Slate.com - what happened?

[Anonymous]

For years, under multiple editors, it was a witty, interesting, must-read site. I checked it multiple times daily for their take on everything. Almost every headline was clever. They had novel takes on all sorts of topics that I didn't even know I was interested in. Then several months ago (maybe even a year; I've lost track), that all changed, despite the fact that many of their best columnists still appear on the masthead. I don't seem to see their bylines much even if they're supposedly still on staff. Does anyone know what's going on? The stories are for the most part so shallow and short and obvious, with juvenile headlines and so much affiliate content I just click off. I really miss the old Slate. With so many talented journalists at least nominally affiliated, what is driving the change in tone, style and subject matter?

[Anonymous]

Slate and Salon have both devolved into a version of Gawker for people in their 30's/40's. I am sure the Post figured out that people just want to read incendiary/titillating first-person memoir essays instead of any semblance of real journalism.

Plus, all the ads that:
load really cheapen it to the TMZ level:
"10 Celebrity Kids that are ugly", "10 Simple tricks to reduce belly fat".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slate and Salon have both devolved into a version of Gawker for people in their 30's/40's. I am sure the Post figured out that people just want to read incendiary/titillating first-person memoir essays instead of any semblance of real journalism.

Plus, all the ads that:
load really cheapen it to the TMZ level:
"10 Celebrity Kids that are ugly", "10 Simple tricks to reduce belly fat".

Yes, exactly. I hate to think they're so desperate for revenue that they had to resort to that junk, but clearly that's the case. I just wish they hadn't ruined most of the content at the same time. I can't believe it's the same site; it is so different now.

[Anonymous]

It's the audience. Their attention span is now limited to 140 characters or fewer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the audience. Their attention span is now limited to 140 characters or fewer.

Not this audience member. Not my DH, either. Or several of our friends. Pandering to that type of audience is a self-fulfilling prophecy. What a waste of a great brand and unique site.I hope they turn it around, fast.

[Anonymous]

I agree, it's disappointing.Some of the writing is not just shallow and cursory, its badly put together too - very amateur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the audience. Their attention span is now limited to 140 characters or fewer.

Makes me think of the Biznow commercial on WTOP radio. Someone asks the owner how they can have so many blogs, newsfeeds, newsletters and seminars. And the owner says that they have researched Washington and the secret is to keep things SHORT!

[Anonymous]

I enjoy the podcasts that slate puts out, but a lot of the written content is junk.

[Anonymous]

Agree. Slate used to be one of my regular reads.

I've been reading The Atlantic a lot more lately. Lots of good stuff there.

[Anonymous]

They really finished tanking after that horrible site redesign. Absolutely one of the worst ruins I have seen.

It's not the same, but longform.org is really neat. Somewhat ironically, I discovered it via Slate. Second the Atlantic rec, and would add Mother Jones.

[Anonymous]

Ha I thought I was the only one who started hating it from the time of its website redesign

[Anonymous]

I agree with all this. I rarely read it now.

[Anonymous]

For me it is now all about the pod casts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha I thought I was the only one who started hating it from the time of its website redesign

+1

[Anonymous]

Not crazy about Slate, at all, but it's not as bad as Salon. Wow. What utter, pretentious garbage.