NYT newsroom: 1,300 journalists a decade ago
About 10-11 years ago the NYT had a shrinking newsroom of about 1,300 journalists; since then subscription growth has enabled significant expansion.
Snapshot · Freakonomics Radio
675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?
Explore episode
May 15, 2026
Where this was said
Alex Hardiman: The Times' Pivot From Print-and-Ads to Subscription-First
At 24:11 · chapter starts 23:09
Alex Hardiman has been at The New York Times since 2006, starting in product marketing and advertising. She recalls her first week on the job included figuring out how to sell sponsorships for the Freakonomics blog. By the time Dubner is interviewing her, she's Chief Product Officer of one of the world's most-watched digital media pivots. Ten to eleven years ago, she says candidly, the Times was playing defense: only about 1 million digital subscribers, a shrinking newsroom of about 1,300 journalists, and no clear path to growth. The newspaper monopoly that had long supported the business — classifieds for jobs, real estate, cars, legal notices — had been shattered by Craigslist, then gutted further by Web 2.0 search and social. Many news organizations chased traffic by unbundling their content. The Times decided in 2015 to go the opposite direction: subscription-first, destination-first, and built on direct reader relationships — though Hardiman notes the digital paywall actually launched in 2011.
The NYT Was Dying — Then Games Arrived
A decade ago, the NYT had only 1 million digital subscribers, a shrinking newsroom of 1,300 journalists, and no clear path to growth. The pivot to subscription-first, powered in part by games like Wordle, has taken them to nearly 13 million — with a target of 15 million by 2027.
NYT digital subscription model launched 2011
The New York Times launched its digital subscription model in 2011, earlier than many realized, well ahead of its 2015 pivot to a subscription-first strategy.
Similar snapshots
Media: 90% negative coverage 10 years ago
Kalanick estimates that a decade ago, 90% of media coverage of tech business was negative, treating companies like political targets.
Largest crime drop since 1937
2024–2025 marked the single largest decrease in violent crime and murder in the US since 1937.
Violent crime down 9% in 2024–25
From 2024 to 2025, violent crime decreased 9%, property crime decreased 12.4%, and motor vehicle theft decreased 23%.
Ebony Alert went into effect January 1, 2024
California's Ebony Alert Program, designed for the swift recovery of missing Black youth and women, officially went into effect on January 1, 2024.
UK tourist ETA costs $20 to apply
Andrew Santino discovered that American tourists now need to pay $20 to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK, starting January 2025.
Kay Classman, 28, posed as a 16-year-old student
Kay Classman, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested for repeatedly enrolling in a Bronx high school posing as a 16-year-old student across multiple school districts.
16% of Americans: 9/11 inside job
A poll around 2011 found that 16% of Americans believed 9/11 was an inside job, illustrating how viral misinformation had already embedded itself in public opinion before social media peaked.
$300K debate offer to Candace Owens
Andrew Wilson offered Candace Owens $300,000 to debate her Charlie Kirk conspiracy theory, but she refused.
Only 11 killed by Israeli pager bombs
According to the podcast, only 11 people were killed by the coordinated Israeli pager attack on Hezbollah operatives, despite widespread detonations.
