Colin McEnroe is insane. Insanely talented.
While many writers require a gin-induced tonic to turn a rejoinder, McEnroe’s pathology is likely congenital in nature, but don’t remind him of that. He’s funny, insightful, warped and weird, be it radio voice or in print. Just about no politician is safe from his observations.
Hearst Connecticut Media announced on Tuesday the poaching of McEnroe from the Hartford Courant. Competition is good for journalism. Thanks to my former client Donald Trump, journalism has been rescued.
Hearst Media now enjoys the largest digital footprint in Connecticut stretching news outlets from New Haven along the shore to Greenwich, with Bridgeport smack in the middle. It’s always nice to mention Bridgeport and Greenwich in the same sentence.
In the spirit of poaching, OIB is violating Hearst’s fair use policy for this story.
From Hearst:
Popular radio show host, political analyst and humor writer Colin McEnroe will write a regular column for Hearst’s Connecticut newspapers, the company announced Tuesday.
McEnroe is moving his weekly column to the New Haven Register, Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate and other Hearst newspapers in the state on Jan. 20 after a 35-year run in the Hartford Courant. It will appear in the Sunday edition of Hearst’s eight Connecticut daily newspapers.
McEnroe will also put out an email newsletter anchored by his column.
Readers can sign up now to receive it.
He joins a lineup of Hearst Connecticut Media voices that include state government/business columnist Dan Haar and sports columnist Jeff Jacobs, who left the Courant for Hearst in 2017 and early 2018.
It also represents a further expansion of Hearst’s coverage of state government and politics, already the most comprehensive in the state with a team that includes Haar, senior statehouse reporter and columnist Ken Dixon, statehouse reporter Emilie Munson, politics reporter Kaitlyn Krasselt, investigative reporter Bill Cummings, and partnerships with both CT Mirror and CT News Junkie.
“I’m psyched to be part of a staff of journalists I admire,” McEnroe said. “Ken Dixon was the best Connecticut political columnist last year, and Kaitlyn Krasselt won my Rookie of the Year trophy for her election coverage. I’m a big fan of the way Brian Lockhart covers Bridgeport (and I think he’s funny, but don’t tell him I said that). I’ve never met Angela Carella, but I’ve lost count of the times people from Stamford have forwarded her terrific work to me. More people should know about her. And Emilie Munson is clearly a rising star up at the State Capitol. I am also Dan Haar’s court-appointed guardian, so it makes sense for me to be where I can keep an eye on him.”
After graduating from Yale, where he recently returned to teach, McEnroe started as a local news reporter at the Hartford Courant in 1976.
He was a columnist for the Courant for 35 years while working in radio. He hosts the Colin McEnroe show on WNPR at 1 p.m. weekdays, and co-hosts WNPR’s weekly Wednesday morning political roundtable, the Wheelhouse.
He has written three books and a play, and wrote an adaptation of “Faust” for the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He has moderated the Connecticut Forum an unprecedented 10 times.
Matt DeRienzo, vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media, said that McEnroe joining Hearst is an important announcement in a series of moves that will offer subscribers a premium lineup of distinctive Connecticut voices, more aggressive enterprise and investigative reporting, comprehensive guides to niche statewide topics, and the local news most vital to their communities.
“Colin McEnroe is a Connecticut treasure who speaks to and for the residents and institutions of this state, tackling our biggest opportunities and most persistent problems with unmatched wit and insight,” DeRienzo said. “We’re thrilled to add his voice to the statewide lineup we are building. And stay tuned for more.”
Hearst Connecticut Media includes eight daily newspapers, the New Haven Register, Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time, Norwalk Hour, Danbury News-Times, Torrington Register Citizen and the Middletown Press; Connecticut Magazine, 16 weekly newspapers, and a statewide high school sports site, GameTimeCT.com.
Colin’s column was the reason I paid for digital access to the Courant. Now I will be able to save money. The only good thing Hearst has done for me.
MM, get ready for the Hearst paywall soon!!!
Lennie,
They keep dumping ‘free’ print copies of the Post on my driveway. I only have two cats, how much litter do I need?
I actually find The Courant to be a much better news source than The Post. Good move by Hearst, maybe McEnroe will bring along some polish. The Courant cleaned the Post’s clock during the mid terms. Especially with their post mortem anslyses, State wide and Nationally.
I think OIB beats them all