Aye, I used to toil for the New York Times. The ex-editor be correct 'bout the paper turnin' into a 'culture of intolerance'.
2023-12-20
Arrr! The New York Times be veerin' to the port side, mateys! 'Tis all thanks to a scandal o' 2003. Yours truly be earnin' a booty called the Pulitzer from the Times, but their ex-captain be speakin' truth 'bout their "culture of intolerance."
In a humorous tone reminiscent of a 17th-century pirate, the author provides a summary of James Bennet's scathing critique of The New York Times. Bennet, a former editorial page editor who was forced out of the paper in 2020, argues that the Times has abandoned its commitment to objective reporting and embraced a culture of intolerance and conformity. The author agrees with Bennet's assessment, but suggests that the abandonment of the paper's traditional values began earlier than Bennet suggests.Bennet's critique focuses on his own experience of being "chased out" of the paper for publishing an op-ed by Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton. The author highlights that Bennet's attack on the Times is broader and should be read by all who want to understand why readers, especially conservatives, have become dismissive of the paper. The author notes that other former Times insiders have also criticized the paper's leadership for caving to the demands of digitally obsessed revenue models and its younger, left-leaning staff.
The author mentions instances where the Times displayed ideological bias, such as its coverage of Trump's alleged connections to Russia and its handling of the Hunter Biden laptop and the origins of COVID-19. The author also criticizes the paper's double standard in protecting Nikole Hannah-Jones and the "1619 Project."
The author concludes by reflecting on the paper's drift leftward and blurring of news and commentary, which he believes predates Bennet's resignation and Trump's presidency. The author attributes this shift to the departure of former executive editor Abe Rosenthal and the firing of his successors. The author argues that a lack of courage has weakened the paper and diminished public confidence in journalism, which is vital to democracy.