Arthur Sulzberger Jr has insisted the New York Times “is not for sale” in a bid to squash speculation after the Graham family sold the rival Washington Post to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Sulzberger, chairman of the New York Times Company, said his family is “united in our commitment” and maintained the listed company “has both the ideas and the money to pursue innovation”.
That looked like a nod to the fact that the Grahams sold the Post after 80 years because they felt Bezos offered better digital thinking.
Bezos paid $250 million (£162 million), more than double what most analysts expected.
Sulzberger is under financial pressure as growth in digital struggles to offset falling print sales. He sold the Boston Globe last week for $70 million to Liverpool football club owner John Henry.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has been linked with a possible bid for the New York Times.
