The New York Times is one of the oldest daily newspapers in America dating back to 1851 when it was founded. Since it was founded The New York Times has won 112 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other news organization. It has also remained as one of the top circulating newspapers, only behind USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. The New York Times covers several sections from sports to business and almost everything else.
One of the top stories in today’s paper that caught my attention was Sharks and Nature Cooperate For Solo Cuba-to-Florida Swim. Diana Nyad, an endurance swimmer, has attempted to swim the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida 5 different times for the past 35 years. In the past Nyad has run into various problems that prevented her from completing the swim. These problems included box jellyfish, sharks, storms and currents taking her off course, and in her previous attempt four years ago an asthma attack. This time however, Nyad came prepared for all of these problems. She had divers swim ahead of her with special sappers to keep the sharks away. The box jelly fish were almost non existent, except for one swarm, which was dispersed by the shark divers. Nature as well was relatively nice to Nyad, only throwing one storm her way, but even that didn’t throw her off course. On her fifth attempt Nyad was finally able to complete the 110 miles swimming nonstop and without the aid of a shark cage, becoming the first person to do so.
Another story that caught my eye was Verizon to Pay $130 Billion To Fully Own Its Own Wireless Unit. Verizon Wireless is set to buy out its longtime partner Vodafone of Britain and take complete control over its telecommunications operations in the United States. This deal will cost Verizon $58.9 billion is cash, $60.2 billion in stock options to Vodafone (which will be distributed to Vodafone stockholders), and sell its minority stake in Vodafone’s Italian business for $3.5 billion. This $130 billion transaction is for 45 percent of Verizon, meaning that the wireless unit is being valued close to $290 billion. This deal also helps out Vodafone greatly as the huge influx of cash that they will be receiving will allow them to invest in their business back home in England and expand their operations there. While this deal may seem like a win-win situation and something that both companies would act on, this deal has been in the makings for a long time. 14 years ago was when Vodafone began its partnership with Verizon and it had a very lucrative business relationship with them. Even though executives at both companies wanted a way to end the joint venture, the economic downturn in the EU kept Vodafone from ending its relationship, since it had a constant stream of revenue with this partnership. However when Mr. McAdam’s became Verizon’s chief executive three years ago he formed a good friendship with Mr. Colao, the chief executive at Vodafone. This was the beginning of the deal and within the last year Mr. McAdam’s and Verizon began seriously pursuing options to buy out Vodafone and take complete control of Verizon Wireless.
While stories of success and business operations are always good to read another story that caught my eye was China Graft Inquiry Sweeps Up Billionaire Oil Entrepreneur. Hua Bangsong, a Chinese petrochemical entrepreneur, became the fifth senior industry figure in a week to become enmeshed in a corruption investigation that continues to go higher and higher into China’s economic and political elite. Mr. Bangsong is now said to be “assisting authorities in the P.R.C in their investigations”. This crackdown on corruption has been intensifying in China and is focusing on the oil industry currently. Last week alone saw the removal of four senior managers of C.N.P.C (China National Petroleum Corporation) and placed under investigation. This past Sunday Jiang Jiemin, a top government official, was also cited on suspicions of “grave violations of discipline”. This crackdown on corruption is part of President Xi Jingping’s pledge to battle official corruption taking down “tigers and flies” alike.
With the wide array of topics and stories that The New York Times covers the audience for this media outlet are people of all political parties and at least 21 years of age or older. It is also geared towards those who are taking an interest in what is happening outside of their hometown and what is going on in America and the World. This would appeal to readers who are educated and have a desire to know what is happening around them in the world.
While The New York Times is a great media outlet that provides its readers with multitudes of different stories, I find that more often then not a majority of the stories do not interest me, or I have already gotten from following them on Twitter or other news sources I follow online. However, when major world wide events are taking place I do tend to find a copy of The New York Times so that I can catch up on everything that is going on in one place.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/sports/nyad-completes-cuba-to-florida-swim.html