[FC-discuss] Brill's "secret" plan to save the New York Times

[Parker Higgins]

On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 11:12 AM, Karen Rustad <karen.rustad at gmail.com>wrote:

> Stephen Paul Weber wrote:
> >
> > I think his assumptions are flawed.  He assumes that traditional media
> > is higher quality journalism than good blogging, that it must be more
> > expensive than good blogging, and that people would want to read it over
> > good blogging.
> >
> >
> The thing about the newspaper versus blog debates that has never ceased
> to befuddle me: Newspaper proponents argue that papers support
> international correspondents, in-depth investigation, and a high level
> of fact-checking which (most) blogs do not have the resources to
> support. Yet, in hard times, what always gets the axe? International
> correspondents, in-depth investigation projects, quality control--all
> the things that are supposed to make newspapers unique! I actually had
> the chance to ask the head editor of the NYT this and all he could say
> was, "I should have you ask my boss that..."
>
> If they're gonna get rid of everything that makes newspapers worth
> reading...why read them?
>
> -- Karen


I attended a lecture by the managing editor of the New York Times yesterday,
Jill Abramson, and she would seem to agree with your viewpoint, Karen.  She
was very afraid for the other papers who are slashing staff now, and the
impression she sought to give, at least, was that the NYT was not engaging
in the same practices.  She likened it to the bleak 1970s in New York, when
the NYT actually expanded their paper, so as to be better prepared for when
the pendulum swings back in their favor.

She did stress how expensive the things you mentioned are.  You'd have to be
very forward looking (and it seems, thankfully, that the NYT is) to continue
to engage in very expensive practices because they're the practices that,
for now at least, seem to be lacking in your primary competition.

Parker



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