Can the Times Survive?

The New York Times brings word today on the business struggles of … The New York Times. The New York Times Company had a 51.4 percent decline in third-quarter profit, and may have to cut dividends and write down the value of its assets. The bad news comes after Standard & Poor’s lowered the Company’s credit rating below investment grade, and Moody’s announced it was considering the same. A small 2.5 percent increase in online revenue couldn’t offset an 18.3 percent decline in print advertising revenue. Meanwhile, Gawker notes, “When the Times Company at long last cuts its dividends, which it must, it is unclear whether the family trust will remain behind the paper or its current regime.”