Howard Kurtz, the longtime media writer for The Washington Post, is leaving the newspaper for The Daily Beast, according to an announcement from his new employer today.

"The Daily Beast turns two tomorrow, and an early piece of birthday good news is that Howie Kurtz, who has won renown for his media and investigative reporting for The Washington Post and as host of CNN's Reliable Sources, is joining The Daily Beast," Editor Tina Brown wrote on the website. “As Washington Bureau Chief, he will lead our reporting in the capital and on the campaign trail. Howie knows that today the interaction of media and politics is the story. He combines integrity and rigorous reporting. He's a tough and lively television presence, as I can attest, as can plenty of others."

The entire release about the new hire is below:

The Daily Beast today announces that Howard Kurtz will join as Washington Bureau Chief. In this new role, Kurtz will oversee the two-year-old site's coverage of Washington and will report and write regularly on politics, media, and the intersection of the two.

Kurtz, who won renown as a media and investigative reporter for The Washington Post, writes a must-read weekly media column and daily blog for the Post. He will continue to host the weekly CNN media program Reliable Sources--the longest-running media show on television. He is the author of five books, including The New York Times bestseller Spin Cycle: Inside the Clinton Propaganda Machine. A 29-year veteran of The Washington Post, Kurtz previously covered Congress and the Justice Department and has also served as the paper's New York Bureau Chief. He is a winner of the National Press Club Award for Media Criticism.

Tina Brown, editor in chief of The Daily Beast, said, “I have great respect for Howard as a journalist and newsbreaker, but I admire him most of all for his understanding of media and politics as the story of our era. He is that rare reporter with a metabolism that outpaces the frenetic subjects he covers. I am excited that he will be a driving force in The Daily Beast's coverage of this upcoming midterm election and for many election cycles to come.”

Of his new role at The Daily Beast, Kurtz said, “I've wanted to work with Tina Brown forever--well, for a long time--and I'm incredibly impressed by the energy and creativity of The Daily Beast staff. After a lifetime in newspapers, I'm ready for the challenge of fast-paced online journalism.”

Daily Beast Executive Editor Edward Felsenthal said, “Howard is a top-tier news-breaker and reporter who, even in print, operates at an Internet pace. He brings to The Daily Beast a fabulous range that spans from the White House to Jon Stewart and George Clooney.”