...in a cycle of non-stop, the-world-is-ending bad news.

The Rapid Decline of the New York Times



The money quote...

"The future looks grim indeed for Pinch Sulzberger and the company he leads. Slowly accelerating decline is the best case scenario at the moment. For a man born to wealth unto the generations, prominence, prestige, and a legacy to uphold, it must be humbling to see the future of the family patrimony crumbling before him."

Since the government is bailing out everyone these days the blogger with many visions™ predicts that Congress will float a bill to subsidize these old dinosaurs in 2009.

Related
Vanity Fair Asks Why People Hate the NY Times

Then there's the question of the paper's attitude. "Almost in inverse proportion to its own survivability, The New York Times becomes more and more holier-than-thou," says Michael Wolff. "You’ve lost your way journalistically, you've lost your way from a business standpoint, you've lost your way from an authoritative standpoint, and yet you are still so holier-than-thou."

Update
This puff piece in Advertising Age on Pinch Sulzberger is oxymoronic.

Despite this expansion into the Journal's core competency, Mr. Sulzberger avoids talk of direct confrontation. As a London correspondent for the AP from 1976 to 1978, when he joined the Times, he saw British papers react when Mr. Murdoch took over the Times of London. "It didn't help them, because they stopped remembering who they were," he said. "We're not going to."

I'm not sure it's working Pinch. The cranks who buy your rag aren't enough to offset your complete lack of business acumen.

Update 2
Belief Growing That Reporters are Trying to Help Obama Win

The New York Times’ refusal today (Monday) to run an op-ed piece by John McCain challenging an article in the paper less than a week ago by Barack Obama is sure to further fuel the belief that much of the major media is biased in favor of the Democratic candidate.

The public is validating (via Rasmussen) what many conservatives have long believed.

The money quote...

A Rasmussen Reports survey earlier this year found that just 24% of American voters have a favorable opinion of the New York Times. The paper’s ratings divided sharply along partisan and ideological lines, with liberals far more supportive of the paper than conservatives.

Update 3
Genuine Shock: New York Times Runs Obama Editorial, Refuses to Run McCain's

The Gray Lady Rejects McCain
The story of the senator's discarded op-ed explains why the New York Times is dying.

Labels: left-wing media