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By Thomas Hauser - Five years ago, I wrote an article entitled The New York Times and Boxing. I catalogued every article that appeared in the paper’s sports section over a 100-day period and concluded, “The New York Times no longer covers boxing as an ongoing sport. If a fighter of importance dies, it’s noted. On rare occasions, bouts are referenced. But the paper’s motto – ‘All the News That’s Fit to Print’ – which is prominently displayed in the upper-lefthand corner of page one each day, doesn’t extend to boxing.”
The response to the article was gratifying. Tom Jolly (then the Times sports editor) invited Larry Merchant and myself to breakfast to discuss ways that the Times might improve its boxing coverage. In due course, Greg Bishop became the paper’s go-to boxing guy. Coverage of the sweet science wasn’t extensive, but at least the Times recognized boxing.
Now the pendulum has swung again. In 2011, Jolly was promoted to associate managing editor. He was succeeded as sports editor by Joe Sexton, who gave way in January 2013 to Jason Stallman. Earlier this year, Greg Bishop left the paper to take a job with Sports Illustrated. Since Bishop’s departure, boxing has all but disappeared from the Times.
In May of this year, I decided to repeat my exercise of five years ago. From May 19 through August 26, I tracked every article that appeared in the print edition of the Times that’s distributed in New York.
The conclusion: The New York Times no longer covers boxing as an ongoing sport. If a fighter of importance dies, it’s noted. On rare occasions, bouts are referenced. But the paper’s motto – “All the News That’s Fit to Print” – which is prominently displayed in the upper-lefthand corner of page one each day, doesn’t extend to boxing. [Click Here To Read More]
The response to the article was gratifying. Tom Jolly (then the Times sports editor) invited Larry Merchant and myself to breakfast to discuss ways that the Times might improve its boxing coverage. In due course, Greg Bishop became the paper’s go-to boxing guy. Coverage of the sweet science wasn’t extensive, but at least the Times recognized boxing.
Now the pendulum has swung again. In 2011, Jolly was promoted to associate managing editor. He was succeeded as sports editor by Joe Sexton, who gave way in January 2013 to Jason Stallman. Earlier this year, Greg Bishop left the paper to take a job with Sports Illustrated. Since Bishop’s departure, boxing has all but disappeared from the Times.
In May of this year, I decided to repeat my exercise of five years ago. From May 19 through August 26, I tracked every article that appeared in the print edition of the Times that’s distributed in New York.
The conclusion: The New York Times no longer covers boxing as an ongoing sport. If a fighter of importance dies, it’s noted. On rare occasions, bouts are referenced. But the paper’s motto – “All the News That’s Fit to Print” – which is prominently displayed in the upper-lefthand corner of page one each day, doesn’t extend to boxing. [Click Here To Read More]
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