The New York Times has shown grace throughout its run as America’s most properest newspaper, but never was it more classy and honorable than today, in a story announcing that the most horrific of sacrifices has been made to offset its economic woes: the sale and placement of front page display ads. Oh, the horror blah of it all.
As we read the story, we recalled how the Times had recently re-mortgaged their fancy new midtown behemoth building, oh and laid off a bunch of staff. Here’s how it went: Layoffs, remortgage, display ads. You stay classy, Times decision makers!
First of all, it’s no joke that printing news on paper each and every day is really expensive. And yes, there’s something to be said for holding on to the standards that have set your rag apart from the riffraff for the better part of a century. But standards don’t mean squat when they come at the cost of the very people who make the damn thing possible. Right?
The ad space, which went into use today, is “two-and-a-half inches high, lies horizontally across the bottom of the front page, below the news articles and a brief summary of some articles in the paper.” Oh, and it’s below the fold. For those of you not familiar with news jargon, that means…below the fold.
Traditionally, content placed below the fold is considered less important. Well, compared to whatever is above the fold at least. Of the BTF placement, one tweeter noted, “background noise…when they put it above the fold, lets talk.” And as the article notes, the front page doesn’t cost much more than other highly coveted spaces throughout the paper.
All this proves is that when times are tough, we do what’s needed to make ends meet. The practice of survival is ever changing — but when it comes to the New York Times, well, they had it coming.