STEVE CLEMONS is joining Project Coda, the temporary name for the global news startup founded by former Bloomberg CEO JUSTIN SMITH and former NYT media columnist BEN SMITH.
Clemons will serve as editor-at-large and run its “global live journalism operations.” He is currently editor-at-large for The Hill, and well-known in Washington both for creating live events — an increasingly important source of revenue for many news publications — and his private salons featuring prominent elected officials. (He was recently made a Chevalier in France’s Legion of Honor at a party at the French ambassador’s residence that featured so many key figures of 2021 Washington life that the scene could be the opener for the next MARK LEIBOVICH book.)
Clemons is no stranger to the Smiths.Back in 2011, Ben Smith wrote about him for POLITICO, describing Clemons as “a self-made, uncredentialed blogger and social butterfly, intellectual entrepreneur, name-dropper and media networker” (all true!) and “the spiritual descendant of great Washington hostesses like PAMELA HARRIMAN” (also true!).
Clemons worked with Justin Smith at The Atlantic, where he built the magazine’s live events business. “Steve is the leading innovator in live journalism, a major area of focus for our global ambitions,” Justin Smith said in a release set to go out this morning.
Clemons promised the new venture would bring “high quality journalism that respects its audience’s intelligence.”
This is the second hire by Project Coda, which has been making the rounds in D.C. and Manhattan raising money and meeting with reportorial talent. CAITLIN ROMAN left The Athletic recently to serve as head of product for Coda.
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