Media shocker: The Big Picture just got bigger

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When it comes to media marriages, nothing can steal the spotlight from the Daily Beast’s odd-couple merger with Newsweek or Prince William’s splashy engagement to Kate Middleton. But here at The Big Picture, change is afoot as well. My colleague Jim Rainey, who writes the twice-weekly On the Media column for The Times, is joining forces with me to stir the pot, roil the waters and cause general consternation at The Big Picture blog.

Jim is an award-winning journalist who has spent most of his career at The Times, where he’s covered everything from government and politics to the environment and media. He’s been looking for a way to weigh in more frequently on media issues and I couldn’t imagine a place that would be a better fit for him than The Big Picture.

For the past several years, I’ve been a solo act, covering the Hollywood and entertainment media beat on my own, both as a blogger and columnist. But I’m now expanding my portfolio, becoming a pop culture writer, which will allow me to broaden my focus to include two of my other favorite pastimes: sports and politics.

For years, both sports and politics have become increasingly entangled with our showbiz culture. Athletes have become media brands in their own right, often represented by the same talent agencies who handle movie and TV stars. Politicians have become entertainers in much the same way that showbiz folk (like our departing governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger) have entered the political arena. It’s gotten to the point where, when you watch Sarah Palin’s reality TV show, you have to wonder whether she’s even more of a natural as a TV star than as a politician.

I think of my job as trying to connect the dots between all the disparate strands of pop culture, so adding sports and politics to the mix just gives me more dots to play with. With Jim on board, you can count on The Big Picture to do an even better job of offering thoughtful analysis and strong opinions. We will be outspoken, we will sometimes be contrarian, but I hope we will never be boring. As the late, great Larry Gelbart once suggested: ‘If what you’re writing isn’t likely to offend or annoy anyone at all, go back and start again.’ It’s great advice and we plan to abide by it.

-- Patrick Goldstein