The New York Times is really reaching. Sure, they're just trying to expand that web content like everyone else. But the Times is not everyone else. They are unique. So, they create a new position: "futurist-in-residence."
We know — gag. Especially since "futurist-in-residence" is just a weird, fancy name for "web consultant." The new position will be filled by Michael Rogers, a former Washington Post exec and a general manager at Newsweek.com.
In a release, the paper described the new position as a one-year consultant appointment to work with the company's research and development unit. Spokeswoman Stacy Green compared the appointment to that of the paper's public editor, in that it would be a rotating position that changes each year.
How chic and fashionable. If only it was a rotating edit position (maybe Alex Kuczynski's?) instead of a dorky computer consultant job, they might actually get some press, draw some readers … you know, the thing they hired the dorky computer guy for.
'NY Times' Appoints First-Ever 'Futurist-in-Residence' [Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher]
Editorial Director
Now, c'mon, you have to admit that this snappily monickered "dorky computer consultant job" did snag a mention in Jossip. And, come to think of it, who would have thought a dorky computer consultant would even be reading Jossip in the first place?