Arthur Gregg Sulzberger
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Arthur Gregg Sulzberger (born August 5, 1980) is an American journalist serving as the chairman of
the New York Times Company The New York Times Company is an American mass media corporation that publishes ''The New York Times'' and its associated publications such as ''The New York Times International Edition'' and other media properties. The New York Times Company's ...
and publisher of its flagship newspaper, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''.


Early life and education

Sulzberger was born in Washington, D.C., on August 5, 1980, to Gail Gregg and Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. His paternal grandfather,
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Sr. (February 5, 1926 – September 29, 2012) was an American publisher and a businessman. Born into a prominent media and publishing family, Sulzberger became publisher of ''The New York Times'' in 1963 and chairman of t ...
, was
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, and the rest of his family is of Christian background, including
Episcopalian Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protes ...
and Congregationalist. He also has English and
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
ancestry. Sulzberger is a fourth-generation descendant of
Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (March 12, 1858 – April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of ''The New York Times'' and ''The Chattanooga Times'', which is now the ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Through his only child, Iphigene ...
, who bought the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' in 1896. The ''Times'' has been managed and published by Adolph Ochs's family since that date. Sulzberger attended Ethical Culture Fieldston School and
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
, graduating in 2003 with a major in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
. At Brown, Sulzberger worked briefly for ''
The Brown Daily Herald ''The Brown Daily Herald'' is the student newspaper of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Established in 1866 and published daily since 1891, The ''Herald'' is the second-oldest student newspaper among America's college dailies. It ...
'' as a contributing writer.


Career


''Providence Journal''

After being encouraged by Brown journalism professor Tracy Breton to apply, he interned at ''
The Providence Journal ''The Providence Journal'', colloquially known as the ''ProJo'', is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, the largest newspaper in Rhode Island, US. The newspaper was first published in 1829. The newspaper had won four ...
'' from 2004 to 2006, working from the paper's office in
Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolit ...
. While there, he revealed that membership of the Narragansett Lions Club was not open to women. Despite threats from the club to withdraw their advertising if the story ran, the ''Journal'' published Sulzberger's story. The club began admitting women a few months later.


''The Oregonian''

Sulzberger worked as a reporter for ''
The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...
'' newspaper in Portland from 2006 to 2009, writing more than 300 pieces about local government and public life, including a series of investigative exposés on misconduct by Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Giusto.


''The New York Times''

Sulzberger began writing for ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' as a metro reporter in February 2009, which published his first article on March 2. He became a national correspondent, heading the Kansas City bureau and covering the Midwest region. The 2017 film ''
Kodachrome Kodachrome is the brand name for a color reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935. It was one of the first successful color materials and was used for both cinematography and still photography. For many years, Kodachrome was widely used ...
'', directed by
Mark Raso Mark Raso is a Canadian narrative filmmaker and co-owner of the production company Fidelio Films. He is best known for writing and directing the feature-length film ''Copenhagen (2014 film), Copenhagen'' in 2014, directing ''Kodachrome (film), Kod ...
, is based on his 2010 article about a rural community that became the last place to develop
Kodachrome Kodachrome is the brand name for a color reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935. It was one of the first successful color materials and was used for both cinematography and still photography. For many years, Kodachrome was widely used ...
film. In 2013, Sulzberger was tapped by then-executive editor Jill Abramson to lead the team that produced the ''Times'' Innovation Report, an internal assessment of the challenges facing the ''Times'' in the digital age. He was the lead author of the 97-page report, which documented in "clinical detail" how the ''Times'' was losing ground to "nimbler competitors" and "called for revolutionary changes". The Innovation Report was leaked to
BuzzFeed News ''BuzzFeed News'' was an American news website published by BuzzFeed beginning in 2011. It ceased posting new hard news content in May 2023. It published a number of high-profile scoops, including the Steele dossier, for which it was strong ...
in March 2014. Sulzberger was named
associate editor An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...
for newsroom strategy in August 2015. In that role, he was part of the group that outlined the ''Times'' plan to double the news outlet's digital revenue by 2020 and increase collaboration between departments, dubbed "Our Path Forward". ''
Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...
'' credited him with having a central role in the document's creation. In October 2016, he was named deputy publisher, putting him in line to succeed his father as publisher. His cousins Sam Dolnick, now a deputy managing editor of the ''Times'', and David Perpich, now head of standalone products and a member of the New York Times Company board, were also considered for the role. On December 14, 2017, it was announced that Sulzberger would take over as publisher on January 1, 2018. He is the sixth member of the Ochs-Sulzberger family in the role. Though The New York Times Company is public, all voting shares are controlled by the Ochs-Sulzberger Family Trust. SEC filings state the trust's "primary objective" is that the ''Times'' continues "as an independent newspaper, entirely fearless, free of ulterior influence and unselfishly devoted to the public welfare". On his first day as publisher, Sulzberger wrote an essay noting that he was taking over in a "period of exciting innovation and growth", but also a "period of profound challenge". He committed to holding the ''Times'' "to the highest standards of independence, rigor, and fairness". As publisher, Sulzberger oversees the news outlet's journalism and business operations. Sulzberger has been the principal architect of the news outlet's digital transformation and has led its efforts to become a subscriber-first business. He became publisher on January 1, 2018, succeeding his father Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., although the elder Sulzberger remained
chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...
of The New York Times Company until the end of 2020. Sulzberger became the chairman of The New York Times Company on January 1, 2021. Sulzberger met with President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
on July 20, 2018. The meeting was off-the-record, but after President Trump tweeted about it eight days later, Sulzberger "pushed back hard" to dispute the President's characterization of the meeting. Sulzberger said in a statement that at the meeting, he "told the president directly that I thought that his nti-presslanguage was not just divisive but increasingly dangerous. I warned that this inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists and will lead to violence." Sulzberger met with President Trump in the
Oval Office The Oval Office is the formal working space of the president of the United States. Part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, it is in the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C. The oval room has three lar ...
a second time, on January 31, 2019, for an on-the-record interview along with ''Times'' reporters Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman. He has said that an independent press "is not a liberal ideal or a progressive ideal or a Democratic ideal. It's an American ideal." In 2020, Sulzberger voiced concern about the disappearance of
local news In journalism, local news refers to coverage of events, by the news, in a local context that would not be of interest to another locality, or otherwise be of national or international scope. Local news, in contrast to national or international new ...
, saying that "if we don't find a path forward" for local journalism, "I believe we'll continue to watch society grow more polarized, less empathetic, more easily manipulated by powerful interests and more untethered from the truth." ''
The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British newspaper published weekly in printed magazine format and daily on Electronic publishing, digital platforms. It publishes stories on topics that include economics, business, geopolitics, technology and culture. M ...
'' published a study evidencing a gradual leftward shift in the partisan slant of ''The New York Times'', beginning in 2017. The New York Times' former opinion section editor James Bennet, in light of the paper's Tom Cotton controversy, also disagreed, arguing that by catering to a partisan readership and an influx of new journalists focusing on digital content the New York Times under A.G. Sulzberger had taken on an "illiberal bias". A ''
Politico ''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American political digital newspaper company founded by American banker and media executive Robert Allbritton in 2007. It covers politics and policy in the Unit ...
'' report detailed that Sulzberger has made a sit-down interview with President
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
a priority for the newspaper, which claims to have interviewed every sitting president since
Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
. Despite efforts to secure an interview, including appeals from Sulzberger directly to Vice President
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
, the White House has not allowed the ''Times'' the same level of access to the president as it did during the Trump Administration. An anonymous ''Times'' journalist told ''Politico'' in 2024, "All these Biden people think that the problem is Peter Baker or whatever reporter they’re mad at that day ... It's A.G. ulzberger he's the one who is pissed
hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...
Biden hasn't done any interviews and quietly encourages all the tough reporting on his age." In a statement from ''The New York Times'', an uncredited spokesperson responded to the story emphasizing that it "should be troubling that President Biden has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term", and the paper's commitment to a free press. Both Baker and fellow Times reporter Jonathan Swan have taken issue with Politico's reporting on Sulzberger. On social media, Baker said, "AG wants us to cover this president — and every president — as fully, fairly and aggressively as we can because that’s our role. That’s true regardless of whether we get an interview. AG takes our responsibility very seriously and is a complete straight shooter." In response, Sulzberger wrote: "James Bennet and I have always agreed on the importance of independent journalism, the challenges it faces in today's polarized world, and the mission of The Times to pursue independence even when the path of less resistance might be to give into partisan passions. But I could not disagree more strongly with the false narrative he has constructed about The Times."


Criticism of Sulzberger

Sulzberger's administration of the New York Times has been criticized by a number of different outlets, on topics ranging from coverage of transgender people to the
Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...
. In 2024, the Journalism Academy, in a letter signed by more than 50 journalism and news media professors, called on the New York Times "to conduct a thorough and full independent review" of its processes for reporting on the events of
October 7 Events Pre-1600 * 3761 BC – The epoch reference date (start) of the modern Hebrew calendar. * 1403 – Venetian–Genoese wars: The Genoese fleet under a French admiral is defeated by a Venetian fleet at the Battle of Modon. * 1477 ...
.


Personal life and family

Through his father, Sulzberger is a grandson of Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger Sr., great-grandson of
Arthur Hays Sulzberger Arthur Hays Sulzberger (September 12, 1891December 11, 1968) was publisher of ''The New York Times'' from 1935 to 1961. During that time, daily circulation rose from 465,000 to 713,000 and Sunday circulation from 745,000 to 1.4 million; the staff ...
, and great-great-grandson of
Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (March 12, 1858 – April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of ''The New York Times'' and ''The Chattanooga Times'', which is now the ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Through his only child, Iphigene ...
. In 2018, he married Molly Messick.


See also

*
New Yorkers in journalism New York City has been called the Media in New York City, media capital of the world. Many journalists work in Manhattan, reporting about international, American, sports journalism, sports, business journalism, business, entertainment journalism ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sulzberger, A. G. 1980 births Living people 21st-century American newspaper publishers (people) American chairpersons of corporations American people of English descent American people of German-Jewish descent American people of Scottish descent Brown University alumni Businesspeople from Washington, D.C. Collegiate School (New York) alumni Journalists from Washington, D.C. Sulzberger family The New York Times corporate staff The New York Times publishers The New York Times journalists The Oregonian people The Providence Journal people