Might Google Buy The New York Times?

 

Now there’s a concept to stop and really consider.  John Ellis of RealClearMarkets.com lays out the argument that google is a perfect buyer for the paper.  The Times is not immune to the massive downturn in revenue that is gutting other print publications.  With a possible recession on the way, is a buyout from a media empire like Google practical? Sure, why not?  It might not only be practical, but it might be responsible ownership.  We all know how proud the Sulzberger family is of the paper, but does that outweigh its responsibility to its shareholders?  A year ago, a member of the family admitted they they do not know if the Times will be issuing a print edition in 5 years.  So they do recognize that media is changing. 

Ellis writes, “In the last five years, the New York Times has declined in value by an astonishing 70 percent. There is no indication that things will get better any time soon. Indeed, as the specter of recession looms, there is every reason to believe that things will get worse. At some point here in the near future, the market capitalization of the New York Times will fall below $2 billion. At that point, a psychological floor will have collapsed and the company will be in play.”