{{short description|American politics website}} {{for|the communications concept|Talking point}} {{Update|date=August 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{italic title}} {{Infobox website | name = ''Talking Points Memo'' | screenshot = Talking Points Memo screenshot.jpg | screenshot_size = 250px | caption = Main page of ''Talking Points Memo''<br>as of August 2010 | url = {{official website|http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/|talkingpointsmemo.com}} | commercial = Subscription and advertising supported | type = Political blog, news, discussion forum | language = English | registration = For discussion forum | owner = Josh Marshall | editor = Josh Marshall | author = Josh Marshall | launch_date = {{start date and age|2000|11|12}} | current_status = Active }} '''''Talking Points Memo''''' ('''''TPM''''') is a liberal political news and commentary website that started as a blog created and run by Josh Marshall. It debuted in November 2000. The name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a "talking points memo" that was often discussed during the Clinton-era Monica Lewinsky scandal.<ref name='nyt-blogger-rakes-muck'>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/business/media/25marshall.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=business | work=The New York Times | title=Blogger, Sans Pajamas, Rakes Muck and a Prize | last=Cohen | first=Noam | date=February 25, 2008 | access-date=December 29, 2024 | archive-date=April 4, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404163732/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/business/media/25marshall.html?oref=slogin&ref=business&_r=2&adxnnl=1 | url-status=live }}</ref>
''TPM'' became one of the first online-only political news websites to launch a membership program in 2012. As of 2025, the site has more than 35,000 members and about a dozen staffers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Talking Points Memo lasted a quarter century. |url=https://www.cjr.org/the-interview/how-talking-points-memo-survived-25-years-trump-crisis.php |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en |archive-date=March 22, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260322034252/https://www.cjr.org/the-interview/how-talking-points-memo-survived-25-years-trump-crisis.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Early years == ''TPM'' was founded as a political blog in 2000 by Marshall, who until 2004 was the site's sole employee.<ref name="Seward-2008">{{cite news |last1=Seward |first1=Zachary M. |title=TPM sees room for growth through geotargeted advertising |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2008/12/tpm-sees-room-for-growth-through-geotargeted-advertising/ |work=Nieman Lab |date=December 2, 2008 |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313205445/https://www.niemanlab.org/2008/12/tpm-sees-room-for-growth-through-geotargeted-advertising/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2005, he incorporated TPM Media LLC,<ref name="Seward-2008"/> and the company began to grow.<ref name=AJR-2009>{{cite journal|last=Carmichael|first= Karen|title=Capital investment: Talking Points Memo launches a Washington bureau, augmenting its reporting firepower|journal=American Journalism Review|volume=31|issue=5|year=2009|page=8}}</ref>
In the mid-2000s, the company launched a series of projects under the TPM umbrella. A spin-off blog, TPMCafe, debuted on May 31, 2005. This site featured a collection of blogs about a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues written by academics, journalists, and former public officials, among others. Guest bloggers included politicians, such as then-senators Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders and John Kerry and at-the-time future senator Elizabeth Warren; journalists, including Ezra Klein, Dahlia Lithwick, Paul Krugman, George Packer, Ed Kilgore, Glenn Greenwald, Jonathan Chait, Peter Beinart, Emily Bazelon, Matthew Yglesias, and Michael Crowley; activist Aaron Swartz; policy experts, including Robert Reich and Dean Baker; and novelists Anne Lamott and Jonathan Franzen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-29 |title=The Early Days Of TPM Cafe |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/the-early-days-of-tpm-cafe |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Elizabeth Warren and TPM, Behind The Music! |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/elizabeth-warren-and-tpm-behind-the-music |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702210850/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/elizabeth-warren-and-tpm-behind-the-music |url-status=live }}</ref> ''TPMCafe'' has been described as a "social gathering place for readers to share news and opinion," and a precursor to social media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Niles |first=Robert |date=2007-03-20 |title=Lessons from 'Talking Points Memo' and the U.S. attorney scandal |url=https://www.ojr.org/lessons-from-talking-points-memo-and-the-u-s-attorney-scandal/index.html |website=Online Journalism Review |access-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-date=February 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217125305/http://www.ojr.org/lessons-from-talking-points-memo-and-the-u-s-attorney-scandal/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
''TPMmuckracker'' expanded on Marshall’s work, with journalists working for the ''TPM'' collective, such as Paul Kiel and Justin Rood, investigating political corruption. ''TPMDC'', founded in January 2007, was staffed by Washington-based journalists and covered politics from the capital. TPM Media also acquired from ''The American Prospect'' "The Horse's Mouth," a blog by Greg Sargent about how major news outlets covered Washington politics. Beginning in the summer of 2006, many weekend postings were provided by anonymous blogger DK. On November 11, 2006, DK was revealed to be attorney David Kurtz, who went on to serve as an editor for the site.
By 2007, ''TPM'' received an average of 400,000 page views every weekday.<ref name="cjr-josh-marshall-plan">{{cite news |last=Glenn |first=David |date=September–October 2007 |title=The (Josh) Marshall Plan |url=https://www.cjr.org/feature/the_josh_marshall_plan.php |access-date=September 8, 2007 |publisher=Columbia Journalism Review |archive-date=December 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225012707/http://www.cjr.org/feature/the_josh_marshall_plan.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Coverage == During George W. Bush’s presidency, ''TPM'' closely covered the administration’s effort to privatize Social Security. The site also distinguished itself in 2006 for breaking a series of stories related to the U.S. Attorneys scandal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLeary |first=Paul |title=How TalkingPointsMemo Beat the Big Boys on the U.S. Attorney Story |url=https://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/how_talkingpointsmemo_beat_the.php |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en |archive-date=January 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118063021/http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/how_talkingpointsmemo_beat_the.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirchner |first=Lauren |title=Talking Points Memo |url=https://www.cjr.org/news_startups_guide/2011/01/talking-points-memo.php/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Josh Marshall on the Internet's Role in the Firings of Federal Prosecutors |url=https://billmoyers.com/content/josh-marshall-on-the-internets-role-in-the-firings-of-federal-prosecutors/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=BillMoyers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2007, ''TPM'' won a George Polk Award for legal reporting for its coverage, becoming the first online-only outlet to receive the award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards History {{!}} Long Island University |url=https://www.liu.edu/george-polk-awards-demo/~/link.aspx?_id=D5418C55F8684785A414958E12624A79&_z=z |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=www.liu.edu |archive-date=August 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816125424/https://www.liu.edu/george-polk-awards-demo/~/link.aspx?_id=D5418C55F8684785A414958E12624A79&_z=z |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, ''TPM'' opened a Washington, D.C. office and joined the White House press pool to cover the Obama administration, along with several other progressive news outlets.<ref name="AJR-2009" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Calderone |first1=Michael |date=October 30, 2009 |title=TPM joins the pool and makes a splash |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/10/tpm-joins-the-pool-and-makes-a-splash-028955 |work=Politico |language=en |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313192922/https://www.politico.com/story/2009/10/tpm-joins-the-pool-and-makes-a-splash-028955 |url-status=live }}</ref>
''TPM'' is noted for its coverage of the political fringe, including militias, white nationalists, conspiracy theorists and similar groups, stating that it considers them to be “greater drivers of American politics than mainstream news coverage allows.”<ref name="Perlstein">{{Cite web |last=Perlstein |first=Rick |date=2024-06-19 |title=The Independent Media Hustle |url=https://prospect.org/api/content/a4af4a26-2db3-11ef-88a9-12163087a831/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=The American Prospect |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="About">{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/about |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702212215/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/about |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Says |first=Psyclone |date=2020-12-22 |title=We Laughed At Jade Helm 5 Years Ago. We Shouldn't Have. |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/laughed-jade-helm-five-years-ago-we-should-have |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702212216/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/laughed-jade-helm-five-years-ago-we-should-have |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, ''TPM'' was early to identify Trump as a serious contender in the Republican presidential primary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-28 |title=Seriously, Literally, Etc.: Why TPM Saw Trump As A Serious Contender Back In 2015 |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/anniversary-why-tpm-saw-trump-serious-contender-back-2015 |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702212215/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/anniversary-why-tpm-saw-trump-serious-contender-back-2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2019, ''TPM'' was among the first outlets to uncover President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Did Giuliani Squeeze The Ukrainian Government For Political Dirt? |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/prime/did-giuliani-squeeze-the-ukrainian-government-for-political-dirt |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702210850/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/prime/did-giuliani-squeeze-the-ukrainian-government-for-political-dirt |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, ''TPM'' was the first outlet to note that Trump had removed the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, BJay Pak, as part of his effort to substantiate false claims of voter fraud.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-04 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Atlanta-Based U.S. Attorney Abruptly Departs Office Sooner Than Expected |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/us-attorney-georgia-depart |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702210849/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/us-attorney-georgia-depart |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fighting for Democracy Itself |url=https://billmoyers.com/story/fighting-for-democracy-itself/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=BillMoyers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2023, ''TPM'' was the first outlet to report that Congressman George Santos had made charges on donors' credit cards without their permission.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-14 |title=Campaigns Linked To Santos Left Donors Feeling Ripped Off After Questionable Credit Card Charges |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/george-santos-tina-forte-flag-credit-card-charges |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=January 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129042605/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/george-santos-tina-forte-flag-credit-card-charges |url-status=live }}</ref> Santos later pleaded guilty to charges that he had done so.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-19 |title=Eastern District of New York {{!}} Former Congressman George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/former-congressman-george-santos-pleads-guilty-wire-fraud-and-aggravated-identity |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en |archive-date=August 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240819233005/https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/former-congressman-george-santos-pleads-guilty-wire-fraud-and-aggravated-identity |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Business == After relying on advertising for its first decade of existence, ''TPM'' introduced a subscription service, TPM Prime, in 2012. Between 2016 and 2017, the site’s membership doubled.<ref>{{Cite news |title=With 11,000 subscribers, Talking Points Memo says its paid product has helped stabilize its business |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2016/07/with-11000-subscribers-talking-points-memo-says-its-paid-product-has-helped-stabilize-its-business/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526060516/https://www.niemanlab.org/2016/07/with-11000-subscribers-talking-points-memo-says-its-paid-product-has-helped-stabilize-its-business/ |archive-date=May 26, 2025 |access-date=2025-07-02 |work=Nieman Lab |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, the site had 35,000 members.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-12-31 |title=The Business of TPM |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/the-business-of-tpm |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702210850/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/the-business-of-tpm |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2025, ''TPM'' was almost entirely member-supported, drawing more than 90 percent of its revenue from members.<ref name="About"/> The site offers free memberships for students and those who cannot afford to pay.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Memberships |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/memberships |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702170453/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/memberships |url-status=live }}</ref>
''TPM''’s staff unionized with Writers Guild of America, East in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-18 |title=A TPM Union Is Born |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/20-anniversary-tpm-union-born |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=TPM – Talking Points Memo |language=en-US |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702212216/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/20th-anniversary/20-anniversary-tpm-union-born |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2025, ''TPM'' had 18 employees, with teams of reporters in New York and D.C. Marshall serves as editor in chief.<ref name="About"/>
==Reception== Historian Rick Perlstein in 2024 praised ''TPM''’s coverage of conservative activists, comparing it favorably to that of the New York Times. “If you are interested in how the American right went insane, TalkingPointsMemo.com is your actual publication of record, compiling a bountiful archive of the ways ‘extremism’ and ‘mainstream’ merged in the history of the Republican Party from the dawn of President George W. Bush to the present,” he wrote. “It was born, in 2000, at a time of new vessels and styles of writing about American politics.”<ref name="Perlstein"/>
Editor Ben Smith in 2012 approvingly described Marshall's investment in original reporting during a time when other digital media outlets were leaning heavily on aggregation. “I think that the investment in original reporting is something he chose to do pretty early when a lot of other people were thinking aggregation was the future,” he said.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-03-15 |title=Can Josh Marshall Take TPM to the Big Time? |url=https://digiday.com/media/can-josh-marshall-take-tpm-to-the-big-time/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref>
Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols describe the site as taking a "more raucous and sensational" tone than traditional news media. This includes coining phrases such as "Bamboozlepalooza" to describe George W. Bush's efforts to privatize Social Security, which the blog opposed;<ref name="PublicAffairs">{{cite book|title=The Death and Life of American Journalism|last1=McChesney|first1=Robert W.|last2=Nichols|first2=John|publisher=PublicAffairs|year=2010|isbn=978-1-56858-700-4|page=91|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g85l-l-CnbIC&pg=PA91}}</ref> and "bitch-slap politics" to refer to the Swiftboating of 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Josh |title=Well it seems there |url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/--97767? |website=Talking Points Memo |date=19 August 2004 |publisher=TPM Media |access-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108195019/https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/--97767 |url-status=live }}</ref>
McChesney and Nichols compare the site's style to the muckraking of Upton Sinclair. The more social aspects of the site, which invite crowdsourcing, were compared to ''La Follette's Weekly''.<ref name="PublicAffairs" /> Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, in 2009 said "''TPM'' is really an advocacy operation that has moved toward journalism."<ref name="AJR-2009" />
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:American political blogs Category:Online magazines published in the United States Category:Internet properties established in 2000 Category:Opinion polling in the United States Category:Liberalism in the United States