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How has the ownership of The New York Times changed over time?
Executive summary
The New York Times began in 1851, was bought and rescued by Adolph S. Ochs in 1896, and has been controlled by his Ochs–Sulzberger descendants ever since; the company went public in 1969 but retains a dual-class share structure that concentrates voting control with the family [1] [2] [3]. Major later developments include periodic outside stakes (notably Carlos Slim’s post-2008 financial involvement) and the company’s pivot into broadcasting and digital businesses as part of modern corporate evolution [4] [5] [3].
1. From Henry Raymond’s paper to a crisis and a rescue: the 19th‑century handoff
The New-York Daily Times was founded in 1851 by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones; after decades of operation the paper’s ownership changed when Adolph S. Ochs purchased the struggling title in 1896, a move often described as rescuing and recapitalizing the enterprise and setting up a new era of family stewardship [6] [1] [7].
2. The Ochs–Sulzberger dynasty: family control crystallized
Adolph Ochs built a legacy that passed to the Sulzberger family—his descendants have controlled the paper since the purchase, and that control is described across histories and profiles: Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. and later A.G. Sulzberger are members of the same line that has held the publisher role across generations [8] [9] [2].
3. Going public but keeping the keys: the dual‑class share structure
The New York Times Company completed a public offering in 1969, yet corporate governance preserves family control through a two‑class share system that concentrates voting rights (Class B shares) with Ochs–Sulzberger descendants; contemporary descriptions emphasize that the structure was designed to maintain editorial independence and family control despite public trading [2] [3] [10].
4. Outside investors and short‑term infusions: Carlos Slim and others
Outside capital has influenced the company at moments of strain: reporting and summaries note a loan from billionaire Carlos Slim around 2009 and later stock purchases that gave him a substantial stake in certain share classes for a period, though the family’s voting control remained intact because of the share structure [5] [4]. Sources show Slim later reduced his holding and by 2021 was not listed among principal common stock holders [4].
5. Corporate diversification: broadcasting, radio and international moves
Beyond print, The New York Times Company expanded into broadcasting and cable in the 1990s and early 2000s—acquiring TV station interests and entering a joint venture with Discovery Communications to create Discovery Times—while also divesting long‑held assets (for example selling WQXR after 65 years) as the company’s portfolio shifted [4].
6. Why structure and history matter for influence and independence
Multiple sources emphasize that the dual‑class structure exists to guarantee editorial continuity and protect the paper’s mission across generations; analysts and company summaries point to the Ochs–Sulzberger family’s concentrated Class B voting shares as the practical mechanism that has sustained family control through public ownership [3] [2] [10].
7. Points of agreement and gaps in the record
Available sources consistently agree on three facts: the 1851 founding, the 1896 Ochs purchase and family succession, and the 1969 public offering with retained family voting control [6] [1] [2]. Sources also note Carlos Slim’s later financial role, but available reporting in this set offers differing depth on timing and exact percentages of his holdings and subsequent reductions—some pieces list Slim being a large Class A shareholder then cutting his stake by half in 2017; another source says by 2021 he no longer appeared among principal common stock holders [4] [5].
8. How ownership affected the paper’s direction — converging views and critical angles
Analyses frame the family’s long‑term control as both a stabilizing force that preserved editorial mission and as a governance design that limits outsider influence; some histories portray this as protective of independence, while watchdog or critical profiles argue concentrated control can create institutional blind spots—those critiques appear in analytic summaries though the provided sources vary in how strongly they press that concern [9] [2] [3].
9. What the current sources do not settle
Available sources do not mention fine‑grained, up‑to‑the‑minute ownership percentages for every class of stock as of late 2025, nor do they provide a complete, single timeline of every investor stake and divestiture since the company went public; for precise, current holdings and proxy details one must consult the company’s latest SEC proxy filings and shareholder reports, which are not included in this set (not found in current reporting).
10. Bottom line for readers
The New York Times transformed from a 19th‑century city paper into a publicly traded media company, but the Ochs–Sulzberger family has retained decisive control through a dual‑class share structure since Adolph Ochs’s acquisition in 1896; occasional outside capital has altered the company’s shareholder mix temporarily, yet family voting power has been the enduring constant shaping the paper’s ownership story [1] [2] [3].