William T Sherman complained intensely about the new York Times in his autobiography about how they misrepresented him, (he took some time off because of burnout and they said he went insane). The problem is quite old
> he took some time off because of burnout and they said he went insane
I actually kind of assume, in my prejudice about the past, that if there had been a DSM in the 19th century, "being tired of work" would have been in it.
Was not investigative journalism. Ellsberg provided the content to the NYT. They did show some balls in rejecting the advice of external counsel (and in accepting that of internal counsel) but they were a conduit.
As was the Washington Post, which started publishing soon after the NYT (and managed to fight off the injuction NYT did not). It's possible that the Post only started publishing because the NYT had started, but the value of the NYT itself in the scheme was… limited.
They've had good pieces but pretty much every publication other than tabloids got those, Playboy published a number of great interviews and articles.
Worse, assuming they did have a golden age they’re using that reputation in laundering the likes of Brett Stephens.