Is The New York Times Still Necessary?

IS THE NEW YORK TIMES STILL NECESSARY?
[SOURCE: Public Broadcasting Service, AUTHOR: Michael Getler, PBS Ombudsman]
[Commentary] The New York Times asked if PBS is still necessary and Getler turns the tables. Is the New York Times still necessary, he asks? Of course, "more necessary than ever before, it could be argued, because the major newspapers in this country, along with dozens of other quality regional papers, are facing huge technological, financial and readership challenges that have come together to threaten their future. And that, in my view, threatens our future as well." But, by the same token, "at a time when newspapers are cutting back and probing journalism is threatened, when commercial television, with the exception of CBS's Sixty Minutes, adds little to in-depth treatment of issues, and cable not much more, why would there be any gain for the public in doing away with public television and its contribution to public affairs? And what would all those millions of people without cable do? It seems to me that this needed to be addressed if you are going to hang this theme out there in such a prominent way."
http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2008/02/is_the_new_york_times_still_necessa...