BREAKING: Robert Farago leaving The Truth About Cars
by Jonny Lieberman on Sep 18th 2009 at 1:30PM 
Robert Farago, the equal parts eloquent and bellicose editor of The Truth About Cars (TTAC) and former blogger for Autoblog and Jalopnik, will be leaving in 60 days. Details are just beginning to trickle in, but so far we know this: TTAC was recently purchased by a company called VerticalScope. Farago has been pushing for an increased editorial budget ever since TTAC's former owner (Name Media) slashed the editorial budget by 80% in late 2008 before eventually slashing it by 100% by March of this year (meaning TTAC's writers haven't been paid since then), prompting the site's sale to VerticalScope. According to our source, the lack of an editorial budget caused Farago's departure. "RF's been getting burned out for a while, but what brought this to a head yesterday was the issue of getting pay for the writers. He pushed for it and all they offered was a pittance, not even enough to pay $10 per article at the rate we publish stuff. He pushed harder, and they refused to budge." So he quit, leaving Edward Niedermeyer in charge of TTAC. Our source continues, "Now [VerticalScope says they will] provide a decent editorial budget -- using the money they were paying [Farago]. TTAC's writers will be paid once again, but they'll use RF's former salary to cover it."
We spoke with Farago and he said the following, "I sincerely hope VerticalScope will maintain the integrity of the TTAC brand. I wish Edward Niedermeyer all the best. I will say that we've proven our point – General Motors went belly up." As for the future, Farago says he will be launching a non-automotive website, but gave no further details.
[Source: The Truth About Cars]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
dave1w41 1:40PM (9/18/2009)
The words "integrity" and the "TTAC brand" could not be more of an oxymoron. More like he hopes they maintain the vile hatred of all things American and built by Americans or designed by Americans and continue their hugging of the nether regions of Toyota and Honda.
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Brian 1:44PM (9/18/2009)
"Built and designed by Americans"? You mean like the Japanese based, assembled in Mexico Fusion/Milan/MKZ? Or the Swedish Ford Taurus? Or the European platform the Malibu is based on? "American" my ass.
anonymous j 1:48PM (9/18/2009)
"and continue their hugging of the nether regions of Toyota and Honda. "
Don't you mean BMW, Benz and Audi or at least in addition to? I can't remember ever reading a good review for any non German car on that site.
dave1w41 1:57PM (9/18/2009)
I didn't spend 4 years working on the Malibu in Europe with thousands of other Americans. I did it in America.
jim 2:24PM (9/18/2009)
I stopped reading TTAC 3-4 years ago and didn't even realize the blog still existed as I seldom see it linked.
FThorn 2:40PM (9/18/2009)
amen to this first post. amen
KA 3:09PM (9/18/2009)
You work for Detroit. How could you possibly have a neutral stance on this? Also, if you remember, your employer had to be bailed out by ME. So RF was right all along. He was right in 2005, and he's right now. Don't be silly and say this anything to do with nationality or patriotism..
mitchw 3:41PM (9/18/2009)
Maybe the site's owners got rid of Farrago for the sake of the other writers. Farrago was so strident, as seen on his one and only appearance on AutolineAfterhours, that I for one was repelled.
Aprime 3:43PM (9/18/2009)
His employer didn't have to be bailed out by you.
Just just elected a bunch of tw*ts that did it for you with your money.
Had you picked the right candidate (not McCain), this would not have happened.
Tool 8:54PM (9/18/2009)
TTAC was an "interesting" place.
They spewed hatred and criticism against every auto brand but you could never criticize or make a negative comment about TTAC or the authors themselves. Plus Michael Karesh was like god over there, and I think he is the biggest idiot since GWB.
I gladly quit participating (or visiting) that place a long time ago.
Autoblog isn't perfect either, but at least you can pretty much say what you want, even if it is a bit crazy from time to time.
AndrewNoNumbers 9:44PM (9/18/2009)
I vaguely remember that site from was when I stumbled upon it Googling for car reviews. Good to know I'm not the only one who thought they were a bit queer.
Jared 3:39PM (9/20/2009)
I haven't visited TTAC after Farago's appearance on Autoline After Hours. If he truly is gone, maybe I'll visit it again.
naturalyshocked 9:15PM (9/21/2009)
@Aprime
dude, i'm not even American, but i do know, that Bush knew about the problem.
he dind't want to touch it, he left it for his predecer(you can research this).
what would you have done?
if Obama hadn't done anything, Chrysler and G.M where gone by now.
(this means, no more corvettes, tahoe's, vipers, etc, etc.)
ford would be the only one that would have survided it.
several 100.000's jobs would have been gone, several 1.000xxx jobs @ part supliers and other industries, like iron, cupper, plastic, etc, etc producers.
they all would knock on the door for unemployement money.
the purchasing power or these newly jobless and many other people around the globe would be affected.
example, they can't buy a new computer, the computer manufacturer can layoff people, the remaining people would have to work more to fullfill the open work area's, the computer manufacturer needs less parts, the part manufacturers automaticly also produces less, part manufacturers would need less resources(plastics, cupper, what ever), the supplier to the part manufacturers would digg less recources and so on.
indirectly in the end effect it would affect you.
yes you, that's right.
want it or not, it would be inevitable to rise taxes for the new unemployement wages, non automotive industry would be also affcted, because the newly created jobles, can't purchase like their where use to.
this would create a realy huge domino effect that would swing around the globe in a blazing speed and all your care is about your own wallet!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you should investigate Mr Obama's history, i did.
he is a realy good man, with the heart on the right spot.
he could have got any corporate job on the highest level.
but instead he choose too help the community.
he is a very good reader, it can be noticed.
instead of blaming Mr Obama, blame the banks and their bonusses.
the people @ the upper level in this biznis, played foul.
they did everything to achieve their goals and walk away with a huge sume of money(bonus) in the beginning of new 'biznis' year.
there was nothing Mr Obama or McCain could do about it.
by the way, why would you choose an old man as president?
you need a man with vision and fresh idea's, not someone who needs medical help anytime soon.
remember cheny?
was he realy there for the people or his wallet?
Americans should learn to think, before reacting 'too' soon.
always look @ both sides, study the problem, weigh the advantages and disavantages + the future effect.
if you understood that, than educate the hillbillies.
it realy amazed me, that people demostrated in front of the white house a last week, afraid of an tax increment.
you have been lucky people for a long time, cheap taxes on goods (example: apple macbook 1999us$ and in europe 1999€), cheap, big and pretty much powerfull cars, cheap feul.
any intelligent person would have known, that this couldn't go on forever.
reminder: don't always think about your own benefit, watch a problem from 2 or more angles, try to walk the midle lane, it's impossible to satisfy each and everyone politically, compromisses have to be made each day.
greeting to all people on this cool world.
Pokey 1:41PM (9/18/2009)
"I sincerely hope VerticalScope will maintain the integrity of TTAC"
That's rich. They certainlty couldn't do any worse.
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phoenix 1:41PM (9/18/2009)
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
The internet now has one less crotch-monkey to whine about how American cars suck. Only question is, where's he gonna' go once his mom kicks him outta' the basement?
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anonymous j 1:56PM (9/18/2009)
haha that actually made me lol
Brian 1:59PM (9/18/2009)
When is GM going to move out of Uncle Sams's basement? Hmm?
Mike 6:09PM (9/18/2009)
Brian,
Why do you even care? You actually have to pay income tax (no not the tax on your welfare check) but actual income tax on a job to have been affected by the government bailout of GM.
Your Mom's income tax doesn't count either just because your living in her basement.
Brian 1:43PM (9/18/2009)
He was right. GM and Chrysler went BANKRUPT, something I'm sure you guys said was "impossible" in 2005. And Ford is well on it's way, being mortgaged up to it's eyeballs (including it's logo! lol)
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dave1w41 1:46PM (9/18/2009)
All three of them have outlived TTAC - because without this fountain of blind and baseless hate, it's over.