RIP Arthur Sulzberger

Dead at 86:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/nyregion/arthur-o-sulzberger-publisher-who-transformed-times-dies-at-86.html?pagewanted=all

 

This country owes him a great debt for growing and defending one of the best newspapers in the world.

 

A giant of the industry no doubt, but does he really merit a 7,500-word obit? I daresay presidents don't get obits that long in the Times.

 

That obit was something, wasn't it?

Can't really begrudge it though. The guy was a giant in the industry, and it's his paper.

 

RIP. And thanks for the link, Yankee.

The Pentagon Papers are prominently mentioned, appropriately so, but The New York Times v. Sullivan got the briefest of briefs. The obit does mention, though, the majority of litigation was apparently on his brother-in-law's watch.

Pentagon may be The Times' finest accomplishment for defending the First Amendment, but I would assert Times v. Sullivan is a very close second.

 

Legally, the impact of Times v. Sullivan can't be underestimated. I would guess you could also say the same journalistically.

 

In the later case though, the Times was dragged in as an unwitting defendant after running an ad. They fought like lions to be sure, but they were forced into it. The Pentagon papers were more a case of going on offense first.

 

Good point. I suppose winning the Sullivan case helped The Times follow the courage of its convictions insofar as Pentagon.

 

An obit 14 years in the making:

Wasn't there a recent obit where the obituarist had already passed away?

 

Bob Hope's guy was already dead, I remember that.

 

That might be the one I was thinking of. It as someone on his level of fame.

 

Also Elizabeth Taylor's ...

http://blogs.wSportsJournalists.com/speakeasy/2011/03/23/new-york-times-obit-writer-for-elizabeth-taylor-died-6-years-ago/