People often ask me some of the material I read on a daily basis. Being in the business, I've always gravitated to the San Jose Merc; the sports page in the SF Chronicle; and yes, of course, my religion, the NY Times.
A little more than a month ago, the Times began running a local, Bay Area edition every Friday and Sunday. I glanced at it and found it to be mildly amusing and informative, but I'd still read the paper regardless because it still possesses journalistic girth.
In spite of its trajectory into the digital world, I still enjoy reading the print edition of the paper solely because there's so many writers, features, news analysis I want to read, paper-wise, that the electronic edition on a laptop doesn't cut it.
Maureen Dowd is a bit of a whiner lately, but she's still one helluva writer. I don't agree with most of David Brooks politics, but his conservative opines on national politics is a must-read; ditto liberal-leaning Frank Rich who is so good, I often send his clips to relatives who don't read the Times of late.
And of late, the NY Times, like most newspapers is losing voluminous amounts of money. The paper is thinner and the contents, less meatier than in the past. The Sunday edition used to take a day to read; now, I can usually get it read in a little over two hours before perusing the magazines. Even in its obvious leaner condition, the paper is still undeniably the best print journalism in the country.
Somehow, even though it is letting go of a multitude of reporters and editors, the basic tenants of the Times foundation remains solid. Bill Carter writes some of the cleanest, sleekest, interesting inside-TV material going. His Letterman stories detailing everything "Dave", including the Leno/NBC affair and the Late Show hosts' sexual dalliances were first-rate.
The Times entertainment section and specifically, A.O. Scott still make the most mundane, ordinary movie review worth the time and effort to read. Although I'm not a crossword freak, Will Shortz and his square jubilee are a nice visceral glance; can you believe that? Even Richard Sandimor's TV column in the sports page is a pleasure to scan.
So, even as the Times financial condition gets murkier by the moment; its international reporters become ever more scarce; and in spite of its less-than-thrilling local, SF Bay edition, the old Grey Lady is front and center journalistic excellence.
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