Desperate Times Bring Redesign to NY Times

Desperate times are yielding some extreme measures at The New York Times. Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. just announced a major redesign of the weekday paper that will involve moving the metro section, heretofore a standalone, into the "A" section (where it will coexist with the national and international reports) and merging the business and sports sections. Media Mob had the scoop.

"There will be no loss of content for readers," promises Sulzberger. In fact, they -- and Times reporters and editors -- will benefit from later deadlines in many cases.

The changes take effect Oct. 6.

Disclosure: I've freelanced for the Times.

Comments

[2houndz:]

Brilliant - Pinch takes the skewed slant from page 4 and moves it to page 7 while leaving the skewed slant on page one right where it has been. This is likely to fix all ills as the reader will be blown away by the new look and never figure out that he is still reading the same old crap that serves the publisher's partisanship. Wish I'd thought of that.

2008 Sep 06 10:59 AM

[Roger C. Wren:]

Let's start an over-and-under pool on how many years until this American icon goes broke and ceases publication. I would pick 14 years but at my age I myself may not last long enough to collect my winnings. Pinch (what a nickname) has destroyed an American institution in pursuit of his social outlook.

2008 Sep 06 11:34 AM

[Robert.from.Ct:]

The New York Times is nothing but a Left Wing,America hating rag.........

2008 Sep 06 03:57 PM

[John Pseudonym:]

Very exciting changes!

I'm subscribing right after this post!

2008 Sep 06 05:12 PM

[The Realist:]

Yes ladies and gentlemen, a genius businessman is at work again.

I have no doubt that these moves are going to slash costs and make this a ten times better product. The sky is the limit for this incredible company. I thought they could never surpass the brilliance of reducing the actual size of the pages, but bam, they just keep coming up with better ideas.

Their best move though was without a doubt the one they decided against. The one thing they could have done that would have ruined the company. Yes friends, that is changing the actual paper from socialist propaganda to a real news gathering outfit. Lets be serious, imagine the disaster that would have occurred if they actually started reporting the news instead of providing 100 pages of left wing editorials each day.

These progressives are so out of touch with this country. Just elite snobs who think the reason people don't read their rag is because we are all idiots who cling to our guns and religion. They have absolutely no respect for Americans and their investors are paying for it.

2008 Sep 06 10:21 PM

[Richard Whitey:]

It is 'Punch'.
Punch will burn in Hell with all the rest of the MSM crew. I subscribed to the NYT for decades. It has degenerated into a disgusting mess, fraught with made-up stories, outright lies and prominent slant. It deserves a miserable and ignominious end, which is in process. Rather than keep pace with its readership, it has devolved into something despicable. In its last days, that formerly great institution will be justly mocked.

2008 Sep 06 10:52 PM

[A819:]

you should be in LA. They've done far worse to the LA Times. They (zell) just wanted the real estate anyway, which they've promptly put up for sale.

2008 Sep 07 12:02 AM

[Richard Mason:]

It appears these changes only affect the New York edition, not the national edition. Basically they are making the New York edition more like the national edition. I guess I see how that could save costs.

2008 Sep 07 12:58 AM

[Matt Blackman:]

Don't know why the folks at the New York Times bother. Its best use is in lining the bottoms of bird's cages and the birds haven't even noticed...

2008 Sep 07 01:34 AM

[FilthyLucre:]

The New York Times stupidly ended its online subscriptions. I liked subscribing to the Times online, with the extra benefits the package carried. I wouldn't mind paying something like up to $100 annually for a subscription with a few perks tossed in.

2008 Sep 07 11:21 AM

[notsosmart:]

if it folds i think the world would survive.i havent bothered since it backed castro in the eisenhower years.i survived.

2008 Sep 07 11:45 AM