a very deep interest in philanthropy, because he’s going to be pouring money into this sure loser for years to come. I wonder if Harman’s kids will still be friendly with the Fineman kids after they find out that Fineman Senior helped drain millions from their inheritance.
WereBear
I think it’s telling that the Mark in this case is 91 years old. I know old people who are on the Internet, but most of them are baffled and angry about it.
My age (Gen Jones) seems to be the breaking point.
Earl
I couldn’t stop laughing after reading:
To be honest, I’m still chuckling…
Violet
Of course they did. Just another example of how in touch our media is with the average person.
Can we have term limits for media personalities? I think that might help things a lot.
Linda Featheringill
So you are saying that the publication will lose money no matter who owns it? Hmmm.
I don’t know Harman but he did not get to be 91 by being an idiot. Perhaps he has some good lawyers and advisors.
[70 million in debt? Wow. How did that happen?]
aimai
Look for the “Elderly Media Investor’s Bailout” coming to a taxpayer pocket near you.
aimai
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
Do you think Andrea Mitchell and Jane Harman compare
corpseshusbands?cathyx
He’s 91and his wife is in her 60’s maybe? Wow.
Jared
Newsmax was in the running for a very long time. Had they made the buy, I would’ve laughed my ass off.
DougJ
Real Murkins all talk to millionaires they met via their kids’ elite schools.
Tim
Harman was smart enough to get rid of Jon Meacham right off the bat. He must know something if that was his first move.
The Moar You Know
@cathyx: Money, the ultimate female aphrodisiac.
El Cid
I’ll look forward to Newsweek in 5.1 surround so as to be entirely enveloped in banality.
Zifnab
They could be playing from the Washington Times book. Post whatever crazy nonsense you like, then get booked on all the Sunday Morning serious person talk shows.
The Harmans are pretty well-known for their history of philanthropy, so it could be they are actually pushing some positive change. I wouldn’t mind seeing a less batshit insane press corps.
Shelton Lankford
It’s a present for Jane. She can use it full time as a platform for AIPAC’s agenda. America’s interests and Israel’s interests are one and the same, no difference… keep saying that until you believe it.
Jon H
So basically Jane Harman owns Newsweek. Especially after he dies, but even now.
barkleyg
YOU people sound like a bunch of Tea Peeing, Baby crying Repugs!
Hows about: Maybe the Harmon’s want to save Newsweek, like someone should have “saved” the Los Angeles Times, before that anti labor ahole SAM ZELL bought and destroyed it less than 3 years ago.
How’s about that Harmon must have many Hundreds of Millions, if not Billions of Dollars, and this is, and will be a “philanthropic” endevor his heirs will be proud of in the future?
Two, more empathetic ways to look at a decision? Where did all the REAL liberals go?! Not saying my reasons are right, but I remember reading only one “positive” on this effort to save a historic weekly.
Board is getting nasty, on one of our own political ilk. Are the REPUGS succeeding in their complaining that “it’s ALL the Democrats Fault”!!
Zifnab
@barkleyg: Harman isn’t one of the most leftist Congresswomen in the Senate, she’s got a bad history on national intelligence and on Israel, and there is a general knee-jerk assumption that any change in the media climate is for the worst.
So while it’s certainly possible that Sidney Harman is more George Soros or Warren Buffet than Rupert Murdoch or Koch Brothers, we’ve had a history of being burned.
Church Lady
I don’t know anything about old Sid, other than his company makes a kickass speaker. My car came equipped with them and they are the bomb! They beat the hell out of Boze.
jimBOB
Any bets on which goes toes-up first, Sid or the rag? I’d say the rag.
ThresherK
Did they really drive up to Harmon’s house in an old van with a makeshift “Home Renovation” sign on the side? Because that scam is all over the teevees in suburban New England.
Andrew J. Lazarus
I went to Sidwell, please let me know where to apply for my bailout.
fucen tarmal
jesus, haven’t these elites ever heard of ghetto financing?
buy newsweek, put up the dollar, and put it in the grandbaby’s name. hell anyone with a social security number will do. as long as the person isn’t going to need to buy anything, or own anything that can be taken away for the next 20 years or so…
find some terri shiavo somewhere, make them the owner and publisher of newsweek, the braindead wouldn’t be the dumbest people to ever be influential members of the media establishment.