NYT : Dealing With Assange.

In Sunday Magazine. Bill Keller writes about how The Times dealt with Assange . Should be a great read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/magazine/30Wikileaks-t.html

 

Just finished. Pretty fascinating story about whole thing came about and what the Times did to vet the story.

Keller spends a lot of time trying to justify The Times role. Not sure I'm buying.

Also think there is a lot more behind the story.

One interesting fact is that 500,000 Govt employees had the clearance to access those documents. Seems like an awful lot.

In light of fact that Wikileaks has now played a roll in setting turmoil in Tunisia and Egypt makes story even more interesting.

 

The story was very one-sided, as the editor consistently patted himself and his reporting staff on the back.

 

They should pat themselves on the back. They get part of the credit for bringing down 2 dictators in the past month.

 

That's fine to say. I'll add that I'd have rather read Schmitt's account of working one-on-one with Assange, or perhaps a bunch of anecdotes from reporters and editors (including Keller) about working with Assange and WikiLeaks. If only because anything C.J. Chivers writes will be better than other things.

The article had the feeling of Keller viewing this as his time to put himself clearly and forwardly on the map among New York Times readers who may not be journalists. We all know who Bill Keller is, but he's hardly a name even on the level of many of his own writers, despite his Pulitzer Prize for USSR reporting. He lacks the cachet of Chivers or Thomas Friedman or, certainly, Maureen Dowd, as far as the general readership goes.

 

I was more than a little disappointed with the story. I thought the second half of the piece lost its focus; it turned into a lengthy editorial about why the NYT did what it did.

 

Almost more "Why the New York Times does what it does" than "did what it did."

 

I haven't read to the end yet, but wondering who profits from the 'Open Secrets' ebook the Times is selling. Who would hold the copyright on this?

 

Sounds like the Times. Maybe a cut going to contributors.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/45920-nyt-s-first-e-book-exclusive-keller-s-wikileaks-story.html

http://www.suite101.com/content/new-york-times-publishes-open-secrets-nook-owners-get-exclusives-a339769

http://www.daemonsbooks.com/2011/01/28/new-york-times-to-publish-first-e-book/

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110201/GJLIFESTYLES/110129587/-1/foslifestyles

The Times, owned by The New York Times Co., has been looking to grow revenue in digital businesses to offset declines in print advertising. It will soon charge readers who go over a certain monthly limit of free articles at its website.

Executive Editor Bill Keller will write an essay on how the Times got involved with WikiLeaks and why it decided to publish the documents. The e-book will contain essays from Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd. It will also include the full text of the documents that the Times has published on its website, along with 27 additional cables selected for the e-book.

 

Frank Rich column:

It's all George Bush's fault.