And John Avlon , editor in chief of the Daily Beast and a CNN contributor , took the reins after the departure of Tina Brown and is growing the organization by leaps and bounds , deepening its national security coverage alongside a lively coverage of the mechanics of Hollywood and Washington . A trio of disasters that battered American journalism could not come at a worse time for the news business . The first was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed more than 1,800 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
A trio of disasters that battered American journalism could not come at a worse time for the news business . The first was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed more than 1,800 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.