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'Blow Me': 'NY Observer''s New EIC Explains Edgy Sandy Headline

The New York Observer's latest headline -- "NEW YORK TO SANDY: ‘BLOW ME.’" -- "was the only [head] we really considered," says editor in chief Aaron Gell, in his first interview since taking on the job two months ago. "I felt like it channeled a certain sense of defiance that New Yorkers were feeling in that moment," he adds. "I think that’s occasionally the role of a paper like the Observer—giving voice to a certain cathartic, gut-level response that would seem out of place in the Times or New York or another more established outlet."

Gell also discusses his plans for the pub, including ways to improve online traffic, and why it will continue in print form: "The idea that we are at heart a newspaper carries tremendous psychological weight—it fuels a certain ambition and sense of purpose that is very difficult to recreate with a purely digital product," he says.

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