New York Times Company The

Word has it in journalism circles that most Times reporters labor at their craft many years, often working at small, regional newspapers owned by The New York Times Company, before being "called up" to join journalism's big leagues. The Times itself has claimed that this is not the case and that it hires talented reporters from many different sources, and one assistant editor concurs: "The opportunity for advancement is excellent, as I have had three promotions in a little over seven years." Nonetheless, The New York Times and its sister newspaper, The Boston Globe, tend to keep an eye out for talented potential hires, instead of just responding to unsolicited resumes. "On the editorial side of it, the interview and tryout process is tough, and they really try to weed people out," a source says. Another adds, "Interviews are far less important to being hired than performance on the editing tryout," a four-day session at the company headquarters; superb candidates are flown there at the company's expense.