After over a year away, Michael Arrington will resume writing for TechCrunch as a regular weekly columnist and MG Siegler’s column will be expanded to include more than just Apple coverage.
Mike and MG are two of the most well-known, influential technology bloggers writing today. They have the unique ability to both break big stories and write thought pieces that help shape the culture of Silicon Valley. Mike’s influence on tech is unquestionable and his sheer output and contribution to the real time analysis and breaking news is something AOL is proud to have back. Arrington is the all time leader on the Techmeme leaderboard His role on stage at TechCrunch is also influential, to the point of moving financial markets. MG is also prolific, his Apple columns still are among TechCrunch’s most popular, and his influence on issues across the technology spectrum will be welcomed by our readers.
Are they conflicted? Yeah, of course they are, and we will be transparent on that issue at all times. But, we also believe our readers are smart enough to put these columns into context and understand the impact of CrunchFund’s investing on the editorial.
AOL is especially proud of the team of talented tech writers that consistently break news and provide insightful analysis on TechCrunch. And the team continues to develop new talent as well. Leena Rao, Ingrid Lunden, Frederic Lardinois, Josh Constine, Drew Olanoff, Ryan Lawler, and Sarah Perez among many others continue to make TechCrunch the daily must read on the startup ecosystem and, increasingly, on the economy in general.
It turns out that Arrington and Heather Harde were not given nearly enough credit for the business and brand they built and today TechCrunch is stronger than it ever was. The strength of the brand allowed AOL to attract a serious pro like Ned Desmond to the challenge after Heather departed; it helped Eric Eldon and Alexia Tsotsis lead the growth of a new team of writers; it allowed TechCrunch Disrupt to continue to be a venue to launch the most exciting start ups; and it allowed the sales team to grow revenue year over year. But we miss Mike and MG. They add a certain something to TC that no one else can quite duplicate. We’re very happy to have them return.
Welcome back Mike and MG. I’m sure this move will go smoothly and will never come back to bite me.
Editor’s Note: Jay Kirsch is the head of AOL’s Business, Technology & Entertainment media properties.