Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
With the New York Times once again in the front and center of a national conversation about the responsibility the press has to protect secrets, we thought this would be a perfect time to devote a podcast to the (arguably) country's most influential media outlet. Our guest this week is author William McGowan. His new book Gray Lady Down: What The Decline and Fall of The New York Times Means For America takes a critical look at the paper and what its decline means for the future of journalism.
Nothing secret about these bullets, feel free to leak them everywhere:
- Maybe it's just us, but The Mattress Giant mascot seems to be a bizarre choice for a company interested in promoting restful sleep.
- Nero Wolfe is a fictional detective, created in 1934 by the American mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe's confidential assistant Archie Goodwin narrates the cases of the detective genius. Stout wrote 33 novels and 39 short stories from 1934 to 1974, with most of them set in New York City.
- It's really simple: If you live in the Twin Cities and you're already sick of winter, you should move.
- Slate's Jack Shafer wrote an interesting piece that predicts what life without newspapers might be like based on what happened during the newspaper strikes of the 60's.
- Wikipedia has a very good overview of Tom Wolfe's amazing career.
- There are hundreds of newspapers for sale on Ebay printed in the days following JFK's assassination.
- Is James reading a biography of the Peter Smirnoff who first mass produced vodka? We'll ask him.
- The New York Times utterly predictable stance on "don't ask, don't tell" may be viewed here.
- According Editor and Publisher, newspaper circulation fell by 5% in the first six months of 2010 -- except for the Wall Street Journal which rose by 1.82%. The New York Times is 3rd on the list.
- Peter Robinson wrote a post wondering why the New York Times still matters that garnered dozens of comments. The comment Peter refers to by Ricochet member Aaron Miller is here.
- Up until the late 70's, newspaper ink was petroleum based, which gave it a distinctive odor. The industry switched to soy based inks as a defense against rising oil prices.
- Apologies for the occasional Skype noises on this podcast. An update to the software we use to record the podcast changed some settings without asking. Very rude.
The direct link to this week's episode is here, but we'd really love it if you'd subscribe. Don't use iTunes? Visit our Feedburner page for a number of other subscription options.
Music from this week's episode:
- Let Yourself Go by James Brown
- Levon by Elton John
The Ricochet Podcast is sponsored by Encounter Books. Our featured title this week is Gray Lady Down: What The Decline and Fall of The New York Times Means For America by William McGowan. Available at EncounterBooks.com and for Kindle at Amazon.com.
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Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
For all its failings, the New York Times still does offer a quantity and quality of journalism matched by few other publications. I've long had a love/hate relationship with the paper and now that I no longer live in Manhattan, I rarely read it. But I would certainly hate to see it go.
It's the same with NPR. Many are the times I hear something from them that makes me think, "Well done. And probably no one else would have done it."
Alternative media, Internet advertising and Craigslist are killing the newspaper business. The question is: when they're gone, who will pay real journalists to do real reporting?
Oct '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
James Lileks doesn't think I'm an idiot! Rob thinks I'm upscale, fun, interesting and witty!
Perfect time to come out of my shell and ditch the pseudonym and be myself. ElevenX is no more, Robert McKay at your service!
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Blue Yeti:
Ooh, a Nero Wolfe reference... can't wait! While I'm camped out at the Old Folks' home looking after Aged Relative #1, I take a Nero Wolfe novel along to occupy the dead time (so to speak). That, and Jane Austen. Mix it up, right?
It's a clever advertising ploy. Scare you out of enough sleep and you'll think there's something wrong with your old mattress.
Edited on December 2, 2010 at 6:26pmJul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Thanks for the informative, albeit long overdue, obituary. I trust the next pod cast will return to current topics? Maybe how journalism can achieve professional funding levels in the current business market?
Or has Mr. Murdoch already shown the way?
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
I have a hate - hate more relationship with the NYT. My favorite newspaper throughout my life was the International Herald Tribune (also mentioned on the podcast). I have read & subscribed to it for decades - principally in Europe and Asia. Even when it was owned jointly by the Washington Post & NYT, it was well written, informative and not too obnoxiously balanced.
Three months after the NYT took over sole ownership, I cancelled my subscription. "News" stories became barely hidden editorials and the leftward shift was marked. I haven't read the NYT for many years, but if it is anything like what they did to the IHT, I din't know why anyone bothers.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
You've mentioned this before, and I share the concern and consider it the best defense of the NYT and friends.
But it's moments like this when we have to redouble our faith in markets. If Kenneth and Peter and Rob and so many more crave on-the-ground reporting, then the market will fill that need, one way or another. How, we don't know--maybe a thousand and one Michael Yon's will emerge--but it'll happen.
The NYT is as dispensable as GM.
Jun '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
An old preacher's adage goes, comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. What tires is that as a conservative, I am always and ever to be afflicted. I'm sick of it and I'm even more sick of my supercilious, soi-disant scourges. The death of the New York Times cannot come soon enough for me.
Nov '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
I'm excited for Peter's book on the Cold War. My kids always ask: "Dad did you fight in the war?" I always answer, "Yes, I fought the cold war." Which is true. I did get shot at by Russian soldiers on the East German border, so that counts.
Edited on December 2, 2010 at 6:54pmRe: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
If you don't want to read Nero Wolfe - and I haven't - you can listen to some old radio versions, here, for free. Get the 3rd series - it has Sidney Greenstreet as Wolfe, sounding like he's inhaled about six pounds of sawdust. Gerald Mohr makes a breezy Archie.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
I look forward to your book, Peter. Your Reagan biography was refreshingly straightforward.
Rob's comparison of journalism with the music industry is excellent. As CDs are increasingly replaced by mp3 downloads while services like YouTube and Xbox Live enable online performances, musicians are less dependent on publishers for distribution and marketing. The need for publishers has not been eliminated, but the business is changing at its core.
Perhaps the biggest change is that ability of musicians to succeed financially without a major publisher. That's what is happening in journalism right now. The creators are less and less dependent upon giant corporations for distribution and marketing. Though there will always be a handful of major publishers, the market is being decentralized. Consumers increasingly seek information from smaller, more focused organizations. Niche markets are becoming ever more viable.
An American newspaper should be something people discuss between football games. A great news organization brings together reasonable advocates of competing biases without trying to homogenize their styles. I want to read John Richard Neuhaus in the same paper as Mark Steyn, with some Gary Larson comics mixed in. Leave comprehensive analysis to periodicals like First Things and National Review.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Perfect.
Or in other words: "Pruned, it grows again."
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
"author William McGowan who's book Gray Lady Down: What The Decline and Fall of The New York Times Means For America "
Heavens- Ricochet staff is dominated by writers and English/lit majors, and we get this?
I live in the Minneapolis area and I am indeed already sick of Winter. Unfortunately, I am an old and pale guy with no discernable skills, and thus not employable. If I wasn't grandfathered into my current job, I would starve on the street.
So I will whine, now, non-stop, until mid-March.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Good catch, Duane. I fixed it.
Sorry I can't do the same for the weather.
Edited on December 2, 2010 at 11:52pmMay '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Mr. Lileks, good call on the lack of smell of the latest version of newspaper. What I actually miss is the smell of the Times' Sunday Magazine; not sure it is/was the same smell. I also miss the amazing anticipation of waiting for the Times to hit Manhattan news stands the night before...ANOTHER INTERNET-RELATED DEATH...
The New York Times is dead, but in imho, so is Manhattan, generally.
Edited on December 3, 2010 at 12:51amJul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Lamenting over the demise of the nyT (paper edition) is like crying over the end of production of the Conestoga Wagon due to the invention of the horseless carriage.
Words have the exact same meaning if they are written or printed on paper or typed on a computer. And all the references to "journalists" (printed in the paper) and "bloggers" (printed on the web): snooty and hilarious. How about they're all "typists[?]"
I've got three words to anyone who wants to keep their newspapers afloat: Content, Content, Content.
Not to mention the subtitle to the book: "The Decline and Fall....." They ain't that important. It's called a business cycle.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Lileks said "..everyone who writes for the style section shaves their legs, women and men alike..." (39:50 mark)
Funny, I would have guessed that of those who write for the NYT Style section, it would be the men who shave their legs, and the women who don't....
Edited on December 3, 2010 at 5:22amRe: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Speaking of Nero Wolfe, let me put in a good word for the A&E production of a bunch of the stories a couple years back—you can get the whole set on DVD (or presumably streamed from Netflix). They are very good. Timothy Hutton is a breezy, cheery Archie, and the late Maury Chaykin does a great job with Wolfe once he settled into the role (in the first couple episodes, he had one tone: yelling irately).
Unusually for TV, it actually used a repertory cast. That is, aside from a few recurring characters (Saul Rubinek's Lon Cohen, Bill Smitrovich's Inspector Cramer, and Colin Fox's droll turn as Wolfe's chef Fritz Brenner), the secondary characters in each drama were played by the same set of actors in each episode. I found Kari Matchett to be the absolute standout of the repertory crew.
Anyway, well worth your time, if that's the sort of thing you like.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
But, I should note, the books are a treat. Popular fiction, to be sure, but extraordinarily well-written and not in the least insulting to the intelligence.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Peter, thank you!!! for refuting Bill's comment that The Economist values free market principles similarly to the WSJ. Your description of how they skew is the exact reason I cancelled my subscription.
Re: Ricochet Podcast #46: Times Like These
Ken Owsley: I'm excited for Peter's book on the Cold War. My kids always ask: "Dad did you fight in the war?" I always answer, "Yes, I fought the cold war." Which is true. I did get shot at by Russian soldiers on the East German border, so that counts. · Dec 2 at 9:54am
Edited on Dec 02 at 09:54 am
Whaaat? Ken, you've just got to tell us your story. Shot at? Tell us--please.