The Washington Post was one of the only big-city newspaper companies to turn a profit last year. But it had nothing to do with selling newspapers or even ad space. The only real profit center in the Post organization was its Kaplan education division, an online test-prep education company.According to Market Watch
For some reason, the Washington Post Co. still considers itself to be in the media business. It shouldn't. In the middle of a punishing recession, education revenue at the Post Co. grew 13%, producing $649 million in the second quarter, the company said Friday. Driven by the Post's Kaplan education division, it reported a profit in the second quarter, earning $12 million, or $1.30 per share. Revenue rose to $1.1 billion, up 2%. Investors like what they're seeing. Shares jumped almost 8% Friday.You don't suppose that has any influence on WaPo editorial decisions around testing issues, do you?
Gates/Viacom tell students, "get out of Northeast Philly"
Gates in partnership with media giant Viacom, is paying millions to put subliminal messages into youth oriented television productions. No lie.
The Gates messaging experiment begins on September 12, when BET, a division of Viacom, premieres, as part of the network's ongoing education initiative and Viacom's new Get Schooled platform -- an award-winning documentary called PRESSURE COOKER.
At a school where more than 40 percent of students don't even make it to their senior year, Ms. Stephenson's class stands in stark contrast, with 11 members of last year's class earning more than $750,000 in scholarships. She offers the kids her version of the American Dream: You choose a realistic goal. You work hard. You work the system. You get out of Northeast Philly.
Oh yeah absolutely no connection to WaPO's editorial decisions huh? Even more shocking is how Kaplan turned such an amazing profit in the 2nd quarter in the middle of this recession. Along with that enlightening economist article about no decline in private school applications and the continued strength of numbers here in nyc it shows the price families are willing to pay to hold on to privilege in ed. as they cut down on other expenses.
ReplyDeleteEven without Kaplan, the Washington Post Co. has shows itself to have the ethical standards of a fly. They're the company that offers corporations and their lobbyists "off-the-record access" to its reporters and editors in exchange for direct financial contributions of up to $250,000. (See David Sirota on Huffington http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/taboo-alert-the-real---an_b_249830.html)
ReplyDeleteNewsweek is owned by the same company, and its high school rankings feature just happens to be designed in a way likely to boost Kaplan's business significantly. It's totally inappropriate and flagrantly violates journalistic ethics. Read more here:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/l5ylm7