Changes at the NYTimes?

[Alexandra]

Thanks to kfw for this link to an article by Jean Battey Lewis in the Washington Times about last weekend's Dance Critics Association conference. The NYTimes' John Rockwell spoke about what Howell Raines had meant to the Times' arts criticism.

Much to discuss here, I think. Here's a taste:

 "Who knows what the next editor will prove to be," Mr. Rockwell wondered aloud in a question-and-answer period conducted by conference organizer and dance critic Mindy Aloff. "The newsroom culture is macho, and philistine editors are threatened by dance." He went on to note that National Public Radio is paring down its classical music and there is a growing tendency to target young audiences.  

   Someone in the audience told the story of an opera director who received a complaint that his audience was so old. "But of course, the audience is always old," the director replied, and added, "and there will always be another generation of oldsters along to take its place."  

   Arts editors, according to Mr. Rockwell, prefer features and previews rather than reviews. "Reviews, after all, are the critic's business. There's no way to control them."

And here's a link to the full article