The Fed
- See also Wikipedia's article about "The Fed".
The Fed is the monthly humor paper, and the second most-frequently published student publication at Columbia after the Columbia Spectator.
The name is an allusion to the Federalist Papers (not the Federal Reserve!), and a relic from when the paper was a forum for political discussion with a somewhat conservative orientation. It was founded in 1986 by "a libertarian, a conservative, and a socialist (although no one knows which was which)". One of them, Neil Gorsuch, is now a federal court judge, which some consider ironic.
The paper has undergone many changes in mission, style, form, and success, though it has experienced relatively few interruptions in production since the publication of its first issues. Currently, it prints mostly oddball humor, satirizing trends, politics, and life at Columbia and elsewhere, as well as occasional investigative pieces and interviews with various famous people.
Among its regular features is "They Watch," which derides social and Columbia-related trends, and oft-controversial cartoons. The newspaper almost died after publishing the infamous Wacky Fun Whitey cartoon.
The Fed comes out every three weeks.
Contents
Fed Bash
A party hosted by The Fed once a semester in Lerner Party Space.
Current and former members
Editors in Chief
- Sam Reisman, 2008-present
- Chas Carey, 2007-2008
- Kareem Shaya, 2006-2007
- Sam Jenning, 2005-2006
- Mike Ilardi, 2004-2005
- Kate Sullivan, 2002-2004
- Paul Campion, 2002
- Meghan Keane, 2001-2002
- Anna Chodos, 2000-2001
- Laurie Marhoefer and Tom Bellin, 1998-2000
Publishers
- Sophie Litschwartz, 2008-present
- Michael Bredin, 2007-2008
- Russell Spitzer, 2006-2007
- Bill McLaughlin, 2004-2006
- Ethan Heitner, 2003-2004
- Edward Ehrbar, 2001-2003
Current members
- Adam Valen Levinson, Managing Editor
- Michael Grinspan, Head Writer
Notable Alumni
- Neil M. Gorsuch, judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Andrew Levy, ombudsman and contributor to Fox News Channel's late-night show Red Eye
