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Who Will Op-Ed the Op-Eds?
If “all the news that is fit to print” becomes an argument more than a mission statement, Americans are going to see fit to find their news elsewhere.
The New York Times is having a rough week. Long time columnist Tom Jones summarizes:
In case you missed what happened, here’s a quick explanation: The Times ran an op-ed from Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who said the military should be deployed to deal with protests across the country. Times staffers and others said the op-ed was dangerous, threatening and not factual. More than 800 Times staffers signed a letter objecting to it, saying it put people of color in jeopardy.
At first, publisher A.G. Sulzberger and Bennet defended the op-ed, saying the Times should welcome views from all sides. But then Bennet said it was wrong to run the op-ed, that it was rushed into publication, that the editing process was flawed and, shockingly, then admitted to not even reading the op-ed before it ran online. The Times addressed the issue in a company-wide town hall on Friday and, while Times staffers remained angry and confused, it appeared Bennet would keep his job.
Then came Sunday’s sudden resignation, which reportedly surprised staffers at the Times.
