Overview

The New York Times Company is an American mass-media corporation headquartered in The New York Times Building in Manhattan. It is best known as the publisher of The New York Times, one of the world's most prominent newspapers, but its contemporary business extends well beyond the printed newspaper. The company operates a portfolio of journalism, subscription, audio, games, product-review, and sports-media offerings, with The New York Times and its associated digital services at the center of the group. The company's origins are connected to the first issue of the New-York Daily Times, published in New York City on September 18, 1851. Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones established the newspaper with an ambition to create a morning publication with durable civic and commercial importance. The newspaper later became The New York Times and, after Adolph Ochs acquired it in 1896, developed under the Ochs-Sulzberger family into a major national and international news institution. The corporate structure ultimately became The New York Times Company. During the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century, the company diversified into broadcasting, radio, regional newspapers, cable television, online information services, and specialist media. It owned or invested in television stations, WQXR classical-music radio, the International Herald Tribune, About.com, Baseline StudioSystems, and other properties. Some of these businesses were later sold as the company narrowed its focus. The divestitures of the broadcast group, regional newspaper assets, About.com, and The Boston Globe reflected a strategic preference for concentrating capital and management attention on core Times-branded journalism and digital growth. The company faced serious structural pressure as print advertising declined and consumer media habits moved online. In response, it introduced a digital paywall for NYTimes.com in 2011. The subscription model became a central pillar of the business, supporting investment in reporting while reducing reliance on print advertising. The company subsequently expanded the definition of a Times subscription through products such as cooking, games, audio, product reviews, and sports journalism. The New York Times Company accelerated this subscription and digital strategy through acquisitions. The Wirecutter added a respected consumer-product review service; Audm strengthened narrated journalism and audio; Serial Productions added podcast production capabilities; Wordle broadened the company's games offering; and The Athletic brought a large subscription-based sports-news operation into the portfolio. The Athletic continues to operate with a degree of editorial and organizational separation while contributing to the company's broader subscription bundle. The company is publicly traded under the symbol NYT. Its dual-class share structure gives the Ochs-Sulzberger family substantial governance influence despite the public trading of Class A stock. Meredith Kopit Levien became president and chief executive officer in 2020, succeeding a period in which the company increasingly presented itself as a digital subscription and product company rather than only a newspaper publisher. A. G. Sulzberger serves as publisher of The New York Times and chairman of the company. Its present identity combines a global news brand, a subscription platform, and a portfolio of adjacent digital products.

History

The New York Times Company's history begins with the launch of the New-York Daily Times in 1851. Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones founded the newspaper in New York City, where its first issue appeared on September 18 of that year. The publication developed into The New York Times and became a significant American newspaper. Adolph Ochs acquired the newspaper in 1896, establishing the family ownership tradition that continues to influence the company through its dual-class share structure and the Ochs-Sulzberger family trusts. For much of the twentieth century, the business was principally associated with newspaper publishing, but it also accumulated a broad collection of media assets. It acquired WQXR radio in 1944 and operated the classical-music station for decades. In the 1990s, the company entered cable and broadcast-related activities, including an investment in the Popcorn Channel and the acquisition of Palmer Communications. It later participated in Discovery Times, a television venture that was subsequently transferred to Discovery and relaunched as Investigation Discovery. The company also expanded its newspaper and specialist-information holdings. It became the sole owner of the International Herald Tribune in 2003 after acquiring The Washington Post Company's remaining interest. In 2005 it purchased About.com, an online consumer-information service, and in 2006 acquired Baseline StudioSystems, a database covering the film and television industries. These investments reflected the company's attempt to participate in the growth of online information and specialized digital content. The mid-2000s also brought a retreat from several non-core activities. The company sold its broadcast group in 2007, disposing of nine network-affiliated television stations and related digital operations. WQXR-FM was sold to WNYC in 2009, ending the company's long ownership of the station. Regional newspapers were sold to Halifax Media Group in 2011, while Baseline StudioSystems was returned to its original owners that same year. About.com was sold to IAC in 2012, and The Boston Globe and other New England properties were sold to John W. Henry in 2013. A major strategic turning point was the shift from an advertising- and print-led model toward paid digital subscriptions. The company launched a paywall for its main website in 2011, seeking to convert the newspaper's large online audience into paying readers. The effort became increasingly important as print circulation and advertising faced long-term pressure. The company subsequently invested in digital product development, data, audio, games, cooking, product reviews, and other services intended to increase engagement and create a broader subscription relationship. The acquisition of Wirecutter in 2016 added a consumer-review business with a subscription and commerce connection. Audm and Serial Productions, acquired in 2020, strengthened narrated journalism and podcasting. In 2022, Wordle added a mass-market puzzle franchise, while The Athletic brought a subscription sports publication into the company. These moves supported the company's strategy of building a multi-product digital subscription bundle around journalism and adjacent forms of content. The company remains publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker NYT. Its Class A shares are publicly traded, while Class B shares are privately held and largely controlled by descendants of Adolph Ochs through the 1997 Trust. This arrangement gives the family continuing influence over board representation and strategic direction. The company's headquarters are in The New York Times Building in Manhattan, and its contemporary business is organized around a global digital audience, paid subscriptions, premium advertising, and a portfolio of related media products.

2022
Wordle and The Athletic join the portfolio
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The company acquired Wordle and subscription sports publisher The Athletic as part of its multi-product strategy.
2020
Audio and podcast expansion
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The company acquired Audm and Serial Productions and appointed Meredith Kopit Levien as chief executive.
2016
Wirecutter acquisition
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The company acquired the product-review site Wirecutter, expanding beyond conventional news publishing.
2011
Digital paywall launches
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
Paid digital access became a central response to the decline of print advertising.
2003
The company becomes sole owner of the International Herald Tribune
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The company purchased The Washington Post Company's remaining interest in the international newspaper.
1997
Public-company share structure is established
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The company adopted the dual-class structure associated with the 1997 Trust and publicly traded Class A shares.
1944
WQXR radio acquisition
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The newspaper acquired the New York classical-music radio station WQXR.
1896
Adolph Ochs acquires The New York Times
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
The acquisition established the Ochs-Sulzberger family connection that later shaped the company's governance.
1851
First issue of the New-York Daily Times
[1]The New York Times Companyen.wikipedia.org
Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones launched the newspaper that became The New York Times.

Products and positioning

A premium, globally recognized journalism and subscription-media group built around trusted reporting, distinctive editorial franchises, and a growing bundle of digital products.

Newspaper and digital news · 1851
The New York Times
The company's flagship journalism publication, distributed in print and through digital platforms. It covers national and international news, politics, business, culture, science, opinion, and other editorial areas. Its digital edition is the foundation of the company's subscription business and reaches readers worldwide.
International newspaper
The New York Times International Edition
The international edition extends the Times brand to readers outside the United States, combining international reporting with selected content from the broader New York Times newsroom.
Product reviews · 2011
Wirecutter
A consumer-product recommendation and review service acquired by the company in 2016. Wirecutter evaluates products across household, technology, travel, and lifestyle categories and operates as a distinct editorial brand within the broader Times portfolio.
Digital games
New York Times Games
A collection of puzzles and word games offered as part of the company's digital product ecosystem. The portfolio includes the acquired Wordle game and is designed to support frequent engagement and subscription bundling.
Sports journalism · 2016
The Athletic
A subscription-based sports news publisher acquired in 2022. It provides reporting, analysis, and features across professional and college sports and continues to operate with a distinct editorial identity under the company's ownership.
Audio journalism
Audm
A subscription audio service acquired in 2020 that converts long-form journalism into narrated listening experiences and supports the company's broader audio strategy.
Podcast production
Serial Productions
A podcast production company acquired in 2020. Its addition gave the Times greater control over original audio storytelling and expanded its presence in the podcast market.
Radio · 1944
WQXR
A classical-music radio property owned by the company for decades after its 1944 acquisition. The company sold WQXR-FM to WNYC in 2009, ending the property’s place in the corporate portfolio.

Controversies

2021
Judge orders The New York Times to return Project Veritas legal documents
A Westchester Supreme Court judge ruled that The New York Times must turn over confidential legal memos it obtained and published about Project Veritas, finding that the newspaper violated founder James O’Keefe’s attorney-client privilege.
Source
2020
Lawrence Lessig sues The New York Times over interview
Lawrence Lessig filed a defamation suit against The New York Times Company and other defendants, alleging that a headline about his interview misrepresented his remarks and harmed his reputation. The Times denied the accusations and said it planned to defend against the claim.
Source
2020
New York Times podcast announcement draws backlash
In July 2020, The New York Times announced a new podcast titled "Nice White Parents." The announcement drew criticism on social media, where critics characterized the podcast or its framing as racist or bigoted. The event is recorded as a controversy note concerning the announcement of the podcast and the public reaction to it.
Source
2020
The New York Times responds to errors in the Caliphate series
The New York Times acknowledged significant errors in its reporting about Shehroze Chaudhry and provided a correction limited to the Caliphate podcast feed, according to the article. The article says the publication had not removed the episodes or related stories.
Source
2020
The New York Times apologizes for publishing an opinion article
The New York Times apologized after employees protested the publication of an opinion article by Senator Tom Cotton calling for military action against protests, saying the article had not met its standards and should not have been published.
Source
2019
New York Times faces criticism over whistleblower details
In September 2019, The New York Times faced criticism from readers, national security experts, and whistleblower-protection advocates after it published details about a whistleblower, including the individual's employer and expertise. Critics said the disclosure could compromise the individual's safety. The criticism centered on the decision to make such identifying details public rather than on any disputed fact about the whistleblower's account. The episode drew attention to the tension between news reporting and the protection of people who raise concerns through official channels.
Source

Marketing campaigns

2009The New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award
United States
The company launched an award honoring an American playwright who had recently made a professional New York debut.
Outcome. Tarell Alvin McCraney received the inaugural award, followed by Dan LeFranc in 2010.
Source
2008I Love My Librarian!
United States
The company partnered with Carnegie Corporation of New York and the American Library Association to honor librarians for meaningful service to their communities.
Outcome. The program became an annual recognition of exceptional librarians.
Source
2007Nonprofit Excellence Award
New York City · Long Island · Westchester
The company introduced an award recognizing nonprofit organizations for strong management practices.
Outcome. The award was presented to multiple eligible nonprofit organizations.
Source

Brand decisions

2022
Acquisition of The AthleticM&A
Background
The company was broadening its subscription offering with specialized digital content.
Action taken
The company acquired subscription sports publisher The Athletic.
Aftermath
The Athletic became part of the company's portfolio while retaining separate editorial and operating characteristics.
Reported acquisition price. 550 million US dollars (2022 acquisition)
Source
2020
Appointment of Meredith Kopit Levien as CEOOther
Background
The company was pursuing a digital subscription strategy and expanding beyond its traditional newspaper format.
Action taken
Chief operating officer Meredith Kopit Levien was appointed president and chief executive officer.
Aftermath
The company continued emphasizing digital subscriptions, product development, audio, games, and portfolio expansion.
Source
2016
Acquisition of WirecutterM&A
Background
The company sought additional digital products with strong audience engagement and subscription or commerce potential.
Action taken
The New York Times Company acquired Wirecutter.
Aftermath
Consumer-product recommendations became part of the Times product portfolio.
Source
2013
Concentration on core Times brandsStrategy
Background
The company had accumulated regional newspapers and other media properties while the economics of newspaper publishing were changing.
Action taken
It sold The Boston Globe and related New England properties to John W. Henry.
Aftermath
The company became more concentrated around The New York Times and its digital businesses.
Source
2011
Launch of the digital paywallStrategy
Background
Declining print advertising revenue created pressure to develop a more direct digital consumer-revenue model.
Action taken
The company began charging for access to portions of its online journalism through a digital subscription system.
Aftermath
Digital subscriptions became a central component of the company's business model and product strategy.
Source
2006
Exit from the Discovery Times television ventureStrategy
Background
The company had jointly participated in a cable network later known as Discovery Times.
Action taken
The company sold its interest to Discovery.
Aftermath
The channel was later relaunched as Investigation Discovery.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Publications sue Brave over alleged AI scraping and paywall bypassing[8]Lawrence Lessig sues The New York Times over interviewtheverge.com
Reported: 2026-11-02
The New York Times and other publications filed lawsuits against the company that makes the Brave browser, alleging unlawful scraping to train AI and that the browser lets users bypass their paywalls.
2026-11-02
The New York Times sues Brave over alleged content scraping[9]Lawrence Lessig sues The New York Times over interviewtechcrunch.com
Reported: 2026-11-02
The New York Times sued Brave in federal court in Manhattan, alleging that Brave scraped the outlet’s copyrighted content and unlawfully distributed it to customers.
2026-10-16
The New York Times promotes Gabriel Gianordoli[14]《纽约时报》晋升加布里埃尔·吉安多尔利editorandpublisher.com
Reported: 2026-10-16
The New York Times announced that Gabriel Gianordoli was promoted to deputy editor, Digital News Design.
2026-08-20
The New York Times appoints Marjorie Olster as Culture desk news director[15]《纽约时报》任命Marjorie Olster为文化版新闻总监editorandpublisher.com
Reported: 2026-08-20
The New York Times announced that Marjorie Olster, previously Middle East regional editor on the International desk in London, will join the Culture desk as its news director.
2022-02-07
The New York Times launches the Independence campaign[16]《纽约时报》推出“独立”营销活动nytco.com
Reported: 2022-02-07
The New York Times launched “Independent Journalism for an Independent Life,” a brand marketing campaign featuring subscribers and highlighting the role of its journalism in their lives. The campaign includes TV, digital, print, out-of-home, social and audio spots.
2022-02-01
The New York Times completes acquisition of The Athletic[17]《纽约时报》完成对The Athletic的收购awfulannouncing.com
Reported: 2022-02-02
The New York Times Company completed its $550 million all-cash acquisition of The Athletic on Tuesday, February 1, 2022.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
2022-01-31
The New York Times acquired Wordle[18]《纽约时报》收购 Wordleyahoo.com
Reported: 2022-01-31
The New York Times acquired the Wordle puzzle game from its creator, Josh Wardle. The purchase price was reported as being in the low seven figures.
2022-01-31
The New York Times acquires Wordle[19]《纽约时报》收购 Wordlenpr.org
Reported: 2022-01-31
The New York Times' Games division acquired the online word game Wordle for a reported low-seven-figure sum. The New York Times said gameplay would not change and the game would remain free to use.
2021-12-24
Judge orders The New York Times to return Project Veritas legal documents[11]Judge orders The New York Times to return Project Veritas legal documentsnydailynews.com
Reported: 2021-12-24
A Westchester Supreme Court judge ruled that The New York Times must turn over confidential legal memos it obtained and published about Project Veritas, finding that the newspaper violated founder James O’Keefe’s attorney-client privilege.
2021-09-21
Donald Trump sues The New York Times over tax-return reporting[7]Lawrence Lessig sues The New York Times over interviewwcbe.org
Reported: 2021-09-22
Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against The New York Times and several of its reporters, alleging that they procured his niece's search for tax documents and interfered with a confidentiality agreement. The newspaper said it planned to defend itself.

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