What's with the duo's overuse of the term "secular?" I guess it's a very kind way of saying print has been hurting since the 1950s, but twice in one email? Janet Robinson was probably trying to prove that she really is so, so clever: she is such a big fat overpaid epic fail--the Stan O'Neal of media.
Of course, Hirschhorn didn't actually predict that the Times would stop printing in May. He just raised the possibility to show how dire NYT Co.'s predicament really is. The fact that his "prediction" is cited waaay out-of-context here leads me to believe that this memo was ghost-written by Maureen Dowd.
I haven't read the piece yet, but if this is ALL there is to the embarrassing tidbits, who cares? Are you kidding, thinking this is damning in any way! It's sounds like a badly put together hodgepodge of pure nothing, all intended to denigrate the publisher, but its intentions apparently fall short. Who cares about a quote from Winston Churchill that may or may not be literal? Who cares if Sulzberger passed on ads with Amazon? Who cares if he talks about his reporter days? REALLY, WHO CARES? Let the Vanity Fair writer take a look at his own publisher, Graydon Carter, who does all kinds of stupid if not illegal things. Sulzberger is actually a very bright guy, who made a few mistakes -- like we all do -- but who runs The Times better than any of his naysayers would do, if given the chance. And that wasn't a damning quote by Rattner; that was just more malevolent spin aimed at Sulzberger, who as publisher of the most influential paper in the world is, of course, an easy target, and would be, whether his name was Sulzberger or not.
@Tweezergal: You know, I was with you half-way through your comment and then you lost me. Yes, a lot of this stuff is pointless, and nobody should really care. But Sulzberger has run into the ground a company that is one of the most respected in the world and that has by far the most recognizable brand in its industry. He's done that through both a willing obliviousness to changes in the marketplace and a sneering superiority that prevents him from seeing or fixing the flaws in his business. He is squandering his patrimony out of arrogance, and the only question is whether the rest of the family will sell it out from under him before it's bankrupt.
@DaveCrabtree: And how do you know this? How do you know about Sulzberger's "willing obliviousness" or "sneering superiority"? Those two assaults seem to be mantras of a media mob that has chosen Sulzberger as a punching bag, to sell their own rags and to exculpate their own sins. All papers, worldwide, are having financial problems, and many have gone under. But The Times is still putting out a great product.
@Tweezergal: Well, we can debate about whether it's still a great product, but my knowledge comes from working with him, not as a Times employee but as an outside advisor. And I think he's been chosen as a punching bag by the rest of the media because he had the most to work with and has done the least. The Washington Post doesn't get the same venom, neither does anyone else other than Sam Zell, who's not a newspaper guy.
Besides, this is Gawker. We trash people regardless of whether they're deserving of it. Why are you defending him?
Just read the article. Sure, it's a write-around, but it's also a thinly reported regurgitation of Arthur's past interviews (Charlie Rose, think tanks) and past profiles. Few people go on the record, which is to be expected, but there's very little that's new here. Arthur "has no rays?" Okay, how's his Kung-Fu grip? And how many times are we going to hear about Arthur's ridiculous stuffed moose? The piece also carries an annoying hectoring tone, as if Bowden is lecturing a pet who just soiled the rug.
This is Bowden's first piece for Vanity Fair, but it falls short of his usual rigorous reporting standards.
06/25/09
06/25/09
06/25/09
05/01/09
I salute you.
04/30/09
03/30/09
[www.newyorker.com]
03/30/09
03/30/09
Will you lie for me, cry for me
Die for me, will you please?
Oh, never never never never never never never say no
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
And how do you know this? How do you know about Sulzberger's "willing obliviousness" or "sneering superiority"? Those two assaults seem to be mantras of a media mob that has chosen Sulzberger as a punching bag, to sell their own rags and to exculpate their own sins. All papers, worldwide, are having financial problems, and many have gone under. But The Times is still putting out a great product.
03/30/09
Besides, this is Gawker. We trash people regardless of whether they're deserving of it. Why are you defending him?
03/30/09
This is Bowden's first piece for Vanity Fair, but it falls short of his usual rigorous reporting standards.
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
02/18/09
02/18/09
[finance.yahoo.com]
02/18/09
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