370:"The entire environment is incestuous. They introduce new cars. They fly journalists in and put them up at really nice hotels and, you know, treat them to experiences that they would never possibly in a million years — they wouldn't even be allowed in these hotels ordinarily. You know, and that's not supposed to affect their judgment. But it is a compromised business, and it is also true that newspapers are under a great deal of revenue pressure on this score, and so yeah, a favorable editorial/advertorial content is often created to satisfy that need."
1086:
291:
to the classified advertising department with the expectation "that he would write dealer-friendly pieces to attract readers to the newspaper's automobile classified section." In contrast to the newsroom, where Neil had worked with editors, he noticed his copy was no longer edited. "For seven years,
628:
Automotive journalist Dan Neil is as opinionated and outspoken as any of his peers, yet he opines without blunt-force drama, wielding an acerbic wit that makes him the thinking man's smart-ass. The
Pulitzer Prize winner has written for AutoWeek, Car and Driver, LA Times, The New York Times, and The
199:
Neil is married to Tina Larsen Neil and has twin daughters, Rosalind and
Vivienne — as well as a son, Henry (Hank) Neil, from his first marriage. After four years of trying to get pregnant and several in-vitro fertilization procedures, Neil's wife conceived four embryos in a high risk, "white
299:
described a back-seat encounter with his girlfriend, writing "this was loving, consensual and — given the
Expedition's dual airbags, side impact beams and standard four-wheel anti-lock brakes — safe sex." The News and Observer reported Neil's recollection of the column in an interview years
450:
Neil called Zell "a corporate raider," adding "he's not a publisher. Newspapers are too important to the public to be treated as just pieces on a financial chessboard." Neil and a group of Times employees claimed violations of the
318:
Put on probation for the article, Neil was instructed to have his articles reviewed by an editor as well as the director of classified auto advertising. Refusing, he was subsequently fired, and wrote in a later
275:
In 1999, Neil won the Ken Purdy Award for
Excellence in Automotive Journalism, from the International Motor Press Association. In 2002, his work was selected for Houghton Mifflin's Best American Sports Writing.
386:
and gained a following for his approach to automotive writing, which routinely included industry criticism — including criticism of automakers themselves and government emissions and safety policies.
564:
262:
analogies and personal experience. Neil worked with the
Raleigh paper until 1996, when he was fired. He subsequently worked as a free-lance journalist, including five years as contributing editor to
305:"I wrote at some point about the kids getting into the Ford Expedition and commenting on the 'footprints' on the windshield. Well, that was just it! People went crazy! It was kind of like
915:
469:, advertiser consolidation, classified ads migrating online, rising newsprint costs, bloated debt structures and, yes, over-staffing. Not to mention the rise of Internet news."
397:. The column was syndicated by Tribune Media in 2006. Neil won the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors award for best general commentary column in 2007.
568:
359:— indicated that among critics, "auto reviewers are the most likely to be compromised by the industry they cover." Speaking in a 2005 radio interview with
641:
908:
615:
847:
1117:
1110:
1103:
901:
805:
1174:
1159:
200:
knuckle pregnancy." Facing further complications, he and his wife chose to abort two of the fetuses. Neil wrote about the experience for the
864:
341:, have in maintaining the virtual wall between the "church" of news gathering and the "state" of advertising sales, sometimes known as a
486:
465:
on trial," noting "newspapers have been under siege since the technology bubble popped in the late 1990s, with problems ranging from
1164:
1179:
452:
363:, after receiving the Pulitzer Prize, Neil described the symbiotic relationship between the automobile industry and its critics:
655:
519:
330:
contended that it was disingenuous to suggest that advertisers pressured the paper into firing Neil, since Neil worked for an
135:
505:
597:
533:
697:
156:"one-of-a-kind reviews of automobiles, blending technical expertise with offbeat humor and astute cultural criticism."
1154:
665:
881:
1097:
207:
Neil lived in Los
Angeles before moving again to North Carolina, when he left the L.A. Times and began writing for
238:
In interviews he has said his goals at the time were to "learn to write and see the world." Neil was recruited by
1050:
462:
193:
70:
783:
1144:
323:
article that he was fired "for refusing to have my column vetted by the classified advertising department."
168:
of auto reviewers." Freelance automotive journalist Thomas Bey called Neil "the thinking man's smart ass."
1149:
924:
146:, presented annually to a newspaper writer who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism.' Awarded for his
143:
809:
292:
I had unfettered access to 200,000 readers." Neil's writing eventually reflected the lack of constraint.
407:
was transferred from the editorial department to the paper's business division — and advertiser control.
1044:
181:
313:-- a none too daring transgression, overall, but the thing that finally sent people over the edge."
185:
177:
61:
43:
740:
714:
886:
412:
232:
96:
828:
447:
and other editorial publications to advertiser control — and laid off at least 1,000 employees.
1169:
990:
355:
227:
184:
and his mother was a private investigator. He received a B.A. degree in
Creative Writing from
466:
338:
244:
magazine in 1994 as a senior contributing editor. In 1995, he began contributing reviews to
1139:
893:
310:
8:
808:. The News & Observer, A.C. Snow, May 02, 2004, modified Oct 23, 2005. Archived from
246:
221:
189:
682:
506:"Pulitzer winner Dan Neil reportedly leaves Los Angeles Times for Wall Street Journal"
1062:
661:
635:
433:
102:
1008:
455:(ERISA) and alleged that Zell breached his duty of loyalty to Tribune's employees.
360:
161:
65:
1068:
960:
942:
429:
296:
1026:
996:
984:
948:
537:
346:
264:
114:
74:
567:. The New York Times, April 8, 2004, David Carr. April 8, 2004. Archived from
1133:
1056:
1020:
1002:
972:
936:
440:
306:
176:
Neil was born in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on January 12, 1960, and moved to
128:
754:
1074:
1014:
966:
342:
124:
1085:
258:
Neil developed his writing style, combining humor with pragmatic insight,
1038:
978:
331:
165:
487:"Wall Street Journal Auto Columnist Dan Neil Joins FOXSports.com on MSN"
268:. In 1999 Neil was named senior contributing editor for travel magazine
1032:
259:
410:
In
February 2010, Neil left the L.A. Times and accepted a position at
425:
240:
201:
108:
660:. The Pointer Institute and Bonus Books, 2004, Keith Woods. 2004.
424:
In 2008, Neil participated in a federal class action suit against
520:"The Car Show with Adam Carolla: First impressions from the set"
458:
618:. Askmen.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016
850:. Forbes.com, James Erik Abels, 09.17.08. September 17, 2008.
382:
In
September 2003, Neil became a full-time columnist for the
94:
is an American journalist who is an automotive columnist for
923:
786:. USAtoday.com, April 20, 2004, Philip Meyer. April 20, 2004
337:
The incident highlighted the growing issue that newspapers,
565:"Some Highish Brows Furrow as a Car Critic Gets a Pulitzer"
287:
In 1991, Dan Neil had been moved from the newsroom of the
657:
Best Newspaper Writing 2004: The Nation's Best Journalism
350:
536:. International Motor Press Association. Archived from
508:. Autoblog.com, Jeremy Korzeniewski, February 5, 2010.
279:
439:
After the takeover, Zell rated reporters by how many
784:"Close gaps in wall between ads, unpaid information"
219:
Neil began his professional writing career with the
142:
for automotive journalism, and in 2004 Neil won the
334:section of the advertising department at the time.
598:"Interview with Brooke Gladstone & Dan Neil:
1131:
865:"'L.A. Times' Refugees Sue for Control of Paper"
831:. LAobserved.com, Kevin Roderick, April 6, 2004.
640:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
695:
522:. Autoblog.com, July 12, 2011, Michael Harley.
909:
225:, a local free weekly, and began working for
778:
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
592:
590:
588:
586:
180:, at age 4. His father was an engineer with
842:
840:
838:
806:"Critics abound, but this one is different"
500:
498:
496:
916:
902:
823:
821:
819:
761:
709:
707:
583:
835:
743:. International Motor Press Association.
680:
493:
859:
857:
816:
798:
512:
453:Employee Retirement Income Security Act
1132:
747:
704:
393:, a column about pop culture, for the
897:
733:
559:
557:
555:
136:International Motor Press Association
1175:People from New Bern, North Carolina
1160:Pulitzer Prize for Criticism winners
867:. Portfolio.com, September 16, 2008.
854:
689:
526:
419:
674:
479:
461:described the suit as putting "the
403:was discontinued in 2008 after the
389:In February 2005, he began writing
13:
683:"The abortion debate brought home"
648:
608:
552:
295:Neil's January 1996 review of the
14:
1191:
875:
604:. Onthemedia.org, April 15, 2005.
100:and a former staff writer at the
1084:
696:Mark Jerkowitz (April 6, 2004).
463:fast-changing newspaper business
443:they produced, relinquished the
235:as an obituary writer in 1985.
154:the Pulitzer board noted Neil's
1165:East Carolina University alumni
600:A Perfect Vehicle for Criticism
251:which he continued until 2003.
214:
194:North Carolina State University
71:North Carolina State University
1180:The Wall Street Journal people
1:
848:"Putting Newspapers On Trial"
829:"Sidebar to Neil's Pulitzer*"
472:
272:a post he held through 2001.
171:
925:Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
741:"Ken W. Purdy Award Winners"
700:. Raleigh News and Observer.
534:"Ken Purdy Award Recipients"
428:, who in 2007 purchased the
144:Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
119:He was a panelist on 2011's
7:
377:
254:Beginning with his work at
134:In 1999, Neil received the
10:
1196:
757:. The Wall Street Journal.
445:Los Angeles Times Magazine
405:Los Angeles Times Magazine
395:Los Angeles Times Magazine
1093:
1082:
932:
698:"Pulizter Prizes Awarded"
349:— author of a book about
81:
57:
49:
27:
20:
1155:Los Angeles Times people
681:Dan Neil (May 6, 2007).
256:The News & Observer,
186:East Carolina University
178:New Bern, North Carolina
62:East Carolina University
44:Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
887:The Wall Street Journal
413:The Wall Street Journal
339:under economic pressure
328:The News & Observer
233:Raleigh, North Carolina
228:The News & Observer
209:The Wall Street Journal
97:The Wall Street Journal
316:
188:and an M.A. degree in
467:declining circulation
302:
85:Automotive journalism
1145:Motoring journalists
812:on February 8, 2013.
715:"Dan Neil Biography"
629:Wall Street Journal.
616:"Dan Neil Interview"
489:. Sports Media News.
1150:American columnists
311:costume malfunction
289:News & Observer
282:News & Observer
1051:Christopher Knight
321:Independent Weekly
247:The New York Times
190:English Literature
182:Stanley Powertools
1127:
1126:
1063:Salamishah Tillet
434:Los Angeles Times
420:2008 Zell lawsuit
384:Los Angeles Times
164:called Neil "the
103:Los Angeles Times
89:
88:
1187:
1088:
1009:Philip Kennicott
918:
911:
904:
895:
894:
869:
868:
861:
852:
851:
844:
833:
832:
825:
814:
813:
802:
796:
795:
793:
791:
780:
759:
758:
751:
745:
744:
737:
731:
730:
728:
726:
711:
702:
701:
693:
687:
686:
678:
672:
671:
652:
646:
645:
639:
631:
625:
623:
612:
606:
605:
594:
581:
580:
578:
576:
571:on July 24, 2013
561:
550:
549:
547:
545:
540:on July 18, 2018
530:
524:
523:
516:
510:
509:
502:
491:
490:
483:
361:Brooke Gladstone
280:Firing from the
270:Expedia Travels,
162:Brooke Gladstone
41:
38:January 12, 1960
37:
35:
18:
17:
1195:
1194:
1190:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1184:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1123:
1089:
1080:
1069:Andrea Long Chu
961:Joe Morgenstern
943:Justin Davidson
928:
922:
878:
873:
872:
863:
862:
855:
846:
845:
836:
827:
826:
817:
804:
803:
799:
789:
787:
782:
781:
762:
755:"Dan Neil, Bio"
753:
752:
748:
739:
738:
734:
724:
722:
721:. April 2, 2004
713:
712:
705:
694:
690:
679:
675:
668:
654:
653:
649:
633:
632:
621:
619:
614:
613:
609:
596:
595:
584:
574:
572:
563:
562:
553:
543:
541:
532:
531:
527:
518:
517:
513:
504:
503:
494:
485:
484:
480:
475:
432:, owner of the
430:Tribune Company
422:
380:
356:High and Mighty
297:Ford Expedition
285:
217:
174:
140:Ken Purdy Award
69:
42:
39:
33:
31:
23:
12:
11:
5:
1193:
1183:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1114:
1107:
1100:
1094:
1091:
1090:
1083:
1081:
1079:
1078:
1072:
1066:
1060:
1054:
1048:
1042:
1036:
1030:
1027:Emily Nussbaum
1024:
1018:
1012:
1006:
1000:
997:Sebastian Smee
994:
988:
985:Holland Cotter
982:
976:
970:
964:
958:
952:
949:Stephen Hunter
946:
940:
933:
930:
929:
921:
920:
913:
906:
898:
892:
891:
877:
876:External links
874:
871:
870:
853:
834:
815:
797:
760:
746:
732:
703:
688:
673:
666:
647:
607:
582:
551:
525:
511:
492:
477:
476:
474:
471:
421:
418:
379:
376:
375:
374:
373:
372:
347:Keith Bradsher
284:
278:
265:Car and Driver
216:
213:
173:
170:
115:Car and Driver
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
59:
55:
54:
51:
47:
46:
29:
25:
24:
21:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1192:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1170:Living people
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1119:
1115:
1112:
1108:
1105:
1101:
1099:
1098:Complete list
1096:
1095:
1092:
1087:
1076:
1073:
1070:
1067:
1064:
1061:
1058:
1057:Wesley Morris
1055:
1052:
1049:
1046:
1045:Carlos Lozada
1043:
1040:
1037:
1034:
1031:
1028:
1025:
1022:
1021:Mary McNamara
1019:
1016:
1013:
1010:
1007:
1004:
1003:Wesley Morris
1001:
998:
995:
992:
991:Sarah Kaufman
989:
986:
983:
980:
977:
974:
973:Jonathan Gold
971:
968:
965:
962:
959:
956:
953:
950:
947:
944:
941:
938:
937:Gail Caldwell
935:
934:
931:
926:
919:
914:
912:
907:
905:
900:
899:
896:
889:
888:
883:
880:
879:
866:
860:
858:
849:
843:
841:
839:
830:
824:
822:
820:
811:
807:
801:
785:
779:
777:
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
756:
750:
742:
736:
720:
716:
710:
708:
699:
692:
684:
677:
669:
667:9781566252348
663:
659:
658:
651:
643:
637:
630:
617:
611:
603:
601:
593:
591:
589:
587:
570:
566:
560:
558:
556:
539:
535:
529:
521:
515:
507:
501:
499:
497:
488:
482:
478:
470:
468:
464:
460:
456:
454:
448:
446:
442:
441:column inches
437:
435:
431:
427:
417:
415:
414:
408:
406:
402:
398:
396:
392:
387:
385:
371:
368:
367:
366:
365:
364:
362:
358:
357:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
329:
326:Editors from
324:
322:
315:
314:
312:
308:
307:Janet Jackson
301:
298:
293:
290:
283:
277:
273:
271:
267:
266:
261:
257:
252:
250:
248:
243:
242:
236:
234:
230:
229:
224:
223:
212:
210:
205:
203:
197:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
169:
167:
163:
158:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
132:
130:
129:Speed Channel
126:
122:
118:
116:
111:
110:
105:
104:
99:
98:
93:
84:
80:
76:
72:
67:
63:
60:
56:
52:
48:
45:
40:(age 64)
30:
26:
19:
16:
1075:Justin Chang
1015:Inga Saffron
967:Robin Givhan
954:
885:
810:the original
800:
788:. Retrieved
749:
735:
723:. Retrieved
718:
691:
676:
656:
650:
627:
620:. Retrieved
610:
599:
573:. Retrieved
569:the original
542:. Retrieved
538:the original
528:
514:
481:
457:
449:
444:
438:
423:
411:
409:
404:
400:
399:
394:
390:
388:
383:
381:
369:
354:
343:Chinese wall
336:
327:
325:
320:
317:
304:
303:
294:
288:
286:
281:
274:
269:
263:
255:
253:
245:
239:
237:
226:
220:
218:
215:Early career
208:
206:
198:
175:
159:
155:
152:Rumble Seat,
151:
147:
139:
133:
125:Adam Carolla
121:The Car Show
120:
113:
107:
101:
95:
91:
90:
15:
1140:1960 births
1039:Jerry Saltz
979:Mark Feeney
927:(2001–2025)
882:Rumble Seat
685:. LA Times.
622:February 1,
345:. Notably,
332:advertorial
166:Oscar Wilde
160:Journalist
1134:Categories
1033:Hilton Als
473:References
353:'s called
172:Background
50:Occupation
34:1960-01-12
1118:2001–2025
1111:1976–2000
1104:1970–1975
790:April 30,
725:April 21,
575:April 30,
401:800 Words
391:800 Words
222:Spectator
58:Education
955:Dan Neil
719:LA Times
636:cite web
426:Sam Zell
378:LA Times
260:literary
241:AutoWeek
202:LA Times
148:LA Times
109:AutoWeek
92:Dan Neil
22:Dan Neil
544:May 22,
150:column
1077:(2024)
1071:(2023)
1065:(2022)
1059:(2021)
1053:(2020)
1047:(2019)
1041:(2018)
1035:(2017)
1029:(2016)
1023:(2015)
1017:(2014)
1011:(2013)
1005:(2012)
999:(2011)
993:(2010)
987:(2009)
981:(2008)
975:(2007)
969:(2006)
963:(2005)
957:(2004)
951:(2003)
945:(2002)
939:(2001)
664:
459:Forbes
300:later:
53:Writer
192:from
123:with
82:Genre
792:2010
727:2024
662:ISBN
642:link
624:2023
577:2010
546:2010
112:and
28:Born
884:at
351:SUV
309:'s
231:of
204:.
138:'s
127:on
1136::
856:^
837:^
818:^
763:^
717:.
706:^
638:}}
634:{{
626:.
585:^
554:^
495:^
436:.
416:.
211:.
196:.
131:.
106:,
75:MA
66:BA
36:)
1120:)
1116:(
1113:)
1109:(
1106:)
1102:(
917:e
910:t
903:v
890:.
794:.
729:.
670:.
644:)
602:"
579:.
548:.
249:,
117:.
77:)
73:(
68:)
64:(
32:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.