Promoting Family Values, Their Own

In the interest of full disclosure, a publication will occasionally include a disclaimer within a story when it may appear that there is a conflict of interest or that they are bein hypocritical. Perhaps that need does not apply in this situation, but the New York Times certainly published one ironic piece on Wednesday.

A story on the front page of the Arts section, dated October 24, 2007, tells of the controversy surrounding the annoucement of John Podhoretz as the next editor of Commentary magazine. Podhoretz's hiring has attracted claims of neopotism; Podhoretz's father, Norman Podhoretz, was editor of the magazine from 1959 to 1995.

While the New York Times only reports on the controversy and not offer its own opinion, the story is still quite ironic considering the history of the paper. One needs only to turn to the editorial page to find why. There one will find a listing of the current staff along with a list of past publishers and the years they held the position.

Adolph S. Ochs
Publisher 1896-1935

Arthur Hays Sulzberger
Publisher 1935-1961

Orvil E. Dryfoos
Publisher 1961-1963

Arthur Ochs Sulzberger
Publisher 1963-1992

And the current publisher... Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. The Ochs-Sulzberger family has been heading the New York Times for 106 of the last 109 years. I wonder if this fact crossed the mind of author Patricia Cohen as she wrote this piece.