ProPublica's Richard Tofel: 'Our mission is to end abuses of power'

The president of the non-profit investigative journalism website on measuring impact, team work – and Edward SnowdenRichard Tofel has had a dream. It came upon him the night before we meet and he is still a little rattled by it. In it, he found himself performing his old role at Dow Jones, where he rose to become assistant publisher of the Wall Street Journal. "I was back in Dow Jones, and there were a million committees and a thousand departments and forms to fill," he says. After a beat, he adds: "It was not a happy dream."The good news for Tofel is that for more than five years he has worked at the gloriously lithe and bureaucratically unencumbered ProPublica, a non-profit investigative journalism outfit where he is president. "There are advantages to having 10,000 people, but the saying about turning round the battleship is true. The media business is changing so quickly, there are enormous advantages to those who can change quickly with it."On Monday night, Tofel takes that message of small and flexible is beautiful to London, where he will be addressing the One World Media awards honouring outstanding coverage of the developing world. He will talk about the subject that is increasingly preoccupying him: how to measure impact in journalism. The issue, you might say, is as old as the printing presses. Grub Street has traditionally done it, scurrilously, by counting "scalps" – resignations exacted of people in high office. Newspapers have also tracked circulation or... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #broadcast networks #investigative unit

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German print market ends 2014 down 2%

A late spending frenzy was not enough to end a difficult year for German booksellers on a positive note.While sales during Christmas week were up 26% year-on-year, December as a whole was down 2.1% year on year, according to figures provided by trade paper buchreport. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #difficult year #1% year #german booksellers #positive note #christmas week #26% year-on-year #figures provided


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending January 9, 2015

Indies could be headed into another good year, with a number of new stores opening, including Walls of Books in Zanesville, Ohio, and Mustard Seed in Bath, Maine. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good year #stores opening


Richard McGuire Finds the Past and Future in ‘Here’

A cartoonist, musician, designer and filmmaker, Richard McGuire talks with PW about the making of his acclaimed new graphic novel 'Here,' just published by Pantheon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard and Judy choose debuts for spring

Debut authors make up half of the latest WH Smith Richard and Judy Book Club titles, released this week. Four of the eight Spring Book Club picks are first-time novels, and include Waterstones Book of the Year The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (Pan Macmillan), Miss Carter’s War by actress Sheila... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Power of Words, to Build or to Tear Down

Two January books address the topic of the words we use and their effect on those who hear them, for good or ill. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending December 19, 2014

Based on the number of indie booksellers that have announced plans to expand in the coming year—five this week—it’s clear that 2014 has been a strong year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indie booksellers #announced plans #strong year


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending December 12, 2014

As the year draws to a close, new indies continue to open, most recently Classic Lines Bookstore in Pittsburgh, and established stores are thriving. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Supreme court to rule whether ban on abuse memoir threatens free speech

Rights groups back challenge, claiming injunction on British performing artist’s book is serious risk to freedom of expressionA British performing artist who has been prevented from publishing his memoir as a result of legal action brought by his ex-wife is to ask the supreme court to overturn... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending December 5, 2014

This weekend bookstores around the country, and a few abroad, will be taking part in the fifth annual Take Your Child To a Bookstore Day. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publicity Campaign Calls on Booksellers to End Novel

Booksellers are usually tasked with selling books but, in a twist this holiday season, they’ve been invited to write the ending to one. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending November 21, 2014

B&N is leading off the holiday push for bricks-and-mortar bookstores. This weekend it launches an expanded Discovery Weekend, one week in advance of Indies First/Small Business Saturday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending November 14, 2014

As the holiday season approaches, several cities are getting in the book spirit with book fairs, including Miami and New Orleans. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon.com and publishers Hachette end dispute

Amazon, which earlier pulled several of Hachettes books from its inventory, will resume selling all of the publishers catalogueThe long-running battle between Amazon and publisher Hachette has come to a close, after the companies reached agreement over online and ebook sales after months of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon, Hachette end months-long dispute

One of publishing's nastiest, most high-profile conflicts, the monthslong standoff between Amazon.com and Hachette Book Group, is ending. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wimpy Kid ends Walliams' run at top of charts

Jeff Kinney's newest Wimpy Kid title has débuted at number one, knocking David Walliams' Awful Auntie from the top of the UK Official Top 50 after a run of six consecutive weeks. The Long Haul (Puffin), the ninth of Kinney's books featuring hapless middle schooler Greg Heffley, sold 59,315... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending November 7, 2014

Washington, D.C., is on its way to becoming capital booktown. It got its first new bookstore in a decade this week, Upshur Street Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookseller's Digital Census predicts end to territoriality

Publishers are confident their digital sales will continue to increase, but at a slower rate than in the past, The Bookseller’s 2014 Digital Census has found. However, over three quarters of publishers think digital will lead to a collapse of territoriality and there continues to be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google and Facebook: voracious giants with the power to create the future

The internet powerhouses are using their billions to challenge in sectors far removed from their original business modelsThe webs biggest consumer companies make the bulk of their incomes, and have built up vast assets, from targeted advertising. It accounts for around 90% of Facebooks revenue... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oculus rift #machine learning


Liz Sich to retire at the end of 2014

Four Colman Getty’s managing director Liz Sich will retire at the end of 2014 after 18 years at the company.  She will continue her association with the agency on a consultancy basis.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #colman getty #consultancy basis


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending October 31, 2014

As Vroman's begins celebrating its 120th, other, younger, stores are finding their way by combining an office and online retail (Russo's Books) or seeking nonprofit status (Wild Iris Books). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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