Can Talk Walk The Walk

Starting-From-Scratch Buzz: Brown’s rep was made righting sinking ships (Vanity Fair and The New Yorker), not creating a brand-new product. Counterbuzz: Now that Talk itself is sinking, maybe she can right it.

Underfunded Buzz: Brown was suddenly without the megabudgets she had at previous gigs. Money can fix a lot of problems. Counterbuzz: She’s getting more dough to play with.

Fresh Faces Buzz: In the wake of staff departures, Brown hired big gun Robert Wallace, as well as other new team members. Can these ringers get things on track?

Specialization Buzz: How do you start a general-interest ’national conversation’ in an age of Internet babble and cable-channel explosion?

Ugly Cover Buzz: Newsstand sales flagged because of too-busy cover designs–featuring has-beens like Liz Taylor. Just in time, a redesign is on the way.