Slate magazine is developing a business version of its general politics and culture site for a launch by next summer, NYO reports, and Reuters also confirms later. Though the creation of an online business news adjunct has yet to be formally approved by Slate’s parent, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive,  Slate deputy editor tells the NYO he is certain about the need for such a site. With the introduction of the attendant websites of Conde Nast’s Portfolio and Fox Business Network over the past few months, Plotz contends that political journalism has become more variegated with the rise of blogs, but “business journalism is still dominated by big brands… We think there’s an opening for a really smart, analytical, opinionated Web site that could be Webby and fast and agile.” Um, except, WaPo isn’t a small brand/company either.

Rather than being inspired by those two big brands’ business journalism moves, the NYO, citing unnamed sources, says the notion of branching out was spurred by Post executives’ positive reactions to SlateV, the magazine’s video channel. Again, citing unnamed sources, NYO writes that Slate made overtures to Elizabeth Spiers, the founding editor of Gawker and Dealbreaker, about running the proposed operation, but were rebuffed.

Rafat adds: Looks like the site will be at SlateB.com….at least that’s a domain name Slate/WPNI registered earlier this year.