In an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson said the paper is doing well and changing:
Things are looking up at The New York Times. The newspaper isn’t going anywhere. We’re making the digital transition, I believe, very successfully. And some of the things that you’re hugging in the newspaper, even more powerfully displayed and more informative on the Web and on our apps. We have a robust readership of people who feel getting home delivery of the print New York Times is still essential to their day and my job is to try to keep it that way.
On paid content: It’s going very well. All of the numbers are actually — initially and now a year into it — quite good and quite strong. And it’s created a new revenue stream that’s very important at the Times. In print newspapers, there’s always advertising and circulation and digitally mostly ads. But now we’re leading the way, trying to really make a big success in digital subscribers.
On the paper’s local readership: New York is still part of our DNA and important to the soul of the publication, but the actual metro area has, over time, been not the main part of our print readership. And online it’s more of an international and national audience.
But it’s an incredible source of news. It’s a focus of our energy. But it’s less of a New York paper than it was when I was growing up here and addicted to reading it …
It changes, but if you look at the front page, I think, over the past year while I’ve been executive editor, you’ll find a lot of very gripping regional and New York stories.
New York is still very much in the DNA of The New York Times.
On Afghanistan coverage: It’s difficult to cover. It’s dangerous. It’s 10 years plus. The attention span of the media, especially in your corner of the trade, television, is not always sustained on a story like that. And I think in the coming year there will be more coverage because we’re looking at the draw-down of troops, and what will happen in Afghanistan after that will be an important story.
On being one of Forbes’ most powerful women: It’s an honor. But the only power I have derives from the impact of the journalism of my colleagues.
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