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LawBeat on hiatus

By Mark Obbie

Why has this blog been so quiet? Two reasons: Until today, I've been in a long, dark tunnel of work, more intense than even past end-of-semester crunches. But on top of that, I've been debating whether to continue producing LawBeat. The debate is over. I've decided to quit it, and I owe my reader(s) an explanation. I also can legitimately hold out hope that it will resume under new management soon. Here's the deal: In 30 months, I have written nearly 900 critiques of legal reporting on this blog (plus I've hosted some valuable contributions from students and an alumnus). In many ways, the experience exceeded my expectations. I've never lacked for material: legal reporting that lent itself to positive or negative critiques, with lessons about the craft. LawBeat has attracted loyal readers and attention to the Carnegie Legal Reporting Program at Newhouse. It has kept me in touch with colleagues, many of whom were kind enough to speak to students on campus. It renewed my pride in certain segments of journalism, and reminded me why I am a reporter. I've enjoyed writing it.But I'd rather be doing journalism than commenting on it. I left my previous life and came to the Newhouse School with two priorities: to teach new journalists professional skills and to get back to reporting and writing, after too many years editing and managing. I have largely neglected the second half of that equation, having spent so much time pouring myself into teaching and running the legal reporting program (with its associated blog). To focus on on my own reporting and writing, I will shed my role in the legal reporting program. And with that goes the blog. The Newhouse School is now deciding who will lead the program in the coming year. My replacement may decide to blog here, in which case LawBeat will live on. I thank the many readers who've provided tips and encouragement these past years. See you in the trenches.--Mark Obbie

Full post as published by Lawbeat on May 10, 2009 (boomark / email).