Rubin is leaving the newspaper to found a new publication focused on pro-democracy journalism.
The cohort of American columnists setting up their own digital publications has a new member. Jennifer Rubin, a seasoned opinion columnist formerly of The Washington Post, has announced her departure from the newspaper to launch a new publication called The Contrarian.
The Contrarian says it aims to present a pro-democracy stance rather than an anti-Trump narrative, though its standpoint is abundantly clear. In an interview with CNN, Rubin expressed a strong commitment to combating what she perceives as threats to democracy. “Our goal is to combat, with every fibre of our being, the authoritarian threat that we face,” she said.
Rubin and her co-founder Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics czar, have chosen as a tagline for the publication, “Not owned by anybody.” Many have seen this as a critical commentary on the ownership of the Post by Jeff Bezos, who pulled an editorial endorsing Democratic candidate Kamala Harris before the recent presidential election.
Eisen, who will take on the role of publisher, described their goal as fostering an “unshackled media” necessary for confronting these challenges, reflecting a desire for diverse voices in the discourse, spanning various parties and generations. “The voices we’ll be featuring are diverse across parties and generations,” Eisen remarked, stating that they aim to include contributors who played vital roles in countering 2020 election denialism and investigating the events surrounding the January 6 Capitol attack.
The Contrarian plans to operate on a subscription model, offering some content for free while charging $7 a month for complete access to columns, podcasts, and videos. The publication joins a cohort of digital ventures, such as The Bulwark and Zeteo, which have successfully harnessed platforms like Substack to reach audiences.
The founders are focusing on building a community of readers. In their introductory statement they said:
“We need all of you to join us, to form a community of democracy defenders, not simply to read and listen to what we put out but to join the conversation, contribute ideas, share experiences, help source exciting new voices, and break through the bubble that insulates so much of established politics and media.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://contrarian.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-contrarian – Corroborates the launch of The Contrarian, its mission, and the involvement of Jennifer Rubin and Norm Eisen.
- https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/01/13/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian-threat/ – Details Jennifer Rubin’s departure from The Washington Post, the founding of The Contrarian, and its pro-democracy stance.
- https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/01/13/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian-threat/ – Explains the publication’s tagline ‘Not owned by anybody’ and its critique of billionaire media owners like Jeff Bezos.
- https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian,253742 – Supports the information about Norm Eisen’s role and the diverse voices featured in The Contrarian.
- https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian,253742 – Confirms the subscription model and the inclusion of contributors who countered 2020 election denialism and investigated the January 6 Capitol attack.
- https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219899600 – Provides details on the diverse voices across parties and generations and the commitment to combating authoritarian threats.
- https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/01/13/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian-threat/ – Mentions the inclusion of notable contributors like humorist Andy Borowitz and the cultural content offered by The Contrarian.
- https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian,253742 – Corroborates The Contrarian’s operation on the Substack platform and its comparison with other digital ventures like The Bulwark and Zeteo.
- https://localnews8.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2025/01/13/jen-rubin-exits-washington-post-joins-norm-eisen-to-launch-new-outlet-countering-authoritarian-threat/ – Details Rubin’s concerns about The Washington Post’s editorial autonomy and the factors leading to her resignation.
- https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219899600 – Supports the information about the loss of subscribers from The Washington Post following the endorsement controversy, which could benefit The Contrarian.
- https://contrarian.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-contrarian – Reinforces the commitment to diversity of thought and the independent media model of The Contrarian.
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