It would seem that The New York Times is heading to TV with a new series in mind. Essentially it sounds like it will be very much the same thing as the news they already deliver, but onscreen and in a much more dramatic manner. In other words it sounds like it’s about to become something between network news and the Today Show. That might be a little too cynical but it is a concern at this time since so many news shows that have come to TV have been beset by problems that stem from the transition that is felt from one medium to the next. The move to TV could possibly damage the credibility of the Times if it’s not handled correctly or if the ratings aren’t high enough and someone in the front office thinks it needs a little push.
That’s the inherent danger with any newsroom, the ability and the propensity to achieve higher ratings by blowing things out of proportion. There are a lot of newsrooms that won’t stoop to this level and the Times is usually one of them. But given that there is so much competition when it comes to the news it almost seems like the Times would be best served staying where they are and making due with their current reputation. Unfortunately it could be that their need to branch out stems from the idea that online news is at times a rather up and down business that depends entirely on the subscribers, and if not enough people are subscribing to the site on a regular basis it could be that they are feeling the need to get to where people can see their newscasts instead of just having to read them.
The article attached to the link above would seem to indicate that things are not as bad as they could be, though it seems to gloss over this pertinent fact as well. It could be that The Times are doing just fine and wanted to expand, but it could also be the reason mentioned above has some truth to it. Many online sites have been faltering in the last few years as subscribers are hard to be found and don’t tend to stick around as often as they used to when the news was still delivered to the front stoop instead of to one’s email or mobile device. The generational shift is still catching up it would seem, if it ever will, and the subscribers are still there, but they might need a little more incentive to really increase their numbers.
Then there’s the matter of who people trust to deliver the most in-depth and reliable news coverage. The New York Times has been on top of this for quite some time and has kept itself as free from bias as it possibly could, delivering factual news coverage without taking sides. That’s the only real concern that lies ahead as it seeks to begin its tenure on the small screen.
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