I look forward to this rag going out of business.  They put themselves in this predicament with the lies and deceit they have perpertrated on the American people.  It is only fitting that it goes out of business and the liberal/leftists “reporters” get on Obama Socialist programs, since they lied and pushed for him so hard.

Neither The New York Times nor any other newspaper that is falling on difficult financial times is in that position because of their real or imagined editorial bias.  The simple reason is that younger people (probably those under 50) no longer “read” – and, while that’s going on – the reading ability level of current high school and college students continues to seriously decline.

Today – the average American seems to have an attention span of about 5 seconds – and that 5-second message better be an audio message or, better yet, a video message – or a VERY short message in electronic “text-ese”.  It’s all about instant gratification.  Plus – it seems an awful lot of people are ONLY concerned with those very few and very local things that affect them directly – with very little interest in the wider matters of civics, politics or world affairs.

Chalk it up to MTV, video games and the latest in electronic gimmicks and gadgets.

There is nothing to chalk it up to but the decline in quality of the New York Times, which my family received daily before I went to college, and spent entire Sunday afternoons poring over with my remaining grandparent.  We were no where near New York City, but at that time, it truly was the full of “All the News that’s Fit to Print.”  It has been so long since I was interested in the paper, I don’t even know if that remains across the masthead.

Re: Post 3;

I grew up in the NYC area, too, and there’s no question the NYT 20-30-40-50 years ago was a far different newspaper than it is today.  BUT – in my humble opinion – the quality of EVERYTHING in America, service (including government at every level) or product, has declined significantly over the last 20 years (in particular).

(In the mid-‘80s, for example, based on Consumer Reports, the average effective working lifespan of a standard refrigerator was 22-23 years; today it’s 9-10 years.  In my opinion, the quality of EVERYTHING today is somewhere between WalMart’s ‘clearance department’ and totally down the toilet.)

EVERY newspaper in America is in decline – regardless of its editorial point of view.  And, it’s most often the result of incredibly rising indirect costs, a drastically-changing market demographic, and 24/7 competition from CATV/SATV, internet, and specialty niche providers.  (The same is true in the magazine publishing business.)

The decline of newspapers today certainly has very little to do with their respective “political perspectives”.  That’s just another whiney right-wing rant.

TK really does have a valid argument in “Re:Post3.”  While many of us get a temporary pleasure out of seeing the decline of a paper with such an egregious bias and often blatant disregard of the facts as the NYT, along with a similar decline in many other major newspapers, newspapers occupy a vital and unique place in publishing the news. [Because of their essential nature in spite of their shortcomings, they have often been put down as a necesssary evil, like the police, etc.] It is the local newspapers which keep tabs on our local government functions; nobody else will do it in the future.  Additionally, closing them down means the loss of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of often highly specialized jobs done more often than not by very concientious craftsmen; we should not forget all the workers beyond the city room and editorial desks who put a paper together, print and distribute it. Ironically, even those of us who despise the NYT (as I certainly do) should mount a campaign to save our newspapers while we can for the sake of our democracy.  [One further note on the NYT. New York City is a notoriously (in my humble opinion) liberal city, and a conservative paper would fail there, giving the editors no choice in their bias.  That is has a national circulation is what complicates things.]

The incompetent writers and journalist at the times can only come up with tacky slogans and nothing else with their inept reporting and twisting the truth. The paper they print on is worth more then all the freaks (at the NYT’s) that try to indoctrinate the people. I guess if thing’s get somewhat tough that the NYT’s could be used for t. p. paper!

Re: Wily2, Post 6;

CTR, in Post 5 above, states the real-world reason for the bias in ANY medium:

“One further note on the NYT. New York City is a notoriously (in my humble opinion) liberal city, and a conservative paper would fail there, giving the editors no choice in their bias.”

The natural “home market” area of the NYT, probably running from central Connecticut, through the southern tier of New York State, through all of New Jersey and maybe nearly to the far eastern suburbs of Philadelphia – includes one of the most populous areas of the U.S. – and includes what probably amounts to the “population center” of East Coast Liberalism.

Consequently, as CTR says, newspapers are a reflection of their marketplace.

Check the reversal of the Manchester (New Hampshire) Union-leader: in the Nixon era and before, it was probably the most conservatively-biased newspaper in the U.S.; however, as New Hampshire has become much more populated in the recent 25 years, the state has transitioned to more of a liberal-leaning state – and the Union-Leader has changed also, in order to be more appealing to its specific market.

Today – it’s all about the bottom-line and market share!  “Objectivity” is quickly becoming an obscure word and concept – both media-wise and among individuals.

The reporters and other writers at the NYT are probably among the best anywhere and are certainly not “incompetent”.  What you’re likely objecting to is your perception of the paper’s liberal bias.  (Likewise, do you perceive Sean Hannity’s news-talk program on the Fox News channel -  to be “objective” ???)

TK,
No doubt that the market comes into play and some of their funds that they receive are questionable.
Their internet market is fairly large and they are (as many) letting people go while (all are struggling) the center – right are doing better! People want the truth, we are in very dangerous times and this childish down right wrong reporting is catching up with them. Fox news is no better, they are straddling the fence using the cliche ‘fair and balanced’, give me a break (fox news) they are playing the indoctrination game while the market (to an extent) is cooperating! We as citizens need to know the truth and “will” go to what ever lengths it takes! The real problem is that for years now the public schools have done a huge job at misleading students when it comes to history (American for sure) and used their pedestal to degenerate the way kid’s should be taught! What is really bad about this is that history is repeating itself at the cost of a once great nation! Just one example, this green movement is one of the greatest hoaxes (since the garden) of all time! Also what right does man have to destroy life in the womb for the so called better of man kind? Our worst nightmare (as a nation) is unfolding right before our eye’s and we have these clueless people voting for change, well that’s what we are going to get! But then that gives the (liberal media plenty to harp about for however long we have! This nation was raised supernaturally and she has done what the Creator meant, she lost her first love and The Lord will not be monked!
Shawn H. means well but he is not objective and O’Rielly is full of “hot air” most of the time along w/those log cabin (I’m very independent) republicans! Rupert M. is a elite player and cares only about the bottom $ along with population control! America wants honest no b.s. truth and the ground is shaking.

Re: Wily2, Post 8;

EVERYBODY has an “agenda” today!  EVERYTHING is about the “ME” instead of the “WE” – - and the only way anyone will “keep score” is with MONEY.

I agree with some of the things you say – and the corruption in both major political parties (“corruption” in terms of the failure of the parties and their politicians to “serve the common good”) is why, in my 45 years as an eligible voter – I’ve been registered as an “Independent” for 41 of them!

Personally, I call myself a “Traditionalist” – and would never allow myself to be labeled as a modern Democrat or Republican, or Liberal or Conservative.

Politically, generally, I believe my beliefs are pretty close to historical “Jeffersonianism-Jacksonianism” – and – if there was some “movement” I might support – it would probably be called “Populism”.  I do think, for example, that traditional “JFK Democrats” were W-A-Y more “conservative” than are most of today’s Republicans or “Conservatives”. (???)

I do believe in preserving our borders, language and culture – and I do believe the illegal Mexican immigration problem, coupled with over-population, may well turn out to be among our most significant problems down the road.

TK,
Well said, it really is the “me factor”! Before the microwave folk’s were more family and neighborly oriented. We paid for things with money that we saved and the (me) was last on the list. They were better old days.
Both my Mother and Father were raised on family farms where hard work and a honest hand shake meant a lot! I think this ‘out of sight’ spending that can not be accounted for is really hitting the quick, just do not see a way that might bring our nation back to where she needs to be.