Making News at The New York Times

Acknowledgments

This project would have been impossible without the unconditional support I received at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and at the George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs. I extend my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Larry Gross, for his support, advice, and critique. I also want to thank my dissertation committee, Henry Jenkins, Geneva Overholser, and Patti Riley, for their feedback and willingness to let me write a “book” instead of a traditional dissertation. Larry had me change hands and sent me to Joe Turow, a fantastic scholar, editor, and author at Annenberg East—the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School. Joe took this manuscript for his ambitious new series with the University of Michigan Press and provided incredible insight, editing, and trenchant support to get it into shape. I am incredibly lucky to have had him at my side. I also have been fortunate to have had the kind support of Tom Dwyer, past executive editor at the University of Michigan Press, who has been steadfastly supportive of my potential as a junior scholar.

I would also like to thank all of the many senior scholars who have helped me from graduate school to this point. In addition, having the chance to engage with Herbert Gans through years' worth of emails and far too few in-person meetings has been humbling and challenging. My cohort of junior scholars engaged in similar work have been astoundingly supportive, considering that we could be jealously at heads with each other. I particularly want to thank C.W. Anderson for our friendship and his collegiality, and I would be at a loss without Matt Carlson, Seth Lewis, and Matt Powers and our regular email banter. The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs has been encouraging throughout this process as I have moved from dissertation to book. I want to thank all my colleagues, especially Kim Gross, Frank Sesno, Steven Livingston, Bob Entman, and Catie Bailard. Kim, Frank, Silvio Waisbord, and Matt Hindman read various drafts of this book; Bob provided amazing advice about the publishing process, Silvio a chill pill. Matt challenged me and helped me think through some serious blocks, and I am lucky he was working on a new book as I began mine. Our colleague emeritus Jerry Manheim read much of this manuscript. All of my colleagues deserve thanks, and I expect our ties to deepen over the coming years. My dutiful research assistant Todd Kominiak read every word and formatted the document. And of course, deep gratitude goes to those who helped make sure I was housed and fed, and properly funded and reimbursed: Christine Lloreda at Annenberg and Maria Jackson at GWU.

Finally, special thanks to The New York Times and the business desk in particular. Larry Ingrassia and Bill Schmidt let me into the newsroom, and Kevin McKenna guided me while I was there—and answered any and all possible questions I might have. Special thanks to a few Times staffers who made my work so much fun: Tanzina Vega, Michael J. de la Merced, Mark Getzfred, Brian Stelter, Javier Hernandez, Eric Dash, and Kelly Couturier. Liz Alderman was the crucial link in my International Herald Tribune knowledge and in a visit to Paris, which was truly amazing. Many at The Times helped in so many ways, though of course all errors here are my own.

Thanks to all of my friends outside the walls of academia who have helped me through this process—both with the manuscript and with your kind support. And special thanks to my wife, Shelly Layser, who continues to be my inspiration. I couldn't ask for anything more in a life partner.