Today, it has been a year since columnist Ken Hoffman left the Houston Chronicle for CultureMap.
I remember last year, I was on hiatus from this blog at the time, but that news got me back in the old blogger seat!
"While Culture Map obviously isn't as established as the Houston Chronicle, it can offer me different challenges and opportunities," Hoffman told mikemcguff.com at the time in 2017. "I have history with Culture Map's new owner David Gow and that played a big role in my decision to leave the Chronicle. I spent 22 years with the Chronicle. It was the best job I ever had. I hope the Chron appreciated me as much as I enjoyed working there. I feel a little cheated, actually. I didn't get to fulfill the employee's fantasy of telling my bosses to shove this job. I liked my bosses."
And clearly Hoffman's bosses liked him and still do.
Former journalist, turned PR pro Alan Bernstein, tweeted a few weeks ago that Hoffman is still listed on the Houston Chronicle website as its number four columnist a year after his departure!
TRENDING: @KenCultureMap listed as #4 columnist at @HoustonChron @ChronOpinion. #soon3? pic.twitter.com/1kk5UeO6bn— Alan Bernstein (@AlanBernstein) April 17, 2018
Hoffman must still be able to pull in the page views for Hearst Houston, even in his absence.
Well, I had to go ask Hoffman about his unknown side gig.
"Of course I was surprised to read on Twitter that I'm the No. 4 columnist at the Houston Chronicle - especially since I left the Chronicle a year ago," he told mikemcguff.com. "The best I ever did when I actually worked there was No. 12. Maybe I should ask for a raise now."
Hoffman was always number one in my book. When I started writing this blog, I pretty much was just channeling my inner Ken Hoffman. Ken, thank you for letting me rip you off all these years.
Read Hoffman over at CultureMap.com.
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