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| American columnists | |
|---|---|
| Name | American columnists |
| Occupation | Columnist |
American columnists are journalists and writers in the United States who produce regular opinionated or analysis-oriented pieces for newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms. Columnists often shape public discourse through recurring commentary published in outlets such as the The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. They operate at the intersection of journalism, opinion, and commentary, contributing to debates in periods marked by events like the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and the September 11 attacks.
Column writing in the United States traces roots to early pamphleteers and newspaper editors such as Benjamin Franklin, who contributed to the Pennsylvania Gazette, and journalists during the American Revolution like Mercy Otis Warren. The 19th century saw figures like Horace Greeley of the New-York Tribune and muckrakers tied to the Progressive Era including Upton Sinclair and Ida B. Wells, who used columns in publications such as McClure's Magazine to expose corruption and social abuses. The 20th century expanded national reach through syndication networks like King Features Syndicate and United Feature Syndicate, enabling columnists such as Walter Lippmann, Herbert Bayard Swope, and Dorothy Parker to influence readers during the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and World War II. Broadcast media and television programs including Meet the Press and 60 Minutes created cross-media opportunities for columnists like Walter Winchell and William F. Buckley Jr., while the internet era introduced bloggers and digital op-ed writers at platforms such as HuffPost and Medium.
Columns encompass diverse genres: political commentary exemplified by writers at The New Republic, National Review, and editorial pages of The Washington Post; cultural criticism published in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair; advice columns in papers like The Chicago Tribune and magazines such as Cosmopolitan; sports columns in outlets including ESPN and Sports Illustrated; and financial commentary in Barron's and Forbes. Syndicated advice columns like Dear Abby and Ann Landers coexisted with humor columns from figures such as H.L. Mencken, George F. Will, and Dave Barry. Investigative columnists for outlets like ProPublica and The Boston Globe produce watchdog reporting, while lifestyle columnists in Martha Stewart Living and Food & Wine address cuisine and domestic trends.
19th century and early 20th century: Horace Greeley, Benjamin Franklin, Ida B. Wells, Upton Sinclair, Mark Twain, William Allen White. Mid-20th century: Walter Lippmann, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Herbert Bayard Swope, Dorothy Parker, Walter Winchell, William F. Buckley Jr., James Reston. Late 20th century: Robert Novak, Molly Ivins, Maureen Dowd, Ann Landers, Cal Thomas, Garry Wills, Roger Ebert, Jimmy Breslin, Tom Wolfe. Contemporary columnists: Paul Krugman, Thomas Friedman, Peggy Noonan, Nicholas Kristof, Eugene Robinson, Charles Krauthammer, Maureen Dowd, Gina Barreca, Jamelle Bouie, Ezra Klein, Michelle Goldberg, Bret Stephens, Ta-Nehisi Coates, David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Kathleen Parker, Samantha Power, E.J. Dionne Jr., Suleika Jaouad.
Columnists have shaped electoral narratives around contests such as the 1824 United States presidential election, the 1932 United States presidential election, the 1968 United States presidential election, and the 2008 United States presidential election, by endorsing candidates and framing policy debates. Threads of commentary have intersected with movements like the Progressive Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Tea Party movement, while influencing legislative debates over statutes such as the New Deal initiatives and the Affordable Care Act. High-profile columnists have driven investigative leads that intersect with institutions including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Supreme Court of the United States, impacting public perception during crises like the Watergate scandal and the Iraq War.
Syndication networks such as King Features Syndicate, Tribune Content Agency, and Creators Syndicate distribute columns nationally and internationally, enabling writers to reach subscribers of papers like the Chicago Tribune, New York Post, and San Francisco Chronicle. Editorial pages, op-eds, and guest columns follow conventions established by organizations like the American Society of News Editors and professional codes influenced by debates in venues such as the Columbia Journalism Review. The rise of digital platforms including The Huffington Post, Vox, and The Intercept altered revenue models, intersecting with advertising partners, paywalls operated by The New York Times Company, and nonprofit models exemplified by ProPublica.
Columnists face ethical scrutiny from institutions such as the Society of Professional Journalists over conflicts of interest, sourcing, and accuracy in columns that touch on matters involving companies like Enron or events like the Iran–Contra affair. Controversies have arisen around plagiarism (cases involving writers linked to publications like The New Republic), fabrication (instances prompting dismissals at outlets including The Washington Post), and undisclosed financial ties to lobbying groups or corporations such as Halliburton. Debates over free speech and platform moderation have played out on platforms run by Twitter (now X), Facebook, and in legal contexts referencing precedents of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Representation among columnists has evolved with trailblazers from marginalized communities like Ida B. Wells, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Gloria Steinem, and Junot Díaz expanding the range of voices in outlets such as Essence, The Nation, and Ms. Diversity initiatives within newsrooms at organizations like The New York Times Company, Gannett, and NPR address disparities highlighted in studies by institutions including the Pew Research Center and advocacy groups like the Asian American Journalists Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. Ongoing discussions involve gender parity, racial representation, and inclusion of LGBTQ+ perspectives across legacy outlets and new media platforms.