That's pretty interesting. Somerby notes the difference in the print copy in his lap versus the copy that's been scrubbed online. I get the impression that the full print copy went up online, and the online editing occurred later.

If I had a script to the print edition to the NYT, I'd watch that for awhile. Can't help but wonder if the Times isn't coming to recognize that their net readers are different than their print readers. MoDo catches flack all over various blogs. And, readers on the net are gradually recognizing that they can vote with their eyeballs. No "looks," no eyeballs, reduced ad revenue. I've no doubt that various blogs are monitored to some extent by various marketing/advertising firms, as well.

Of course, it could be nothing more than the NYT deciding that while trashing Hillary is still a good thing, an editorial decision may have been made to put Obama out of bounds for similar treatment. I have never been more aware the many ways in which the major media outlets effectively steer their readers/viewers. I'll happily leave that formal analysis to some graduate student in journalism, or to Media Matters.

Nah. I wouldn't bother, unless you were particularly interested, because, even if MoDo's columns were different between the paper and online, you still wouldn't know why the editing was being done.

If the only question were: Has the NYT decided web viewers need to be treated differently from in print readers? it would be a fairly straightforward analysis. But, a confounding question could be: How do you disentangle the readers of the column (print vs online), from the editorial position of the paper (this candidate vs that candidate)? Or, is the paper responding to what it thinks its readers in various mediums is willing to tolerate before they tune the writer out altogether?

You'd have to examine the content and presentation of individual columns, as well as the contents and presentations of other columnists as well. It's a good project for some foolishly enthusiastic graduate student somewhere.

The anomaly was discovered by Bob Somerby (click at my sig). Details of the discovery are there.

The graph that is supposed to be in the paper version, and is missing from the online version is:

Even though Obama stopped smoking when he started running for president, he has lost five pounds racing around the country. Just like Hollywood starlets, he works out religiously and he can make a three-course meal out of a Nicorette.

The link to the online version of Dowd's offending column is at my sig. You should find the graph above in your paper. You won't find it online.

Bob Somerby follows up with his post today....

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh020708.shtml