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The one and only One hundred years after Adolph Ochs bought The New York Times, his descendants are taking the newspaper in the 21st century. With color graphics, more sections, and more late-breaking news, the Times is poised to defend its position as the most respected and decorated newspaper and publishing conglomerate in the U.S. In addition to the Times, the New York Times Company owns The Boston Globe, New England's leading newspaper, several regional newspapers in the South and California, as well as eight television stations. The company also publishes three magazines and shares ownership of Paris-based International Herald-Tribune with the Washington Post Company. The newspaper has won more Pulitzer Prizes than any other. A proud rise Although two reporters founded The New York Times in 1851, the newspaper's history traditionally starts with Adoph Ochs' 1896 purchase and transformation of the newspaper into a reputable newsgathering organization. The Times, however, did not reach its near-legendary status until the 1960s, when Ochs' grandson, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, facing declining revenues, built the world's largest news staff. The Times' subsequent coverage of the Vietnam War, and controversial publication of the Pentagon Papers, ensured it a place in history. In the 1970s, the company started its acquisition of small regional newspapers, magazines, and television stations. In 1996, The Times launched a successful Web version of its flagship newspaper (www.nytimes.com), and the next year switched to later deadlines and daily color. Tech-savvy Times The Times eventually expanded its web operations to include close to four dozen online sites, including The New York Times on the Web, Boston.com, and entertainment site/city guide New York Today (www.nytoday.com). In 1998, The New York Times introduced a new weekly section called "Circuits", which focuses on new media and technology. The good - and the ugly 1998 was a year for absolute highs and lows - journalistically speaking - at the New York Times Company. At the high point, The New York Times won three Pulitzer prizes that year. But the bubble was burst at The Boston Globe, where reporter Patricia Smith resigned after admitting to making up quotes. Soon after, star columnist Mike Barnicle was asked to resign after he plagiarized material from a book by George Carlin, then lied about it when questioned by editors. His subsequent reprieve was the source of many grievances among The Boston Globe staff. Later Barnicle did in fact resign from the paper. Expanding into digital The company acquired a 6.3% stake in financial information company TheStreet.com in February 1999; and plans to develop a 24-hour joint newsroom with that company. Then, in May 1999, the company announced that it would consolidate all of its web holdings into one business unit, called Times Company Digital. Martin Nisenholtz, previously president of the New York Times Electronic Media Company, will be the new business unit's CEO. A standout among greats In recent years, The New York Times has proven itself as a standout among its peers for more than just the quality of its reporting. While newspaper sales industry-wide have been declining, circulation and sales have increased at the Times. Analysts attribute this in part to the company's unusual focus on advertising. The newspaper's $20 million "Expect the World" campaign has included TV spots featuring the poet Maya Angelou. The company has also emerged as a leader in minority recruiting. The Times boasts a minority population in the newsroom of 15.6 percent in 2000, up from 13.7 percent five years earlier and well ahead of the industry's 11.5 percent average.
Most Times reporters labor at their craft many years, often in small, regional newspapers owned by The New York Times, before being 'called up.' The Times itself claims that this is not the case and that they get their reporters from many different sources. None the less, The New York Times, and its sister newspaper, The Boston Globe, track and recruit reporters, instead of responding to unsolicited resumes. However, the company does accept resumes for its editorial and business staffs at its corporate headquarters. Applicants can contact the company headquarters for the addresses and phone numbers of The New York Times Co.-owned newspapers, magazines, and radio stations. "On the editorial side of it, the interview and tryout process is tough, and they really try to weed people out," a source says. "Still, they hire some really good people and some people who aren't so good - the same as anywhere else."
The New York Times reporters are proud to work for "the best newspaper in the country" and recognize the "obligation" to maintain its standards. Says one insider: "There's a dedication to quality to an extent that I don't think you find in other places." Employees see their colleagues as "fiercely intelligent people" who are the country's "best" - that word again - reporters. However, some employees report being "turned off" by the elitist "We're The New York Times attitude" that pervades the place. And increasingly, workers at all Times publications see themselves as "employed by a brand to be managed and extended." They liken the company's culture to an "ocean liner" that "turns slowly but with great power." The Times "is not likely to be found on the cutting edge, preferring to let others go first and make the inevitable mistakes that come with being a pioneer," a source explains. "Instead, the Times prefers to focus on quality, not speed." Finally, the "fast-paced," "high-pressure" atmosphere sometimes leads junior employees to compete "against each other, not just other newspapers." Employees at the Times laud their pay and benefits which "far surpass" industry standards. Perks include free admission to museums in New York and half-price tickets to Broadway shows. The company had planned to build a day care center in the company headquarters, but that idea was nixed by parents' "refusal to bring their children into Times Square." The dress code varies. "Business side has dress down Fridays; news side has dress down summers - except when you're representing the Times outside the building," a contact says.
Human Resources
Associated Press;Bloomberg;Dow Jones;Gannett;Knight Ridder;News Corp.;Tribune; Washington Post;Times Mirror More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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