US: New York Times page 1 succumbs to commercial pressures

These latest two additions mark a growing trend within the newspaper industry, which is seeking a way out of the current financial crisis, often at cost to traditional editorial.   In fact, Reuters estimates that the NYT could make a further $28.6 million per year, selling the prized advertising space at $75,000 a day - up to $100,000 on Sundays.

The New York Times is one of the last newspapers in America to sacrifice front-page space for advertising, joining other major players such as the Wall Street Journal.  Overseas, French, Italian and British newspapers have already turned over prized front-page spaces to advertisers.

The move strikes a blow to those at the paper who have tried to retain its integrity and avoid losing editorial due to commercial constraints, publisher and owner Arthur Sulzberger for example.  It is also a concern to readers and others in the industry such as the Guardian, who have long seen the NYT front page as 'a bastion of editorial standards in an increasingly commercial world'.

Furthermore, the advert headline is larger than any of the editorial headlines on the front page - although in a statement, the paper assured readers that advertisements would only ever be printed below the fold.

Source: boston.com, guardian.co.uk