A mid-term report on success. Ten years ago the world of American political coverage changed. A couple of Washington Post reporters and an enthusiastic millionaire launched Politico, a website (plus print version) that treated the White House, Capitol Hill and the government of 50 states as a specialist subject to be covered in relentless depth. (Compare Bloomberg and Thomson-Reuters in financial reporting mode.)
Two years ago this spring the world of European political reporting also changed as, in partnership with Axel Springer, Politico Europe opened for business. Only last week there was a new surge of appointments there, covering energy policy, agriculture, financial services, the European Central Bank and more.
Politico Europe has, for the first time, reported the EU commission, the Strasbourg parliament and events right across the continent as a normal political scene with a cast of normal, ambitious, warring players. It brings political Europe to life by treating it with concentrated, non-partisan zeal. And it makes increasing amounts of money via tens of thousands of subscriptions from professionals engaged in the political world who need detailed newsletters about their sectors.
What’s not to like? An American idea spearheading Europe’s purpose-built news service raises natural hackles, perhaps, But the next couple of tumultuous years will be the test. For those who wish to understand more in all necessary detail, this may be the way forward (on the web as well as via the ballot box).
