Center for Responsive Politics reporter Megan R. Wilson culled thousands of contributions made thus far in the 2010 campaign cycle and found 235 by individuals identifying themselves as employees of several of the nation’s most famous and familiar media outlets.
Wilson’s results are published today on CRP’s always-must-reading OpenSecrets.org blog.
Among those Wilson found was a $250 donation by Chris Hayes, who is Washington editor for The Nation, a liberal opinion magazine. Others included Jesse Angelo, editor of The New York Post, Bruce Alberts, editor-in-chief of Science Magazine, Carole Edwards, a Washington Post copy desk editor, Brian Faughnan, a Washington Times blogger, Bill Fishburne, Asheville (NC) Tribune editor, CNN producer Tammy Fine, and Andrew Katchen of The New York Daily News, who identified himself as a “journalist.”
Wilson notes that:
“Hayes is one of 235 people who identified themselves on government documents as journalists, or as working for news organizations, who together have donated more than $469,900 to federal political candidates, committees and parties during the 2010 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
“People identifying themselves as working for hard news outlets such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, the New York Post, News Corp., Vanity Fair and Reuters are among the listed donors. Also listed are employees from outlets offering lighter fare — ESPN, Vogue — or community news. Some have donated thousands of dollars.
“The average contribution per person identified is eight times Hayes’ amount, and because of some big-spending media professionals, that number is slightly skewed upwards — with the median amount donated coming in at $500. Sixty-five percent of all identified donations went to Democrats, the Center’s research indicates.”
Not all of those making the contributions are newsroom journalists. Some are owners or publishers, or are in advertising sales, while others are in staff support positions such as research. Many of those among the 235 identified themselves as either “self-employed” or “free lancer.”
Go here to download an itemized spreadsheet of all 235 media employee contributors and to read Wilson’s excellent, detailed analysis – including comments from several of those she was able to coax into talking about their donations.
