In an apparent attempt to infuse the Boston Globe’s opinion pages with a pop-culture sensibility, editorial-page editor Peter Canellos has announced that feature writer Joanna Weiss will be moving to the editorial board and writing a weekly column for the op-ed page.
Canellos also announced that editorial-board member Larry Harmon will begin writing a weekly column as well.
The full text of Canellos’ e-mail to the staff follows.
Folks,
I’m pleased to announce that Joanna Weiss, whose Globe career has spanned political writing, popular culture, and TV criticism, will be joining the editorial-page staff on November 16. She will be a regular member of the paper’s editorial board and write a weekly op-ed column. A close observer of social trends and culture, and a bright, empathetic writer, Joanna will provide a vibrant new voice on our op-ed page, and an important new perspective on our daily editorials.
Joanna joined the Globe in 1999 from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans. She grew up in Maryland and is a graduate of Harvard University.
I’m also pleased to be able to add a weekly op-ed column by one of the longtime stars of our editorial board, Larry Harmon. He will remain a regular member of the board while bringing a new voice to the op-ed page. A lifelong Bostonian and graduate of Boston Latin School and Boston University, Larry joined the editorial board in 1992. He is the co-author of “Death of an American Jewish Community,” the definitive account of the block-busting and red-lining of Mattapan in the ’60s and ’70s. Larry knows Boston from the street level, and will bring a neighborhood perspective to our op-ed page.
As the months go by, Marjorie Pritchard, Dante Ramos and I will continue to look for new voices to add to our op-ed pages, in print and online, to ensure the broadest and most provocative range of opinions.
Please join me in congratulating Joanna and Larry,
Peter
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Can Weiss help Canellos figure out how to write shorter titles for their editorials?
I’m delighted with this move for more personality in the Globe. To me, the columnists are the heart and soul of the paper. There are too many days when the op-ed page is stuffed with one-shot pieces from experts. I prefer a discussion from consistent local writers who I get to know and argue or agree with. I miss the days of Nyhan and Oliphant, and while I enjoy reading the Globe’s current crop of columnists, I’m enthusiastic that they’re expanding and emphasizing the department. By the way, Alex Beam on Politics is an improvement, too.
Sort-of-new faces are a welcome change to the stagnation that has afflicted The Globe.
Well written, well reasoned pieces by authors of all political stripes is what makes a newspaper interesting.
Why not at The Globe?
p.s. Re: Rozzie’s comment. While I rarely agreed with either Oliphant or Nyhan, their pieces were always interesting and informative.
Nice also to see a female voice added back to the Globe editorial board.
The departure of Renee Loth left the Globe ed board a very male place, and I was hoping they would take steps to remedy that.
With no offense, of course, to some of the excellent male writers on the ed board.