10-K

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011 Commission file number 1-5837

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

New York	13-1102020
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y.	10018
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 556-1234

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock of $.10 par value	New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Not Applicable

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes¨ Noþ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yesþ No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes þ No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer þ	Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer ¨	Smaller reporting company	¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes ¨     No þ

The aggregate worldwide market value of Class A Common Stock held by non-affiliates, based on the closing price on June 24, 2011, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second quarter, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, was approximately $1.1 billion. As of such date, non-affiliates held 71,859 shares of Class B Common Stock. There is no active market for such stock.

The number of outstanding shares of each class of the registrant’s common stock as of February 17, 2012 (exclusive of treasury shares), was as follows: 147,047,756 shares of Class A Common Stock and 818,885 shares of Class B Common Stock.

Documents incorporated by reference

Portions of the Proxy Statement relating to the registrant’s 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held on April 25, 2012, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

INDEX TO THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2011 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

	ITEM NO.
PART I		Forward-Looking Statements	1
	1	Business	1
		Introduction	1
		News Media Group	2
		The New York Times Media Group	2
		New England Media Group	4
		Regional Media Group	5
		About Group	5
		Forest Products Investments and Other Joint Ventures	5
		Raw Materials	6
		Competition	7
		Employees	7
		Labor Relations	8
	1A	Risk Factors	9
	1B	Unresolved Staff Comments	15
	2	Properties	15
	3	Legal Proceedings	15
	4	Mine Safety Disclosures	15
	Executive Officers of the Registrant		16
PART II	5	Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	17
	6	Selected Financial Data	20
	7	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	24
	7A	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	54
	8	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	55
	9	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	115
	9A	Controls and Procedures	115
	9B	Other Information	115
PART III	10	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	116
	11	Executive Compensation	116
	12	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	116
	13	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	116
	14	Principal Accountant Fees and Services	116
PART IV	15	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	117

 PART I  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the sections titled “Item 1A — Risk Factors” and “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contains forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance. We may also make written and oral forward-looking statements in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and otherwise. We have tried, where possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “will,” “project,” “plan” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Any forward-looking statements are and will be based upon our then-current expectations, estimates and assumptions regarding future events and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in any such statements. You should bear this in mind as you consider forward-looking statements. Factors that we think could, individually or in the aggregate, cause our actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results include those described in “Item 1A — Risk Factors” below as well as other risks and factors identified from time to time in our SEC filings.

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION

The New York Times Company (the “Company”) was incorporated on August 26, 1896, under the laws of the State of New York. The Company is a leading global, multimedia news and information company that currently includes newspapers, digital businesses, investments in paper mills and other investments. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to collectively in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as “we,” “our” and “us.”

We classify our businesses based on our operating strategies into two reportable segments, the News Media Group and the About Group. Financial information about our segments can be found in “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and in Note 19 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The News Media Group consists of the following:

• The New York Times Media Group, which includes The New York Times (“The Times”), the International Herald Tribune (the “IHT”), NYTimes.com and related businesses;

• the New England Media Group, which includes The Boston Globe (the “Globe”), BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette (the “T&G”), Telegram.com and related businesses; and

• the Regional Media Group, which included 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group to Halifax Media Holdings LLC for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments.

The About Group consists of the Web sites of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, CalorieCount.com and related businesses.

Additionally, we own equity interests in a Canadian newsprint company; a supercalendered paper manufacturing partnership in Maine; Metro Boston LLC (“Metro Boston”), which publishes a free daily newspaper in the greater Boston area; and quadrantONE LLC (“quadrantONE”), which is an online advertising network that sells bundled premium, targeted display advertising onto local newspaper and other Web sites.

We also own a 4.97% interest in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball club; Liverpool Football Club (a soccer team in the English Premier League); approximately 80% of New England Sports Network (a regional cable sports network that televises the Red Sox and Boston Bruins hockey games); and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (a leading NASCAR team). We sold 390 units in Fenway Sports Group in July 2011 and 100 units in February 2012. We continue to explore the sale of our remaining 210 units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 1

Revenues, operating profit and identifiable assets of foreign operations are not significant.

Our businesses are affected in part by seasonal patterns in advertising, with generally higher advertising volume in the fourth quarter due to holiday advertising.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, and the Proxy Statement for our Annual Meeting of Stockholders are made available, free of charge, on our Web site http://www.nytco.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports have been filed with or furnished to the SEC.

NEWS MEDIA GROUP

The News Media Group reportable segment consists of The New York Times Media Group, the New England Media Group and, through January 6, 2012, the Regional Media Group. The News Media Group generates revenues principally from advertising and circulation.

Advertising is sold in our newspapers and other publications, on our Web sites and across other digital platforms. We divide advertising into three main categories: national, retail and classified. Advertising revenue also includes preprints, which are advertising supplements. Our digital advertising offerings include mainly display advertising (such as banners, large-format units, half-page units and interactive multimedia), classified advertising and contextual advertising (links supplied by Google).

Circulation revenue is from amounts charged to readers or distributors for products in print, online or through other digital platforms. Charges vary by property and by city and depend on the type of sale (i.e., subscription or single copy) and distribution arrangements.

Advertising and circulation revenue information for the News Media Group appears under “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

The New York Times Media Group

The New York Times Media Group comprises The Times, the IHT, NYTimes.com and related businesses. The Times, a daily (Monday through Saturday) and Sunday newspaper, commenced publication in 1851. The IHT, a daily newspaper, commenced publishing in Paris in 1887 and serves as the global edition of The Times. NYTimes.com was launched in 1996.

In March 2011, The Times began charging consumers for content provided on NYTimes.com and other digital platforms, in addition to its other paid subscription offerings on several e-reader devices. The Times implemented a metered model that offers users free access to a set number of articles per month and then charges users who are not print home-delivery subscribers once they exceed that number. All print home-delivery subscribers receive free digital access.

In October 2011, the IHT launched digital subscription packages for full access to its news apps on the iPhone and iPad and on NYTimes.com. These digital packages are free to IHT home-delivery subscribers who subscribe for a minimum of five days per week.

Audience

The Times and the IHT reach a broad audience in print, online at NYTimes.com and global.nytimes.com (formerly iht.com) and on other digital platforms. The Times and the IHT have also expanded their reach and deepened engagement with readers and users by delivering content online and across other digital platforms, including mobile and e-reader applications and social networking sites.

According to reports filed with the Audit Bureau of Circulations (“ABC”), an independent agency that audits the circulation of most U.S. newspapers and magazines, for the six-month period ended September 30, 2011, The Times had the largest daily and Sunday circulation of all seven-day newspapers in the United States. For the year ended December 25, 2011, The Times’s average circulation, which includes paid and verified circulation of the newspaper in print, online and on other digital platforms, was 1,317,100 for weekday (Mon. - Fri.) and 1,781,100 for Sunday. Under ABC’s reporting guidance, verified circulation represents copies available for individual consumers that are either non-paid or paid by someone other than the individual, such as copies served to schools and colleges and copies purchased by businesses for free distribution. The Times’s average circulation for 2011 captures for the first time paid subscribers to its digital subscription packages since The Times began offering them in March 2011. In 2011,

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approximately 75% of the weekday and 81% of the Sunday circulation was sold through print or digital subscriptions; the remainder was sold primarily on newsstands. Approximately 40% of the weekday and Sunday average circulation, in print and on digital platforms, is in the 31 counties that make up the greater New York City area, which includes New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and parts of upstate New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania; approximately 60% is elsewhere.

The IHT’s average circulation, which includes newspapers sold in print and electronic replica editions, for the years ended December 25, 2011, and December 26, 2010, was 226,207 (estimated) and 217,700, respectively. These figures follow the guidance of Office de Justification de la Diffusion, an agency based in Paris and a member of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Circulations that audits the circulation of most of France’s newspapers and magazines. The final 2011 figure will not be available until April 2012.

According to comScore Media Metrix, an online audience measurement service, in 2011 NYTimes.com had a monthly average of approximately 33 million unique visitors in the United States and approximately 48 million unique visitors worldwide.Paid subscribers to digital subscription packages, e-readers and replica editions of The Times and the IHT totaled approximately 390,000 as of our fiscal year ended December 25, 2011.

Advertising

According to data compiled by Kantar Media, an independent agency that measures advertising sales volume and estimates advertising revenue, The Times had the largest market share in 2011 in print advertising revenues among a national newspaper set that consists of USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The Times. Approximately three-quarters of The New York Times Media Group’s total advertising revenues in 2011 came from national advertisers. Based on recent data provided by Kantar Media, we believe The Times ranks first by a substantial margin in print advertising revenues in the general weekday and Sunday newspaper field in the New York metropolitan area.

Productionand Distribution

The Times is currently printed at our production and distribution facility in College Point, N.Y., as well as under contract at 26 remote print sites across the United States. The Times is delivered to newsstands and retail outlets in the New York metropolitan area through a combination of third-party wholesalers and our own drivers. In other markets in the United States and Canada, The Times is delivered through agreements with other newspapers and third-party delivery agents.

The IHT is printed under contract at 40 sites throughout the world and is sold in more than 160 countries and territories.

Other Businesses

The New York Times Media Group’s other businesses include:

• The New York Times Index, which produces and licenses The New York Times Index, a print publication;

• Digital Archive Distribution, which licenses electronic archive databases to resellers of that information in the business, professional and library markets; and

• The New York Times News Services Division, which is made up of Syndication Sales and Business Development. Syndication Sales transmits articles, graphics and photographs from The Times, the Globe and other publications to over 1,400 newspapers, magazines and Web sites in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide. Business Development principally comprises photo archives, The New York Times store, book development and rights and permissions.

We also have a 57% ownership interest in Epsilen, LLC, an online education business, and its operating results are consolidated in the results of The New York Times Media Group.

In October 2011, we sold Baseline, a leading online subscription database and research service for information on the film and television industries and a provider of premium film and television data to Web sites.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 3

New England Media Group

The New England Media Group comprises the Globe, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, the T&G, Telegram.com and related businesses. The Globe is a daily and Sunday newspaper that commenced publication in 1872. The T&G is a daily and Sunday newspaper that began publishing in 1866.

In 2011, the Globe developed two distinct online brands to better serve a wide array of consumers and advertisers. In September 2011, the Globe launched a new paid subscription Web site, BostonGlobe.com, which offers exclusive access to the full range and depth of content produced by the newspaper’s journalists, in a format optimized for reading on a tablet, smartphone, laptop and desktop. The Globe began charging for content provided on BostonGlobe.com in October 2011 and all print home-delivery subscribers receive free digital access.

This new site complements Boston.com, a Web site that previously included all Globe content and has now been refocused and enhanced as a community portal for the greater Boston area. Boston.com remains free to consumers and continues to offer, among other things, breaking news and sports coverage, community conversations, blogs, daily deals, entertainment listings and classifieds, along with a wide array of new content and select offerings from the Globe.

Audience

The Globe reaches a broad audience in print, online and other digital platforms. The Globe is distributed in print throughout New England, although its circulation is concentrated in the Boston metropolitan area. The Globe has expanded its reach and deepened engagement with readers and users by delivering content online and across other digital platforms, including mobile and e-reader applications and social networking sites.

According to reports filed with ABC, for the six-month period ended September 30, 2011, the Globe ranked first in New England for both daily and Sunday circulation. For the year ended December 25, 2011, the Globe’s average circulation, which includes paid and verified circulation of the newspaper in print, online and other digital platforms, was 206,900 for weekday (Mon. - Fri.) and 354,800 for Sunday. The Globe’s average circulation for 2011 captures for the first time paid subscribers to the BostonGlobe.com pay site since its launch in the fall of 2011. Approximately 74% of the Globe’s weekday and 72% of its Sunday circulation was sold through print and digital subscriptions in 2011; the remainder was sold primarily on newsstands.

Boston.com, New England’s largest regional news and information Web site, in 2011 had a monthly average of approximately 6 million unique visitors in the United States, according to comScore Media Metrix. In December 2011, the new paid subscription Web site BostonGlobe.com had over 1 million unique visitors in the United States, according to comScore Media Metrix. Paid digital subscribers to BostonGlobe.com, e-readers and replica editions totaled approximately 16,000 as of our fiscal year end December 25, 2011.

The T&G and several Company-owned non-daily newspapers – some published under the name of Coulter Press – circulate throughout Worcester County and northeastern Connecticut. According to reports filed with ABC, for the six-month period ended September 30, 2011, the T&G ranked seventh in New England in daily and Sunday circulation volume. Telegram.com began offering paid digital subscriptions in August 2010, implementing a metered model that offers users free access to a set number of local news articles per month and then charges users who are not print home-delivery subscribers once they exceed that number for full access to articles produced by its staff on Telegram.com. All print home-delivery subscribers receive free digital access. For the year ended December 25, 2011, the T&G’s average circulation, which includes paid and verified circulation of the newspaper in print and online, was 74,100 for weekday (Mon. - Fri.) and 83,000 for Sunday.

Advertising

The sales forces of the New England Media Group sell retail, national and classified advertising across multiple channels, including print, digital, direct marketing, niche magazines and events, capitalizing on opportunities to deliver to national and local advertisers a broad audience in the New England region. Nearly one-third of the New England Media Group’s advertising revenues in 2011 came from national advertisers.

Production and Distribution

The Globe is currently printed at its facility in Boston, Mass. The T&G is currently printed at its facility in Millbury, Mass., and, beginning in the second quarter of 2012, will be printed at the Globe’s facility in Boston, Mass. All of the Globe’s and T&G’s print subscription circulation was delivered by a third-party service in 2011.

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Regional Media Group

On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group, consisting of 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses, to Halifax Media Holdings LLC for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The Regional Media Group comprised the following publications:

• Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Sarasota, Fla.;

• The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, Calif.;

• The Ledger in Lakeland, Fla.;

• Star-News in Wilmington, N.C.;

• Herald-Journal in Spartanburg, S.C.;

• Star-Banner in Ocala, Fla.;

• The Gainesville Sun in Gainesville, Fla.;

• The Tuscaloosa News in Tuscaloosa, Ala.;

• The Gadsden Times in Gadsden, Ala.;

• The Courier in Houma, La.;

• Times-News in Hendersonville, N.C.;

• Daily Comet in Thibodaux, La.;

• The Dispatch in Lexington, N.C.;

• Petaluma Argus-Courier in Petaluma, Calif.;

• News Chief in Winter Haven, Fla.; and

• North Bay Business Journal in Santa Rosa, Calif.

ABOUT GROUP

The About Group includes the Web sites of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, CalorieCount.com and related businesses.

About.com focuses on delivering at scale high-quality, expert content on everyday topics that is personally relevant to its users. The topic sites on the About.com platform are supported by independent, freelance subject-matter experts, or Guides, who create and publish original content across a variety of subject matters. At the end of 2011, About.com had more than 900 topic sites supported by independent Guides across more than 115,000 topics, in over 3 million articles. The About.com platform has expanded its reach and deepened engagement with users by delivering content across other digital platforms, including mobile applications and social networking sites, launching a Spanish-language channel in 2011 and increasing the number of how-to and do-it-yourself videos across its 24 channels with more than 10,000 videos at the end of 2011. According to comScore Media Metrix, in December 2011 About.com had approximately 60 million unique visitors in the United States and 108 million unique visitors worldwide.

ConsumerSearch.com analyzes expert and user-generated consumer product reviews and recommends the best products to purchase based on the findings. CalorieCount.com is an online resource that offers weight management tools, nutritional information and social support that is personally relevant to its users. In February 2011, we sold UCompareHealthCare.com, which provides dynamic Web-based interactive tools that enable users to measure the quality of certain healthcare services.

The About Group generates revenues through cost-per-click advertising (sponsored links for which the About Group is paid when a user clicks on the ad), display advertising and e-commerce (including sales lead generation). Almost all of its revenues (95% in 2011) are derived from the sale of cost-per-click advertising and display advertising. Cost-per-click advertising, which in 2011 represented 56% of the About Group’s total advertising revenues, is principally derived from an arrangement with Google under which third-party advertising is placed on the About Group’s Web sites.

FOREST PRODUCTS INVESTMENTS AND OTHER JOINT VENTURES

We have ownership interests in one newsprint mill and one mill producing supercalendered paper, a polished paper used in some magazines, catalogs and preprinted inserts, which is a higher-value grade than newsprint (the “Forest Products Investments”), as well as in Fenway Sports Group, Metro Boston and quadrantONE. These investments were accounted for under the equity method and reported in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2011. For additional information on our investments, see “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Note 7 of the Notes to

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 5

the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Forest Products Investments

We have a 49% equity interest in a Canadian newsprint company, Donohue Malbaie Inc. (“Malbaie”). The other 51% is owned by AbiBow Canada Inc., a subsidiary of AbitibiBowater Inc., currently doing business as Resolute Forest Products (“Resolute”), a large global manufacturer of paper, market pulp and wood products. Malbaie manufactures newsprint on the paper machine it owns within Resolute’s paper mill in Clermont, Quebec. Malbaie is wholly dependent upon Resolute for its pulp, which is purchased by Malbaie from Resolute’s paper mill in Clermont, Quebec. In 2011, Malbaie produced approximately 205,000 metric tons of newsprint, of which approximately 17% was sold to us, with the balance sold to Resolute for resale.

We have a 40% equity interest in Madison Paper Industries (“Madison”), a partnership operating a supercalendered paper mill in Madison, Maine. Madison purchases the majority of its wood from local suppliers, mostly under long-term contracts. In 2011, Madison produced approximately 195,000 metric tons, of which approximately 6% was sold to us.

Malbaie and Madison are subject to comprehensive environmental protection laws, regulations and orders of provincial, federal, state and local authorities of Canada or the United States (the “Environmental Laws”). The Environmental Laws impose effluent and emission limitations and require Malbaie and Madison to obtain, and operate in compliance with the conditions of, permits and other governmental authorizations (“Governmental Authorizations”). Malbaie and Madison follow policies and operate monitoring programs designed to ensure compliance with applicable Environmental Laws and Governmental Authorizations and to minimize exposure to environmental liabilities. Various regulatory authorities periodically review the status of the operations of Malbaie and Madison. Based on the foregoing, we believe that Malbaie and Madison are in substantial compliance with such Environmental Laws and Governmental Authorizations.

Other Joint Ventures

We own a 4.97% interest in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball club; Liverpool Football Club (a soccer team in the English Premier League); approximately 80% of New England Sports Network (a regional cable sports network); and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (a leading NASCAR team). We sold 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group in July 2011 and 100 units in February 2012. We continue to explore the sale of our remaining 210 units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

We own a 49% interest in Metro Boston, which publishes a free daily newspaper in the greater Boston area.

We also own a 25% interest in quadrantONE, which is an online advertising network that sells bundled premium, targeted display advertising onto local newspaper and other Web sites. The Web sites of the New England Media Group currently participate in this network.

RAW MATERIALS

The primary raw materials we use are newsprint and supercalendered paper. We purchase newsprint from a number of North American producers. In 2011, the paper used by The New York Times, New England and Regional Media Groups was purchased from unrelated suppliers and related suppliers in which we hold equity interests (see “— Forest Products Investments”). A significant portion of newsprint is purchased from Resolute.

In 2011 and 2010, we used the following types and quantities of paper:

	Newsprint		Coated, Supercalendered and Other Paper
(In metric tons)	2011	2010	2011	2010
The New York Times Media Group(1)	138,000	145,000	15,300	14,900
New England Media Group(1)	41,000	45,000	1,600	1,800
Regional Media Group	36,000	38,000	—	—
Total	215,000	228,000	16,900	16,700

(1) The Times and the Globe use coated, supercalendered or other paper for The New York Times Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine and the Globe’s Sunday Magazine.

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COMPETITION

Our media properties and investments compete for advertising and consumers with other media in their respective markets, including paid and free newspapers, Web sites, digital platforms and applications, social media, broadcast, satellite and cable television, broadcast and satellite radio, magazines, other forms of media and direct marketing. Competition for advertising is generally based upon audience levels and demographics, price, service, targeting capabilities and advertising results, while competition for circulation and readership is generally based upon platform, format, content, quality, service, timeliness and price.

The Times competes for advertising and circulation primarily with national newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today; newspapers of general circulation in New York City and its suburbs; other daily and weekly newspapers and television stations and networks in markets in which The Times circulates; and some national news and lifestyle magazines.

The IHT’s key competitors include all international sources of English-language news, including The Wall Street Journal’s European and Asian Editions, the Financial Times, Time, Newsweek International and The Economist; and news channels CNN, CNNi, Sky News International, CNBC and BBC.

The Globe competes primarily for advertising and circulation with other newspapers and television stations in Boston, its neighboring suburbs and the greater New England region, including, among others, The Boston Herald (daily and Sunday).

In addition, as a result of the secular shift from print to digital media, all of our newspapers increasingly face competition for audience and advertising from a wide variety of digital alternatives, including news and other Web sites, news aggregation sites, social media sites, online advertising networks and exchanges, online classified services and other new media formats.

NYTimes.com, Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com primarily compete for advertising and traffic with other advertising-supported news and information Web sites, such as Google News, Yahoo! News, MSNBC and CNN.com, online advertising networks and exchanges and classified advertising portals. Internationally, global.nytimes.com competes against international online sources of English language news, such as bbc.co.uk, guardian.co.uk and reuters.com.

About.com competes for advertising and traffic with large-scale portals, such as AOL, MSN and Yahoo!, and across a broad array of digital advertising media, including advertising networks and exchanges. About.com also competes with other content providers, such as Demand Media and Associated Content, as well as targeted Web sites, such as WebMD, CNET and iVillage, whose content overlaps with that of About.com’s individual topics.

EMPLOYEES

We had approximately 7,273 full-time equivalent employees as of December 25, 2011.

	Employees
The New York Times Media Group	3,056
New England Media Group	1,909
Regional Media Group(1)	1,689
About Group	214
Corporate	405
Total Company	7,273

(1) On January 6, 2012, we sold the Regional Media Group.

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Labor Relations

As of December 25, 2011, more than half of the full-time equivalent employees of The Times and NYTimes.com were represented by nine unions with 10 labor agreements. As indicated below, certain collective bargaining agreements have expired and negotiations for new contracts are ongoing. We cannot predict the timing or the outcome of these negotiations.

	Employee Category	Expiration Date
The Times and	Mailers	March 30, 2011 (expired)
NYTimes.com	New York Newspaper Guild	March 30, 2011 (expired)
	Electricians	March 30, 2012
	Machinists	March 30, 2012
	Paperhandlers	March 30, 2014
	Typographers	March 30, 2016
	Pressmen	March 30, 2017
	Stereotypers	March 30, 2017
	Drivers	March 30, 2020

More than half of the full-time equivalent employees of the IHT are located in France, whose terms and conditions of employment are established by a combination of French national labor law, industry-wide collective agreements and Company-specific agreements.

More than half of the full-time equivalent employees of the Globe and Boston.com were represented by 10 unions with 12 labor agreements. As indicated below, certain collective bargaining agreements have expired and negotiations for new contracts are ongoing. We cannot predict the timing or the outcome of these negotiations.

	Employee Category	Expiration Date
The Globe and	Drivers	December 31, 2010 (expired)
Boston.com	Paperhandlers	December 31, 2010 (expired)
	Boston Newspaper Guild	December 31, 2012
	Engravers	December 31, 2012
	Boston Mailers Union	December 31, 2012
	Pressmen	December 31, 2012
	Technical services group	December 31, 2012
	Electricians	December 31, 2012
	Typographers	December 31, 2013
	Garage mechanics	December 31, 2013
	Machinists	December 31, 2013
	Warehouse employees	December 31, 2015

As part of various cost-cutting measures in 2009 that resulted in amendments to certain collective bargaining agreements, the Globe agreed to a profit-sharing plan based on the performance of the Globe and Boston.com in 2011 and 2012. Pursuant to these collective bargaining agreements, the Globe expects to make profit-sharing payments in 2012 to eligible full-time union employees based on a formula tied to the 2011 operating profit of the Globe and Boston.com, calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Such payments will reflect the lowest threshold at which payments are required to be made.

Approximately one-third of the full-time equivalent employees of the T&G are represented by four unions. Labor agreements with production unions expired or will expire on August 31, 2011, October 8, 2011 and November 30, 2016. The labor agreements with the Providence Newspaper Guild, representing newsroom and circulation employees, expire on June 14, 2012.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risk factors described below, as well as the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any or all of these risks, or by other risks or uncertainties not presently known or currently deemed immaterial, that may adversely affect us in the future.

Economic weakness and uncertainty in the United States, in the regions in which we operate and in key advertising categories have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our advertising revenues.

Advertising spending, which drives a significant portion of our revenues, is sensitive to economic conditions. National and local economic conditions, particularly in the New York City and Boston metropolitan regions, affect the levels of our national, retail and classified advertising revenues. Economic factors that have adversely affected advertising revenues include lower consumer and business spending, high unemployment, depressed home sales and other challenges affecting the economy. Our advertising revenues are particularly adversely affected if advertisers respond to weak and uneven economic conditions by reducing their budgets or shifting spending patterns or priorities, or if they are forced to consolidate or cease operations. Continuing weak and uncertain economic conditions and outlook would adversely affect our level of advertising revenues and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our businesses face substantial competition for advertisers.

We face substantial competition for advertising revenues in our various markets from free and paid newspapers, magazines, Web sites, digital platforms and applications, television, radio, other forms of media, direct marketing and digital advertising networks and exchanges. Competition for advertising is generally based on audience levels and demographics, price, service and advertising results. It has intensified as a result of both the continued development and fragmentation of digital media and adverse economic conditions. Competition from all of these media and services affects our ability to attract and retain advertisers and consumers and to maintain or increase our advertising rates.

The increasing popularity of digital media and the shift in consumer habits and advertising expenditures from traditional to digital media has adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our print advertising revenues.

Web sites, applications for mobile devices, social networking tools and other digital platforms distributing news and other content continue to gain popularity. This migration to digital technologies among both providers and consumers of content is likely to continue with companies seeking greater efficiencies and consumers seeking more value, convenience and timeliness of digital technologies. As a result, print subscriptions may decline and advertising spending may continue to shift from traditional media forms to digital media. We expect that advertisers will continue to allocate increasing portions of their budgets to digital media, which through pay-for-performance and keyword-targeted advertising can offer more measurable returns than traditional print media. This secular shift has intensified competition for advertising in traditional media and has contributed to and is likely to continue to contribute to a decline in print advertising revenue.

We may not achieve sufficient subscribers or audience levels to make our digital pay models financially attractive.

During 2011, we launched digital subscriptions at The Times, the IHT and the Globe, with the intention of developing a new consumer revenue stream while preserving our digital advertising business. Our ability to build a subscriber base on our digital platforms depends on market acceptance, consumer habits, pricing, an adequate online infrastructure, terms of delivery platforms and other factors. Traffic levels may stagnate or decline as a result of the implementation of a pay model, which may adversely affect our advertiser base and advertising rates and result in a decline in digital revenues. If we are unable to convert and retain a sufficient number of digital users to a paid status or maintain our digital audience for advertising sales, our business, financial condition and prospects may be adversely affected.

If we are unable to retain and grow our digital audience, our digital businesses will be adversely affected.

The increasing number of digital media options available on the Internet, through social networking tools and through mobile and other devices distributing news and other content, is expanding consumer choice significantly. Faced with a multitude of media choices and a dramatic increase in accessible information, consumers may place greater value on when, where, how and at what price they consume digital content than they do on the source or

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 9

reliability of such content. News aggregation Web sites and customized news feeds (often free to users) may reduce our traffic levels by creating a disincentive forthe audience to visit our Web sites or use our digital applications. In addition, the undifferentiated presentation of some of our content in aggregation with other content may lead audiences to fail to distinguish our content from the content of other providers. Our reputation for quality journalism and content is important in competing for revenues in this environment and is based on consumer and advertiser perceptions. If consumers fail to differentiate our content from other content providers in digital media, or if the quality of our journalism or content is perceived as less reliable, we may not be able to increase our online traffic sufficiently or retain a base of frequent visitors to our digital platforms.

Online traffic is also driven by Internet search results, including search results provided by Google, the primary search engine directing traffic to the Web sites of the About Group and many of our other sites. Search engines frequently update and change the methods for directing search queries to Web pages or change methodologies and metrics for valuing the quality and performance of Internet traffic on delivering cost-per-click advertisements. Any such changes could decrease the amount of revenue that we generate from online advertisements. The failure to successfully manage search engine optimization efforts across our businesses could result in a significant decrease in traffic to our various Web sites, which could result in substantial decreases in conversion rates and repeat business, as well as increased costs if we were to replace free traffic with paid traffic, any or all of which would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If traffic levels stagnate or decline, we may not be able to create sufficient advertiser interest in our digital businesses or to maintain or increase the advertising rates of the inventory on our digital platforms. Even if we maintain traffic levels, the market position of our brands may not be enough to counteract a significant downward pressure on advertising rates as a result of a significant increase in inventory.

The About Group depends upon arrangements with Google, and any changes in this relationship or Google’s practices could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Cost-per-click revenue of the About Group is principally derived from an arrangement with Google. If the About Group is unable to continue the existing agreement with Google on favorable terms and conditions or if Google’s position in the marketplace wanes, the About Group’s business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected. In addition, the amount of revenue we receive from Google depends upon a number of factors outside of our control, including the efficiency of Google’s system in attracting advertisers and serving up paid listings on our content pages and judgments made by Google about the relative attractiveness (to the advertiser) of clicks on paid listings on our Web pages. Changes to Google’s paid listings network efficiency or its judgment about the relative attractiveness of clicks on paid listings on our Web pages has had and may continue to have an adverse effect on the About Group’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

To remain competitive, we must be able to respond to and capitalize on changes in technology, services and standards and changes in consumer behavior, and significant capital investments may be required.

Technological developments in the media industry continue to evolve rapidly. Advances in technology have led to an increasing number of methods for the delivery of news and other content and have driven consumer demand and expectations in unanticipated directions. If we are unable to exploit new and existing technologies to distinguish our products and services from those of our competitors or adapt to new distribution methods that provide optimal user experiences, our business, financial condition and prospects may be adversely affected.

Technological developments also pose other challenges that could adversely affect our revenues and competitive position. New delivery platforms may lead to pricing restrictions, the loss of distribution control and the loss of a direct relationship with consumers. We may also be adversely affected if the use of technology developed to block the display of advertising on Web sites proliferates.

Technological developments and any changes we make to our business model may require significant capital investments. We may be limited in our ability to invest funds and resources in digital products, services or opportunities and we may incur costs of research and development in building and maintaining the necessary and continually evolving technology infrastructure. It may also be difficult to attract and retain talent for critical positions. Some of our existing competitors and new entrants may have greater operational, financial and other resources or may otherwise be better positioned to compete for opportunities and as a result, our digital businesses may be less successful.

P. 10 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Decreases in print circulation volume adversely affect our circulation and advertising revenues.

Advertising and circulation revenues are affected by circulation and readership levels of our newspaper properties. Competition for circulation and readership is generally based upon format, content, quality, service, timeliness and price. In recent years, our newspaper properties, and the newspaper industry as a whole, have experienced declining print circulation volume. This is due to, among other factors, increased competition from digital media formats and sources other than traditional newspapers (often free to users), declining discretionary spending by consumers affected by weak economic conditions, high subscription and single-copy rates, and a growing preference among some consumers to receive all or a portion of their news other than from a newspaper. We have also experienced volume declines as a result of our strategy to implement circulationprice increases at many of our newspaper properties and to focus on individually paid circulation that is preferred by advertisers. If these or other factors result in a continued decline in circulation volume, the rate and volume of advertising revenues may be adversely affected (as rates reflect circulation and readership, among other factors). These factors could also affect our ability to institute circulation price increases for our products at a rate sufficient to offset circulation volume declines. We may also incur increased spending on marketing designed to attract and retain subscribers or drive traffic to our digital products, and we may not be able to recover these costs through circulation and advertising revenues.

If we are unable to execute cost-control measures successfully, our total operating costs may be greater than expected, which may adversely affect our profitability.

We have significantly reduced operating costs by reducing staff and employee benefits and implementing general cost-control measures across the Company, and expect to continue these cost management efforts. If we do not achieve expected savings or our operating costs increase as a result of our strategic initiatives, our total operating costs may be greater than anticipated. In addition, if our cost-control strategy is not managed properly, such efforts may affect the quality of our products and our ability to generate future revenue. Reductions in staff and employee compensation and benefits could also adversely affect our ability to attract and retain key employees.

Significant portions of our expenses are fixed costs that neither increase nor decrease proportionately with revenues. If we are not able to implement further cost control efforts or reduce our fixed costs sufficiently in response to a decline in our revenues, we may experience a higher percentage decline in our income from continuing operations.

A significant increase in the price of newsprint, or limited availability of newsprint supply, would have an adverse effect on our operating results.

The cost of raw materials, of which newsprint is the major component, represented approximately 8% of our total operating costs in 2011. The price of newsprint has historically been volatile and may increase as a result of various factors, including:

• a reduction in the number of suppliers as a result of restructurings and consolidations in the North American newsprint industry;

• declining newsprint supply as a result of paper mill closures and conversions to other grades of paper; and

• other factors that adversely impact supplier profitability, including increases in operating expenses caused by raw material and energy costs, and a rise in the value of the Canadian dollar, which adversely affects Canadian suppliers whose costs are incurred in Canadian dollars but whose newsprint sales are priced in U.S. dollars.

In addition, we rely on our suppliers for deliveries of newsprint. The availability of our newsprint supply may be affected by various factors, including strikes and other disruptions that may affect deliveries of newsprint.

If newsprint prices increase significantly or we experience significant disruptions in the availability of our newsprint supply in the future, our operating results will be adversely affected.

The underfunded status of our pension plans may adversely affect our operations, financial condition and liquidity.

We sponsor several qualified defined benefit pension plans. We are required to make contributions to our qualified defined benefit pension plans to comply with minimum funding requirements imposed by laws governing these employee benefit plans. The difference between the obligations and assets of the qualified defined benefit plans, or the funded status of the qualified defined benefit plans, is a significant factor in determining pension expense and the ongoing funding requirements to those plans. Our qualified defined benefit pension plans were underfunded as

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 11

of the January 1, 2012, valuation date and we expect to make substantial contributions in the future to fund this deficiency. In addition, while we sold the Regional Media Group in January 2012, we retained pension assets and liabilities and postretirement obligations related to employees of that business. Future volatility and disruption in the stock and bond markets could cause declines in the asset values of our qualified defined benefit pension plans. In addition, a decrease in the discount rate used to determine the liabilities for pension obligations will result in increased liabilities. If investment returns on plan assets are below expectations or interest rates decrease or remain very low, our contributions may be higher than currently anticipated. As a result, we may have less cash available for working capital and other corporate uses, which may have an adverse impact on our operations, financial condition and liquidity.

Due to our participation in multiemployer pension plans, we have exposures under those plans that may extend beyond what our obligations would be with respect to our employees.

We participate in, and make periodic contributions to, various multiemployer pension plans that cover many of our union employees. Our required contributions to these plans could increase because of a shrinking contribution base as a result of the insolvency or withdrawal of other companies that currently contribute to these plans, inability or failure of withdrawing companies to pay their withdrawal liability, low interest rates, lower than expected returns on pension fund assets or other funding deficiencies.

We have incurred significant withdrawal liabilities to the multiemployer pension plans in which we participate, such as the liability assessed against us in 2009 in connection with amendments to various collective bargaining agreements affecting certain multiemployer pension plans. We may be required to make additional contributions under applicable law with respect to those plans or other multiemployer pension plans from which we may withdraw or partially withdraw. Our withdrawal liability for any multiemployer pension plan will depend on the extent of that plan’s funding of vested benefits. If a multiemployer pension plan in which we participate has significant underfunded liabilities, such underfunding will increase the size of our potential withdrawal liability.

A significant number of our employees are unionized, and our business and results of operations could be adversely affected if labor negotiations or contracts were to further restrict our ability to maximize the efficiency of our operations.

Approximately half of our full-time equivalent work force are unionized. As a result, we are required to negotiate the wages, salaries, benefits, staffing levels and other terms with many of our employees collectively. Our results could be adversely affected if future labor negotiations or contracts were to further restrict our ability to maximize the efficiency of our operations. If we were to experience labor unrest, strikes or other business interruptions in connection with labor negotiations or otherwise, or if we are unable to negotiate labor contracts on reasonable terms, our ability to produce and deliver our most significant products could be impaired. In addition, our ability to make short-term adjustments to control compensation and benefits costs, rebalance our portfolio of businesses or otherwise adapt to changing business needs may be limited by the terms and duration of our collective bargaining agreements.

We may buy or sell different properties as a result of our evaluation of our portfolio of businesses. Such acquisitions or divestitures would affect our costs, revenues, profitability and financial position.

From time to time, we evaluate the various components of our portfolio of businesses and may, as a result, buy or sell different properties. These acquisitions or divestitures affect our costs, revenues, profitability and financial position. We may also consider the acquisition of specific properties or businesses that fall outside our traditional lines of business if we deem such properties sufficiently attractive.

Divestitures have inherent risks, including possible delays in closing transactions (including potential difficulties in obtaining regulatory approvals), the risk of lower-than-expected sales proceeds for the divested businesses, unexpected costs associated with the separation of the business to be sold from our integrated information technology systems and other operating systems, and potential post-closing claims for indemnification. In addition, adverse economic or market conditions may result in fewer potential bidders and unsuccessful sales efforts. Expected cost savings, which are offset by revenue losses from divested businesses, may also be difficult to achieve or maximize due to our fixed cost structure, and we may experience varying success in reducing fixed costs or transferring liabilities previously associated with the divested businesses.

Acquisitions also involve risks, including difficulties in integrating acquired operations, diversions of management resources, debt incurred in financing these acquisitions (including the related possible reduction in our credit ratings and increase in our cost of borrowing), differing levels of management and internal control effectiveness

P. 12 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

at the acquired entities and other unanticipated problems and liabilities. Competition for certain types of acquisitions, particularly digital properties, is significant. Even if successfully negotiated, closed and integrated, certain acquisitions or investments may prove not to advance our business strategy and may fall short of expected return on investment targets.

From time to time, we make noncontrolling minority investments in private entities and these investments may be subject to capital calls. We may have limited voting rights or an inability to influence the direction of such entities, although income from such investments may represent a significant portion of our income. Therefore, the success of these ventures may be dependent upon the efforts of our partners, fellow investors and licensees. These investments are generally illiquid, and the absence of a market inhibits our ability to dispose of them. This inhibition as well as an inability to control the timing or process relating to a disposition could adversely affect our liquidity and the value we may ultimately attain on a disposition. If the value of the companies in which we invest declines, we may be required to record a charge to earnings.

Our debt agreements contain restrictions that limit our flexibility in operating our business.

Our debt agreements contain various covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified types of transactions. For example, these covenants, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to:

• incur or guarantee additional debt or issue certain preferred equity;

• pay dividends on or make distributions to holders of our common stock or make other restricted payments;

• create or incur liens on certain assets to secure debt;

• make certain investments, acquisitions or dispositions;

• consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;

• prepay debt; or

• enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

In addition, our credit facility has a springing financial covenant that requires us to satisfy a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio when availability under the credit facility falls below the greater of $16.7 million or 15% of the commitment for three consecutive business days. These restrictions limit our flexibility in operating our business and responding to opportunities.

Changes in our credit ratings or macroeconomic conditions may affect our liquidity, increasing borrowing costs and limiting our financing options.

Our long-term debt is currently rated below investment grade by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service. If our credit ratings remain below investment grade or are lowered further, borrowing costs for future long-term debt or short-term borrowing facilities may increase and our financing options, including our access to the unsecured borrowing market, would be more limited. We may also be subject to additional restrictive covenants that would reduce our flexibility. In addition, macroeconomic conditions, such as continued or increased volatility or disruption in the credit markets, would adversely affect our ability to refinance existing debt or obtain additional financing to support operations or to fund new acquisitions or capital-intensive internal initiatives.

We may be required to record non-cash impairment charges with respect to certain of our assets.

Each year, we evaluate the various components of our portfolio in connection with annual impairment testing. We also continually evaluate whether current factors or indicators require the performance of an interim impairment assessment of those assets, as well as other investments and other long-lived assets. We may be required to record a non-cash charge if the financial statement carrying value of an asset is in excess of its estimated fair value. Fair value could be adversely affected by weak economic or market conditions within our industry that may have an adverse impact on our projected future cash flows or our stock price. An impairment charge would adversely affect our reported earnings.

We may not be able to protect intellectual property rights upon which our business relies, and if we lose intellectual property protection, our assets may lose value.

Our business depends on our intellectual property, including our valuable brands, content, services and

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 13

internally developed technology. We believe our proprietary trademarks and other intellectual property rights are important to our continued success and our competitive position.

Unauthorized parties may attempt to copy or otherwise obtain and use our content, services, technology and other intellectual property, and we cannot be certain that the steps we have taken to protect our proprietary rights will prevent any misappropriation or confusion among consumers and merchants, or unauthorized use of these rights.

Advancements in technology have exacerbated the risk by making it easier to duplicate and disseminate content. In addition, as our business and the risk of misappropriation of our intellectual property rights have become more global in scope, we may not be able to protect our proprietary rights in a cost effective manner in a multitude of jurisdictions with varying laws.

If we are unable to procure, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights, we may not realize the full value of these assets, and our business may suffer. If we must litigate in the United States or elsewhere to enforce our intellectual property rights or determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others, such litigation may be costly and divert the attention of our management.

Our Class B Common Stock is principally held by descendants of Adolph S. Ochs, through a family trust, and this control could create conflicts of interest or inhibit potential changes of control.

We have two classes of stock: Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock. Holders of Class A Common Stock are entitled to elect 30% of the Board of Directors and to vote, with holders of Class B Common Stock, on the reservation of shares for equity grants, certain material acquisitions and the ratification of the selection of our auditors. Holders of Class B Common Stock are entitled to elect the remainder of the Board and to vote on all other matters. Our Class B Common Stock is principally held by descendants of Adolph S. Ochs, who purchased The Times in 1896. A family trust holds approximately 90% of the Class B Common Stock. As a result, the trust has the ability to elect 70% of the Board of Directors and to direct the outcome of any matter that does not require a vote of the Class A Common Stock. Under the terms of the trust agreement, the trustees are directed to retain the Class B Common Stock held in trust and to vote such stock against any merger, sale of assets or other transaction pursuant to which control of The Times passes from the trustees, unless they determine that the primary objective of the trust can be achieved better by the implementation of such transaction. Because this concentrated control could discourage others from initiating any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transaction that may otherwise be beneficial to our businesses, the market price of our Class A Common Stock could be adversely affected.

Legislative and regulatory developments may result in increased costs and lower advertising revenues from our digital businesses.

All of our operations are subject to government regulation in the jurisdictions in which they operate. Due to the wide geographic scope of its operations, the IHT is subject to regulation by political entities throughout the world. In addition, our Web sites are available worldwide and are subject to laws regulating the Internet both within and outside the United States. We may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply. Advertising revenues from our digital businesses could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to the use of consumer data in digital media.

P. 14 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

Our principal executive offices are located in our New York headquarters building in the Times Square area. The building was completed in 2007 and consists of approximately 1.54 million gross square feet, of which approximately 828,000 gross square feet of space have been allocated to us. We owned a leasehold condominium interest representing approximately 58% of the New York headquarters building until March 6, 2009, when one of our affiliates entered into an agreement to sell and simultaneously lease back a portion of our leasehold condominium interest (the “Condo Interest”). The sale-leaseback transaction encompassed 21 floors, or approximately 750,000 rentable square feet, currently occupied by us. The sale price for the Condo Interest was $225 million. We have an option exercisable in 2019 to repurchase the Condo Interest for $250 million. The lease term is 15 years, and we have three renewal options that could extend the term for an additional 20 years. We continue to own a leasehold condominium interest in seven floors in our New York headquarters building, totaling approximately 216,000 rentable square feet, that were not included in the sale-leaseback transaction, of which six floors are leased to a third party.

In addition, we built a printing and distribution facility with 570,000 gross square feet located in College Point, N.Y., on a 31-acre site for which we have a ground lease. We have an option to purchase the property at any time before the lease ends in 2019. We own a facility in Boston, Mass., of 703,000 gross square feet that includes printing operations and offices. We also currently own properties with an aggregate of approximately 192,000 gross square feet and lease properties with an aggregate of approximately 398,000 rentable square feet in various locations, which does not include properties formerly used by the Regional Media Group, which was sold on January 6, 2012. These properties, our New York headquarters and the College Point and Boston properties are used by our News Media Group. Properties leased by the About Group total approximately 52,000 rentable square feet.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are various legal actions that have arisen in the ordinary course of business and are now pending against us. Such actions are usually for amounts greatly in excess of the payments, if any, that may be required to be made. It is the opinion of management after reviewing such actions with our legal counsel that the ultimate liability that might result from such actions will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 15

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Name	Age	Employed By Registrant Since	Recent Position(s) Held as of February 23, 2012 (except as noted)
Corporate Officers
Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.	60	1978	Chairman (since 1997); Chief Executive Officer (since December 2011); Publisher of The Times (since 1992)
Michael Golden	62	1984	Vice Chairman (since 1997); President and Chief Operating Officer, Regional Media Group (2009 to January 2012); Publisher of the IHT (2003 to 2008); Senior Vice President (1997 to 2004)
James M. Follo	52	2007	Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (since 2007); Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (2001 to 2006)
R. Anthony Benten	48	1989	Senior Vice President, Finance (since 2008); Corporate Controller (since 2007); Vice President (2003 to 2008); Treasurer (2001 to 2007)
Todd C. McCarty	46	2009	Senior Vice President, Human Resources (since 2009); Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources, The Reader’s Digest Association (2008 to 2009); Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Rite Aid Corporation (2005 to 2008); Senior Vice President, North American Human Resources, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2000 to 2005)
Kenneth A. Richieri	60	1983	Senior Vice President (since 2007), General Counsel (since 2006) and Secretary (from 2008 to February 2011); Vice President (2002 to 2007); Deputy General Counsel (2001 to 2005); Vice President and General Counsel, New York Times Digital (1999 to 2003)
Operating Unit Executives
Scott H. Heekin-Canedy	60	1987(1)	President and General Manager of The Times (since 2004); Senior Vice President, Circulation of The Times (1999 to 2004)
Darline Jean	44	2005	President and Chief Executive Officer (since September 2011), Senior Vice President (2010 to September 2011), Chief Financial Officer (2006 to September 2011) and Vice President, Finance (2004 to 2006) of the About Group; Chief Operating Officer of About.com (2010 to September 2011)
Christopher M. Mayer	50	1984	Publisher of the Globe and President of the New England Media Group (since 2010); Senior Vice President, Circulation and Operations, of the Globe (2008 to 2009); Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of the Globe (2005 to 2008); Vice President, Circulation Sales, of the Globe (2002 to 2005)

(1) Mr. Heekin-Canedy left the Company in 1989 and returned in 1992.

P. 16 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

PART II        

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED  STOCKHOLDER

MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

MARKET INFORMATION

The Class A Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Class B Common Stock is unlisted and is not actively traded.

The number of security holders of record as of February 17, 2012, was as follows: Class A Common Stock: 6,738; Class B Common Stock: 28.

No dividends have been declared or paid on our Class A or Class B Common Stock since the fourth quarter of 2008. The decision to pay a dividend in future periods and the appropriate level of dividends will be considered by our Board of Directors on an ongoing basis in light of our earnings, capital requirements, financial condition and other factors considered relevant. In addition, our Board of Directors will consider restrictions in any existing indebtedness, such as the terms of our 6.625% senior unsecured notes due 2016, which restrict our ability to pay dividends. See “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Third-Party Financing.”

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low closing sales prices for the Class A Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

	2011				2010
Quarters	High		Low		High		Low
First Quarter	$	10.90	$	8.86	$	14.67	$	10.62
Second Quarter	9.67		7.19		12.80		8.35
Third Quarter	9.21		5.76		9.76		7.18
Fourth Quarter	7.97		5.65		10.00		7.60

ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES⁽¹⁾ 

Period	Total Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock Purchased (a)	Average Price Paid Per Share of Class A Common Stock (b)		Total Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (c)	Maximum  Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares of Class A Common Stock that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (d)
September 26, 2011 - October 30, 2011	—	$	—	—	$	91,386,000
October 31, 2011 - November 27, 2011	—	—		—	$	91,386,000
November 28, 2011 - December 25, 2011	—	—		—	$	91,386,000
Total for the fourth quarter of 2011	—	$	—	—	$	91,386,000

(1) On April 13, 2004, our Board of Directors authorized repurchases in an amount up to $400 million. During the fourth quarter of 2011, we did not purchase any shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to our publicly announced share repurchase program. As of February 17, 2012, we had authorization from our Board of Directors to repurchase an amount of up to approximately $91 million of our Class A Common Stock. Our Board of Directors has authorized us to purchase shares from time to time as market conditions permit. There is no expiration date with respect to this authorization.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 17

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

The following table presents information regarding our existing equity compensation plans as of December 25, 2011.

Plan category	Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a)		Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b)	Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) (c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
Stock options and stock-based awards	18,166,000	(1)	$30	6,771,000	(2)
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	—		—	6,410,000	(3)
Total	18,166,000		—	13,181,000
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders	None		None	None

(1) Includes shares of Class A Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted under the Company’s 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan (the “1991 Incentive Plan”) and the Company's 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2010 Incentive Plan”), as well as its Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Option Plan or Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Incentive Plan (together, the “Directors’ Plans”). Includes shares of Class A Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of stock-settled restricted stock units under the 1991 Incentive Plan and 2010 Incentive Plan.

(2) Includes shares of Class A Common Stock available for future stock options to be granted under the 2010 Incentive Plan and the Directors’ Plans. As of December 25, 2011, the 2010 Incentive Plan had 6,539,000 shares remaining for issuance upon the grant, exercise or other settlement of share-based awards. The Directors’ Plans provide for the issuance of up to 496,000 shares of Class A Common Stock in the form of stock options or restricted stock units. The amount reported for stock options includes the aggregate number of securities remaining (approximately 232,000 as of December 25, 2011) for future issuances under those plans. Stock options granted under the 1991 Incentive Plan, 2010 Incentive Plan and the Directors’ Plans must provide for an exercise price of 100% of the fair market value on the date of grant and, except in the case of the 2010 Incentive Plan (which does not specify a maximum term), a maximum term of 10 years.

(3) Includes shares of Class A Common Stock available for future issuance under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). We have not had an offering under the ESPP since 2010.

P. 18 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

PERFORMANCE PRESENTATION

The following graph shows the annual cumulative total stockholder return for the five years ending December 30, 2011, on an assumed investment of $100 on December 29, 2006, in the Company, the Standard & Poor’s S&P 500 Stock Index and S&P MidCap 400 Stock Index and an index of peer group media companies. In December 2010, the Company was moved from the S&P 500 Stock Index to the S&P MidCap 400 Stock Index, and we believe the latter index now provides a more meaningful comparison. The peer group returns are weighted by market capitalization at the beginning of each year. The peer group is comprised of the Company and the following media companies: Gannett Co., Inc., Media General, Inc., The McClatchy Company and The Washington Post Company. Stockholder return is measured by dividing (a) the sum of (i) the cumulative amount of dividends declared for the measurement period, assuming monthly reinvestment of dividends, and (ii) the difference between the issuer’s share price at the end and the beginning of the measurement period by (b) the share price at the beginning of the measurement period. As a result, stockholder return includes both dividends and stock appreciation.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 19

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The Selected Financial Data should be read in conjunction with “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes in Item 8. The results of operations for WQXR-FM and WQEW-AM, previously included in The New York Times Media Group, which is part of the News Media Group, have been presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented before the sale of WQXR-FM in 2009. The Broadcast Media Group’s results of operations have been presented as discontinued operations in 2007. The pages following the table show certain items included in Selected Financial Data. All per share amounts on those pages are on a diluted basis. All fiscal years presented in the table below comprise 52 weeks.

	As of and for the Years Ended
(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		December 28, 2008			December 30, 2007
Statement of Operations Data
Revenues	$	2,323,401		$	2,393,463	$	2,440,439	$	2,939,764		$	3,184,757
Operating costs	2,093,532			2,136,927		2,307,800		2,783,076			2,919,031
Impairment of assets	164,434			16,148		4,179		197,879			11,000
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228			6,268		78,931		—			—
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500			—		34,633		—			—
Net pension curtailment gain	—			—		53,965		—			—
Gain/(loss) on sale of assets	—			—		5,198		—			(68,156		)
Operating profit/(loss)	56,707			234,120		74,059		(41,191		)	186,570
Income/(loss) from joint ventures	28			19,035		20,667		17,062			(2,618		)
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128		—		—			—
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062		81,701		47,790			39,842
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—		9,250		—			—
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221		3,775		(71,919		)	144,110
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705		1,569		(65,940		)	86,960
Discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13		18,332		8,602			121,637
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704	$	19,891	$	(57,839	)	$	208,704
Balance Sheet Data
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	1,085,190		$	1,156,786	$	1,250,021	$	1,353,619		$	1,468,013
Cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments	279,997			399,642		36,520		56,784			51,532
Total assets	2,883,450			3,285,741		3,088,557		3,401,680			3,473,092
Total debt and capital lease obligations	773,140			996,443		769,217		1,059,375			1,034,979
Total New York Times Company stockholders’ equity	506,360			659,927		604,042		503,963			978,200

P. 20 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

	As of and for the Years Ended
(In thousands, except ratios, per share and employee data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009			December 28, 2008			December 30, 2007
Per Share of Common Stock
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74		$	0.01		$	(0.46	)	$	0.61
Discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00			0.13			0.06			0.84
Net (loss)/income	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74		$	0.14		$	(0.40	)	$	1.45
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71		$	0.01		$	(0.46	)	$	0.61
Discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00			0.13			0.06			0.84
Net (loss)/income	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71		$	0.14		$	(0.40	)	$	1.45
Dividends per share	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	0.750		$	0.865
Stockholders’ equity per share	$	3.44		$	4.32		$	4.13		$	3.51		$	6.79
Average basic shares outstanding	147,190			145,636			144,188			143,777			143,889
Average diluted shares outstanding	147,190			152,600			146,367			143,777			144,158
Key Ratios
Operating profit/(loss) to revenues	2		%	10		%	3		%	(1		)%	6		%
Return on average common stockholders’ equity	(7		)%	17		%	4		%	(8		)%	23		%
Return on average total assets	(1		)%	3		%	1		%	(2		)%	6		%
Total debt and capital lease obligations to total capitalization	60		%	60		%	56		%	68		%	51		%
Current assets to current liabilities	1.46			1.70			1.00			0.60			0.68
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)	—			2.78			—			—			3.14
Full-Time Equivalent Employees	7,273			7,414			7,665			9,346			10,231

(1) In 2011, 2009 and 2008, earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by approximately $1 million, $16 million and $56 million, respectively, due to certain charges in each year.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 21

The items below are included in the Selected Financial Data.

2011

The items below had an unfavorable effect on our results of $161.9 million, or $.94 per share:

• a $164.4 million pre-tax charge ($139.1 million after tax, or $.94 per share) for the impairment of assets, consisting of $152.1 million related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group, $9.2 million related to certain assets held for sale, primarily of Baseline, and $3.1 million related to an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc., which is part of the About Group.

• a $71.2 million pre-tax gain ($41.4 million after tax, or $.28 per share) from the sales of 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group and a portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator.

• a $46.4 million pre-tax charge ($27.6 million after tax, or $.19 per share) in connection with the prepayment of our $250.0 million 14.053% Notes.

• a $13.6 million pre-tax charge ($8.0 million after tax, or $.05 per share) for severance costs.

• a $4.5 million pre-tax charge ($2.6 million after tax, or $.02 per share) for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer.

• a $4.2 million estimated pre-tax charge ($2.7 million after tax, or $.02 per share) for a pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe, whose results are included in the New England Media Group.

2010

The items below had an unfavorable effect on our results of $17.8 million, or $.13 per share:

• a $16.1 million pre-tax charge ($10.1 million after tax, or $.07 per share) for the impairment of assets at the Globe’s printing facility in Billerica, Mass.

• a $12.7 million pre-tax gain from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills in which we have an investment. Our share of the pre-tax gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, is $10.2 million ($6.4 million after tax, or $.04 per share).

• an $11.4 million tax charge ($.07 per share) for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health-care legislation enacted in 2010.

• a $9.1 million pre-tax gain ($5.3 million after tax, or $.03 per share) from the sale of 50 of our units in Fenway Sports Group.

• a $6.8 million pre-tax charge ($4.1 million after tax, or $.03 per share) for severance costs.

• a $6.3 million pre-tax charge ($3.9 million after tax, or $.03 per share) for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe.

2009

The items below had an unfavorable effect on our results of $56.3 million, or $.38 per share:

• a $78.9 million pre-tax charge ($49.5 million after tax, or $.34 per share) for a pension withdrawal obligation under certain multiemployer pension plans primarily at the Globe.

• a $54.0 million pre-tax net pension curtailment gain ($30.7 million after tax, or $.21 per share) resulting from freezing of benefits under various Company-sponsored qualified and non-qualified pension plans.

• a $53.9 million pre-tax charge ($32.3 million after tax, or $.22 per share) for severance costs.

• a $34.9 million pre-tax gain ($19.5 million after tax, or $.13 per share) from the sale of WQXR-FM.

• a $34.6 million pre-tax charge ($20.0 million after tax, or $.13 per share) for a loss on leases ($31.1 million) and a fee ($3.5 million) for the early termination of a third-party printing contract. The lease charge included a $22.8 million charge for a loss on leases associated with the closure of City & Suburban, our retail and newsstand distribution subsidiary, and $8.3 million for office space at The New York Times Media Group.

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• a $9.3 million pre-tax charge ($5.3 million after tax, or $.04 per share) for a premium on the redemption of $250.0 million principal amount of our 4.5% notes, which was completed in April 2009.

• a $5.2 million pre-tax gain ($3.2 million after tax, or $.02 per share) on the sale of surplus real estate assets at the Regional Media Group.

• a $4.2 million pre-tax charge ($2.6 million after tax, or $.01 per share) for the impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project.

2008

The items below had an unfavorable effect on our results of $180.1 million, or $1.24 per share:

• a $160.4 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($109.3 million after tax, or $.76 per share) for the impairment of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill at the New England Media Group.

• an $81.0 million pre-tax charge ($46.2 million after tax, or $.32 per share) for severance costs.

• a $19.2 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($10.7 million after tax, or $.07 per share) for the impairment of an intangible asset at the IHT, whose results are included in The New York Times Media Group.

• an $18.3 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($10.4 million after tax, or $.07 per share) for the impairment of assets for a systems project.

• a $5.6 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($3.5 million after tax, or $.02 per share) for the impairment of our 49% ownership interest in Metro Boston.

2007

The items below increased net income by $18.8 million, or $.13 per share:

• a $190.0 million pre-tax gain ($94.0 million after tax, or $.65 per share) from the sale of the Broadcast Media Group.

• a $68.2 million net pre-tax loss ($41.3 million after tax, or $.29 per share) from the sale of assets, mainly our Edison, N.J., facility, which we closed in March 2008.

• a $42.6 million pre-tax charge ($24.4 million after tax, or $.17 per share) for accelerated depreciation of certain assets at the Edison, N.J., facility.

• a $39.6 million pre-tax gain ($21.2 million after tax, or $.15 per share) from the sale of WQEW-AM.

• a $35.4 million pre-tax charge ($20.2 million after tax, or $.14 per share) for severance costs.

• an $11.0 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($6.4 million after tax, or $.04 per share) for the impairment of an intangible asset at the T&G, whose results are included in the New England Media Group.

• a $7.1 million pre-tax, non-cash charge ($4.1 million after tax, or $.03 per share) for the impairment of our 49% ownership interest in Metro Boston.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 23

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis provides information that management believes is relevant to an assessment and understanding of our consolidated financial condition as of December 25, 2011, and results of operations for the three years ended December 25, 2011. This item should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes included in this Annual Report.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

We are a leading global, multimedia news and information company that currently includes newspapers, digital businesses, investments in paper mills and other investments. We classify our businesses based on our operating strategies into two reportable segments, the News Media Group and the About Group.

The News Media Group consists of the following divisions:

• The New York Times Media Group, which includes The Times, the IHT, NYTimes.com and related businesses;

• the New England Media Group, which includes the Globe, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, the T&G, Telegram.com and related businesses; and

• the Regional Media Group, which included 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group to Halifax Media Holdings LLC for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments.

The About Group consists of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com and CalorieCount.com and related businesses. In February 2011, we sold UCompareHealthCare.com.

Our revenues were $2.3 billion in 2011. The percentage of revenues contributed by division is below.

News Media Group

The News Media Group generates revenues principally from advertising and circulation. Other revenues primarily consist of revenues from news services/syndication, commercial printing, rental income, digital archives and direct mail advertising services. The News Media Group’s main operating costs are employee-related costs and raw materials, primarily newsprint.

News Media Group revenues in 2011 by category and percentage share are below.

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About Group

The About Group generates revenues through cost-per-click advertising (sponsored links for which the About Group is paid when a user clicks on the ad), display advertising and e-commerce (including sales lead generation). Almost all of its revenues (95% in 2011) are derived from the sale of cost-per-click and display advertising. Cost-per-click advertising accounted for 56% of the About Group’s total advertising revenues in 2011. The About Group’s main operating costs are employee-related costs and content and hosting costs.

Joint Ventures

Our investments accounted for under the equity method are as follows:

• a 49% interest in Metro Boston, which publishes a free daily newspaper in the greater Boston area;

• a 49% interest in a Canadian newsprint company, Malbaie;

• a 40% interest in a partnership, Madison, operating a supercalendered paper mill in Maine;

• a 25% interest in quadrantONE, an online advertising network that sells bundled premium, targeted display advertising onto local newspaper and other Web sites; and

• a 4.97% interest in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball club; Liverpool Football Club (a soccer team in the English Premier League); approximately 80% of New England Sports Network (a regional cable sports network); and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (a leading NASCAR team). We sold 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group in July 2011 and 100 units in February 2012. We continue to explore the sale of our remaining 210 units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

Business Environment

We believe that a number of factors and industry trends have had, and will continue to have, an adverse effect on our business and prospects. These include the following:

Economic conditions

The business environment in 2011 remained challenging due in large part to the slow economic recovery in the United States and uncertain global conditions. Advertising spending, which drives a significant portion of our revenues, is susceptible to economic conditions. The level of advertising sales in any period may be affected by advertisers’ decisions to increase or decrease their advertising expenditures in response to anticipated consumer demand and general economic conditions. In 2011, advertisers continued to exercise caution in response to uneven economic conditions and lingering uncertainty about the economic outlook. The challenging advertising marketplace contributed to declines in print advertising revenues and moderating growth trends in digital advertising revenues at the News Media Group in 2011 compared with 2010. Weak national and local economic conditions, particularly in the New York City and Boston metropolitan regions, affect the levels of our national, classified and retail advertising revenues. Changes in spending patterns and priorities, including shifts in marketing strategies and budget cuts of key advertisers, in response to weak and uneven economic conditions, have depressed and may continue to depress our advertising revenues.

Secular shift to digital media choices

The competition for advertising revenues in various markets has intensified as a result of the continued development of digital media technologies. We expect that technological developments will continue to favor digital media choices, adding to the challenges posed by audience fragmentation.

We have expanded and will continue to expand our digital offerings; however, a significant portion of our revenues are currently from traditional print products where advertising revenues are declining. We believe that the shift from traditional media forms to a growing number of digital media choices and changing consumer behavior have contributed to, and is likely to continue to contribute to, a decline in print advertising. The digital advertising marketplace has experienced significant downward pressure on advertising rates as a result of significant increases in inventory. In addition, search technology has continued to improve the organization of and access to a broad range of Web sites and online information, reshaping consumer behavior and expectations for consuming news and information. As economic conditions and the advertising environment remain challenged, media companies have been re-evaluating their business models, with some moving toward various forms of digital pay models that will depend on greater market acceptance and a shift in consumer attitudes.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 25

Circulation

Circulation is another significant source of revenue for us and an increasingly important driver as the overall composition of our revenues is shifting in response to the transformations in our industry. Circulation revenues are affected by circulation and readership levels. In recent years, our newspaper properties, and the newspaper industry as a whole, have experienced declining print circulation volume. This is due to, among other factors, increased competition from digital platforms and sources other than traditional newspapers (often free to users), declining discretionary spending by consumers, higher subscription and single-copy rates and a growing preference among some consumers for receiving their news from a variety of sources.

Costs

A significant portion of our costs are fixed, and therefore we are limited in our ability to reduce them in the short term. Our most significant costs are employee-related costs and raw materials, which together accounted for approximately 50% of our total operating costs in 2011. Changes in employee-related costs and the price and availability of newsprint can materially affect our operating results.

For a discussion of these and other factors that could affect our results of operations and financial condition, see “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Item 1A — Risk Factors.”

Our Strategy

Our results in 2011 reflect our ability to manage the business during a period of transformation for our industry and amidst weak and uneven economic conditions. We anticipate that the challenges we currently face will continue, and we believe that the following elements are key to our efforts to address them.

Diversifying our revenue streams and strengthening our digital businesses

As the advertising marketplace has changed, we have focused on diversifying our revenue streams and strengthening our digital businesses to make us less susceptible to the inevitable economic cycles and to respond to the secular changes in our industry.

Our digital businesses provide meaningful diversification during our transition to becoming an increasingly multiplatform company. Our goal is to grow our digital businesses by broadening our audiences, deepening engagement and further monetizing the usage of our Web sites and across other digital platforms. We are pursuing a multiplatform strategy across our Company with new digital products and platforms, such as mobile, social media networks and reader application products.

During 2011, we launched digital subscriptions at The Times, the IHT and the Globe, with the intention of developing a new consumer revenue stream, while preserving our robust digital advertising business. Overall circulation revenues increased in 2011 compared with 2010 as the addition of digital subscription offerings at The Times offset a decline in print copies sold across the News Media Group. In addition, the rate of home-delivery circulation volume declines moderated at The Times due to an increase in new orders and improved retention rates following the launch of digital subscriptions at The Times, as print subscribers receive all-digital access for free. As our news and content are being featured in an increasingly broad range of platforms and devices, we will continue to examine our circulation pricing and pay models in coordination with our overall multiplatform strategy, and to focus on building on our digital subscriber base and strengthening our digital businesses.

Building on the strength of our brands

Because of our high-quality journalism and content, we believe we have very powerful and trusted brands that attract educated, affluent and influential audiences. As we continued to face weak and uneven economic conditions in 2011 and an increasingly fragmented media landscape, we focused on building on the strength of our brands, particularly The Times. We have significantly expanded our presence on new digital platforms, broadened our journalism and content and added new tools and multimedia features across our properties to increase the engagement of our users. We are also focused on continuing to offer a premier environment for integrated brand advertising across platforms through advertising product innovation and our integrated print and digital sales structure.

In 2011, the Globe’s digital strategy focused on the development of two distinct online brands to better serve the distinct audiences of the Globe and Boston.com and a wide array of advertisers. In September 2011, the Globe launched a new paid subscription site, BostonGlobe.com, which offers exclusive access to the full range and depth of

P. 26 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

content produced by the newspaper’s journalists, in a format optimized for reading on a tablet, smartphone, laptop and desktop. This new site complements Boston.com, a Web site that previously offered all Globe content and has now been enhanced as a community portal for the greater Boston area.

The initial digital subscription numbers and the growth in digital advertising revenues at the News Media Group in 2011 reaffirm that advertisers and readers are embracing our high-quality content across multiple platforms and underscore the value users place on our brands. Regardless of the distribution model of news and information, we remain committed to creating quality content and a quality user experience.

Managing our expenses

Over the past few years as we transform and rebalance our business for the evolving media landscape, we have focused on realigning our cost base to ensure that we are operating our businesses as efficiently as possible, while maintaining our commitment to investing in high-quality content and achieving our long-term strategy. In 2011, we remained disciplined in our approach toward costs and focused on realigning our work force, even as we invested in new business models and other digital initiatives. We reduced our operating costs by approximately $43 million in 2011 and more than $890 million since 2006. In 2012, we expect costs to increase modestly for the first time in several years. We plan to prudently increase spending in 2012 as we continue to invest in our digital capabilities and subscription acquisition efforts, invest in the About Group’s sales and marketing efforts and reset our variable compensation targets, even as we expect expense savings in our production and distribution operations and from further leveraging our centralized processes and resources. Managing expenses will remain a priority and we will continue to identify operational efficiencies across our organization, such as in our production and distribution operations and from further leveraging centralized processes and resources, and to respond to the ongoing secular changes in our industry.

Rebalancing our portfolio of businesses

Over the past several years, we have been rebalancing our portfolio of businesses, focusing more on growth areas, such as digital. We have focused on investing in our expanding digital operations, including our new business models and other digital initiatives.

We also continuously evaluate our businesses to determine whether they are meeting our targets for financial performance, growth and return on investment and whether they remain relevant to our strategy and align with our core purpose to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment. During 2011, we sold Baseline and UCompareHealthCare.com. Over the past two years, we have sold almost three-quarters of our initial investment in Fenway Sports Group and we continue to market our remaining 210 units.

On January 6, 2012, we sold the Regional Media Group for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The sale of our Regional Media Group will enable us to continue our transformation to a digitally focused multimedia news and information company.

Improving our liquidity

We have continued to manage our liquidity position by improving our financial flexibility and our debt profile.

Over the past two years, we have taken decisive steps to strengthen our liquidity position. With our strong cash flows from operations, along with proceeds from the sale of a portion of our interest in Fenway Sports Group and a $225.0 million private debt offering in November 2010, we prepaid all $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 14.053% senior unsecured notes due January 15, 2015 (“14.053% Notes”) on August 15, 2011. Eliminating this high-interest debt from our balance sheet more than three years ahead of maturity has increased our financial flexibility, and we expect interest expense savings of more than $39 million annually over the next three years.

At the end of 2011, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately $280 million, even after prepaying the 14.053% Notes and making pension contributions totaling approximately $151 million during the year. Our cash position further improved after the end of 2011 with the proceeds from the sale of the Regional Media Group in January 2012 and the sale of 100 of our units in Fenway Sports Group in February 2012. Our main priorities for cash in 2012 will be managing the underfunded levels of our pension plans and paying off our $75.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.610% senior notes due in September 2012.

As of December 25, 2011, we had total debt and capital lease obligations of approximately $773 million and total

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 27

debt and capital lease obligations, net of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, or “net debt,” of approximately $493 million. We believe “net debt” provides a useful measure of our liquidity and overall debt position. We have reduced our net debt by approximately $104 million as of the end of 2011 from $597 million at the end of 2010. As of December 26, 2010, we had total debt and capital lease obligations of approximately $996 million and cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately $399 million.

By prepaying the 14.053% Notes more than three years ahead of maturity, we have improved our debt profile and the majority of our debt matures in 2015 or later. In addition, in June 2011, we entered into a new $125.0 million asset-backed five-year revolving credit facility that replaced our $400.0 million revolving credit facility. As of December 25, 2011, we had no outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility. We believe our cash balance and cash provided by operations, in combination with other financing sources, will be sufficient to meet our financing needs over the next 12 months.

Managing our pension-related obligations

The funded status of our qualified defined benefit pension plans has been adversely affected by the current interest rate environment, and required contributions for our qualified pension plans can have a significant effect on future cash flows.

For purposes of GAAP, our qualified pension plans were underfunded (meaning the present value of future obligations exceeded the fair value of plan assets) as of December 25, 2011, by approximately $522 million, compared with approximately $442 million as of December 26, 2010. The funded status of these pension plans was negatively affected primarily by the decline in interest rates in 2011. We expect to fund the majority of the shortfall over the next four to five years, although the balance could fluctuate significantly depending on interest rate movements and asset performance.

We made contributions totaling approximately $151 million in 2011 to certain qualified pension plans, including $31 million in contractual obligations to The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan. We have addressed our minimum funding requirements for 2011 and a significant portion for 2012 through discretionary contributions. In connection with the sale of the Regional Media Group, we will continue to retain pension assets and liabilities and postretirement obligations related to the Regional Media Group’s employees. We expect to make mandatory contributions, primarily contractual contributions in connection with The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, of approximately $45 million in 2012 and we may make discretionary contributions in 2012 to our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans depending on cash flows, pension asset performance, interest rates and other factors.

We have taken a number of other steps to manage our pension-related obligations. In the last two years, we have frozen accruals under certain qualified defined benefit pension plans that cover the majority of our employees, including our non-union pension plan and certain qualified pension plans in connection with collective bargaining agreements. For such frozen pension plans, any actuarial gains and losses from interest rate changes and asset performance are amortized over a longer period of time. As a result, we do not expect that such changes will have a significant impact on pension expense in 2012 relative to 2011.

We also remain focused on managing our multiemployer pension plans. Certain of our cost management efforts have created significant withdrawal obligations under the multiemployer pension plans in which we participate, such as the liability assessed against us in 2009 in connection with amendments to various collective bargaining agreements affecting certain multiemployer pension plans. However, we believe these withdrawals are an important step to address pension obligations that we projected could otherwise have continued to grow over time.

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Outlook

We remain in a challenging business environment, reflecting continuing uncertainty in economic conditions, and an increasingly competitive landscape. Advertising revenues continue to be affected by the slow economic recovery and visibility remains limited.

To date in the first quarter of 2012, digital advertising at the News Media Group is trending below the level of the fourth quarter of 2011. Thus, for the overall Company we expect total advertising revenue trends for the first quarter of 2012 to be slightly below the level of the fourth quarter of 2011.

Total circulation revenues are projected to increase in the high-single digits in the first quarter of 2012 as we expect to benefit from our digital subscription initiatives, as well as from the print circulation price increase at The Times implemented in the first quarter of 2012.

We expect operating costs to increase in the low-single digits in the first quarter of 2012.

In addition, we expect the following on a pre-tax basis in 2012:

• Depreciation and amortization: $105 to $110 million, which includes approximately $7 million of accelerated depreciation, primarily in the first quarter, associated with the consolidation of most of the T&G’s printing into the Globe’s facility in Boston, Mass., beginning in the second quarter of 2012,

• Interest expense, net: $60 to $65 million,

• Capital expenditures: $50 to $60 million, and

• Results from joint ventures: $8 to $10 million. Effective with the sale of 100 of our units in Fenway Sports Group in February 2012, given our reduced ownership level and lack of influence on the operations of Fenway Sports Group, we will change the accounting for our investment from the equity method to the cost method. Therefore, we will no longer recognize our proportionate share of the operating results of Fenway Sports Group in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 29

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

The following table presents our consolidated financial results:

	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009			% Change
(In thousands)										11-10		10-09
Revenues
Advertising	$	1,221,497		$	1,300,361		$	1,336,291		(6.1	)	(2.7	)
Circulation	941,468			931,493			936,486			1.1		(0.5	)
Other	160,436			161,609			167,662			(0.7	)	(3.6	)
Total	2,323,401			2,393,463			2,440,439			(2.9	)	(1.9	)
Operating costs
Production costs:
Raw materials	161,691			160,422			166,387			0.8		(3.6	)
Wages and benefits	495,607			498,270			524,782			(0.5	)	(5.1	)
Other	300,169			303,086			330,061			(1.0	)	(8.2	)
Total production costs	957,467			961,778			1,021,230			(0.4	)	(5.8	)
Selling, general and administrative costs	1,019,611			1,054,199			1,152,874			(3.3	)	(8.6	)
Depreciation and amortization	116,454			120,950			133,696			(3.7	)	(9.5	)
Total operating costs	2,093,532			2,136,927			2,307,800			(2.0	)	(7.4	)
Impairment of assets	164,434			16,148			4,179			*		*
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228			6,268			78,931			(32.5	)	(92.1	)
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500			—			34,633			N/A		N/A
Net pension curtailment gain	—			—			53,965			N/A		N/A
Gain on sale of assets	—			—			5,198			N/A		N/A
Operating profit	56,707			234,120			74,059			(75.8	)	*
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128			—			*		N/A
Income from joint ventures	28			19,035			20,667			(99.9	)	(7.9	)
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250			N/A		N/A
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062			81,701			0.2		4.1
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221			3,775			*		*
Income tax expense	36,506			68,516			2,206			(46.7	)	*
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705			1,569			*		*
Discontinued operations:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			—			(1,156		)	N/A		N/A
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	—			13			19,488			N/A		(99.9	)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332			N/A		(99.9	)
Net (loss)/income	(40,224		)	108,718			19,901			*		*
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555			(1,014		)	(10		)	*		*
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891		*		*

* Represents an increase or decrease in excess of 100%.

P. 30 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Revenues

Revenues by reportable segment and for the Company as a whole were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
News Media Group	$	2,212,575	$	2,257,386	$	2,319,378	(2.0	)	(2.7	)
About Group	110,826		136,077		121,061		(18.6	)	12.4
Total revenues	$	2,323,401	$	2,393,463	$	2,440,439	(2.9	)	(1.9	)

News Media Group

Advertising, circulation and other revenues by division of the News Media Group and for the Group as a whole were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
The New York Times Media Group
Advertising	$	756,148	$	780,424	$	797,298	(3.1	)	(2.1	)
Circulation	705,163		683,717		683,445		3.1		—
Other	93,263		92,697		101,118		0.6		(8.3	)
Total	$	1,554,574	$	1,556,838	$	1,581,861	(0.1	)	(1.6	)
New England Media Group
Advertising	$	198,383	$	213,720	$	230,886	(7.2	)	(7.4	)
Circulation	157,819		167,360		167,998		(5.7	)	(0.4	)
Other	41,854		42,809		41,710		(2.2	)	2.6
Total	$	398,056	$	423,889	$	440,594	(6.1	)	(3.8	)
Regional Media Group
Advertising	$	161,831	$	177,056	$	192,924	(8.6	)	(8.2	)
Circulation	78,486		80,416		85,043		(2.4	)	(5.4	)
Other	19,628		19,187		18,956		2.3		1.2
Total	$	259,945	$	276,659	$	296,923	(6.0	)	(6.8	)
Total News Media Group
Advertising	$	1,116,362	$	1,171,200	$	1,221,108	(4.7	)	(4.1	)
Circulation	941,468		931,493		936,486		1.1		(0.5	)
Other	154,745		154,693		161,784		0.0		(4.4	)
Total	$	2,212,575	$	2,257,386	$	2,319,378	(2.0	)	(2.7	)

Advertising Revenues

Advertising revenues are primarily determined by the volume, rate and mix of advertisements. Advertising spending, which drives a significant portion of revenues, is susceptible to economic conditions and the ongoing transformation in our industry. During 2011, the advertising marketplace remained challenging as advertisers continued to exercise caution in response to uneven economic conditions and lingering uncertainty about the outlook for the global economy. Changes in spending patterns and priorities, including shifts in marketing strategies and budget cuts of key advertisers in response to uneven economic conditions and alternative digital advertising platforms, contributed to the decline in print advertising revenues and the growth in digital advertising revenues. Total advertising revenue trends were slightly lower in 2011 compared with 2010 as the rate of decline in print advertising revenues was similar to the prior year, while the rate of growth in digital advertising revenues moderated.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 31

In 2011, News Media Group advertising revenues decreased primarily due to lower print volume across all advertising categories, offset in part by growth in digital advertising revenues. Print advertising revenues, which represented approximately 79% of total advertising revenues for the News Media Group, declined 7.9% in 2011, led by weakness in national and retail advertising. Digital advertising revenues grew 10.0% in 2011, primarily due to growth in national display advertising.

In 2010, News Media Group advertising revenues decreased primarily due to lower print volume across most advertising categories, offset in part by higher digital advertising revenues. Print advertising revenues, which represented approximately 82% of total advertising revenues for the News Media Group, declined 7.9% in 2010, mainly due to lower national and retail advertising. The rate of decline in print advertising revenues began to moderate in 2010 compared with 2009 as encouraging signs of improvement were seen in the overall economy. Digital advertising revenues grew 18.3% in 2010, mainly driven by growth in national display advertising.

Advertising revenues (print and digital) by category for the News Media Group were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
National	$	647,356	$	664,377	$	667,732	(2.6	)	(0.5	)
Retail	257,115		277,196		301,075		(7.2	)	(7.9	)
Classified	173,829		190,911		213,823		(8.9	)	(10.7	)
Other	38,062		38,716		38,478		(1.7	)	0.6
Total	$	1,116,362	$	1,171,200	$	1,221,108	(4.7	)	(4.1	)

Below is a percentage breakdown of 2011 advertising revenues by division:

	National		Retail and Preprint		Classified								Total Classified		Other Advertising Revenues		Total
					Help Wanted		Real Estate		Auto		Other
The New York Times Media Group	77	%	13	%	2	%	4	%	1	%	2	%	9	%	1	%	100	%
New England Media Group	30		32		5		6		9		8		28		10		100
Regional Media Group	5		60		5		6		8		9		28		7		100
Total News Media Group	58		23		3		5		3		4		15		4		100

The New York Times Media Group

Total advertising revenues declined in 2011 compared with 2010 due to lower print advertising revenues, offset in part by growth in digital advertising revenues. Print advertising revenues were negatively affected by the declines in the volume of spending in all advertising categories reflecting the continued uneven economic environment, global events and secular forces. Growth in digital advertising revenues was driven by increased spending on digital platforms, primarily in the national display category.

While total national, classified and retail advertising revenues declined, total classified advertising revenue trends improved as the rate of decline moderated in 2011 compared with 2010. The continued uneven economic conditions and secular changes in our industry contributed to lower advertising revenues in 2011 compared with 2010. Total national advertising revenues decreased led by declines in the travel, corporate and financial services categories offset in part by gains in the luxury and technology categories. The declines in total classified advertising revenues were primarily in the real estate and automotive categories. Total retail advertising revenues declined as advertisers reduced spending in the face of the uncertain economic climate primarily in the mass market, home furnishings and department stores advertising categories.

Total advertising revenues declined in 2010 compared with 2009 due to lower print advertising revenues, particularly in the national and classified advertising categories, offset in part by strong growth in digital advertising revenues. Print advertising revenues were negatively affected by the declines in the volume of spending in most advertising categories reflecting the uneven economic recovery during 2010. Increased spending on digital platforms, particularly in national display advertising, contributed to the strong growth in digital advertising revenues.

P. 32 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

While total classified, retail and national advertising revenues declined, the advertising revenue trends improved in all categories in 2010 as the rates of decline moderated compared with 2009. Total classified advertising revenues declined in 2010 compared with 2009 as the soft economic environment and secular changes in our industry contributed to declines in the real estate, automotive and help-wanted categories. Total retail advertising revenues decreased in 2010 compared with the prior year as soft economic conditions throughout 2010 negatively affected retail advertising. While retail advertising experienced declines in the first three quarters of 2010 compared with the respective periods in 2009, both digital and print retail advertising revenues grew in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared with the fourth quarter of 2009 mainly as advertisers responded to increased consumer spending. Total national advertising revenues decreased in 2010 compared with the prior year, led by declines in the studio entertainment and telecommunications categories, offset in part by gains in the luxury and corporate categories.

New England Media Group

Total advertising revenues declined in 2011 compared with 2010 due to declines in print advertising revenues, partially offset by growth in digital advertising revenues. The decline in print advertising revenues was driven by lower advertising in all categories, reflecting uncertain national and local economic conditions and secular forces in our industry. The increase in digital advertising revenues was due to higher spending in the national and automotive classified categories.

While total retail, national and classified advertising revenues declined, an improvement was seen in the retail advertising revenue trend as the rate of decline moderated in 2011 compared with 2010. The uncertain national and local economic conditions continued to negatively affect total retail advertising revenues, as retailers cut the volume of spending mainly in the department stores and home furnishings categories in 2011 compared with 2010. The uneven economic environment coupled with secular changes in our industry contributed to declines in total national advertising revenues led by lower advertiser spending in the financial services, telecommunications and studio entertainment categories in 2011 compared with 2010. These factors also adversely affected total classified advertising revenues in 2011 compared with 2010, primarily in the real estate category.

Total advertising revenues declined in 2010 compared with 2009 mainly due to declines in print advertising revenues, partially offset by growth in digital advertising revenues. The decline in print advertising revenues was driven by lower advertising in most categories, reflecting challenging market conditions in the national and local economy and exacerbated by the secular shifts to digital advertising. The increase in digital advertising revenues was mainly due to higher national advertising spending.

While total retail, national and classified advertising revenues declined, advertising revenue trends improved in all categories in 2010 as the rates of decline moderated compared with 2009. Advertisers cut the level of total retail advertising spending in response to soft national and local economic conditions during 2010 compared with 2009, mainly in the department stores category. Similar factors contributed to the declines in total national advertising revenues in 2010 compared with 2009 led by reduced spending in the telecommunications and bank advertising categories. These factors also adversely affected total classified advertising revenues in 2010 compared with 2009, primarily in the real estate and automotive categories.

Regional Media Group

Total advertising revenues declined in 2011 compared with 2010 due to declines in print advertising revenues, partially offset by growth in digital advertising revenues. The decline in print advertising revenues was driven by lower advertising in all categories, reflecting uncertain local and national economic conditions, secular forces in our industry and regional events. The increase in digital advertising revenues was led by higher spending in the retail advertising category.

While total retail, classified and national advertising revenues declined, advertising revenue trends improved as the rates of decline in total retail and classified advertising revenues moderated in 2011 compared with 2010. Uneven local and national economic conditions continued to weigh on the retail sector, as advertisers reduced their volume of spending in 2011 compared with 2010. Total classified advertising revenues experienced declines in 2011 compared with 2010, primarily in the real estate and automotive categories, as economic conditions and secular changes occurring in our industry continued to have a negative impact. Total national advertising revenues declined in 2011 compared with 2010 mainly due to challenging comparisons with 2010 when there was higher spending related to the Gulf oil spill.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 33

Total advertising revenues declined in 2010 compared with 2009 due to lower print advertising revenues, partially offset by growth in digital advertising revenues. The decline in print advertising revenues was driven by lower advertising in most categories, reflecting soft local and national economic conditions, secular forces in our industry and regional events. The increase in digital advertising revenues was led by higher spending in the national advertising category.

Total retail and classified advertising revenues declined in 2010 compared with 2009, offset in part by higher total national advertising revenues. Total advertising revenue trends improved in 2010 in all categories as the rates of decline moderated compared with 2009. Soft local and national economic conditions adversely impacted the volume of advertising spending in the retail sector and resulted in declines in total retail advertising revenues in 2010 compared with 2009. Total classified advertising revenues decreased in 2010 compared with 2009, primarily in the real estate category, mainly as a result of the soft economic conditions in the Florida and California housing markets. These declines were offset in part by higher total national advertising revenues in 2010 primarily related to the Gulf oil spill.

Circulation Revenues

Circulation revenues are based on the number of copies of the printed newspaper (through home-delivery subscriptions and single-copy sales) and digital subscriptions sold and the rates charged to the respective customers. Total circulation revenues consist of revenues from our print and digital products, including The Times digital subscription packages on NYTimes.com and across other digital platforms beginning in the second quarter of 2011, as well as our new pay site, BostonGlobe.com, and digital subscription packages at the IHT in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Circulation revenues in 2011 increased compared with 2010 as the addition of digital subscription offerings primarily at The Times offset a decline in print copies sold across the News Media Group. In addition, during 2011, the rate of home-delivery circulation volume declines moderated at The Times, as we observed an increase in new home-delivery orders and improved retention rates following the launch of The Times digital subscriptions as print subscribers receive all-digital access for free.

Circulation revenues in 2010 were flat compared with 2009 primarily as declines in copies sold across the News Media Group offset the subscription and newsstand price increases implemented by both The Times and the Globe in the second quarter of 2009.

Other Revenues

Other revenues consist primarily of revenues from news services/syndication, commercial printing, rental income, digital archives and direct mail advertising services.

Other revenues for the News Media Group were flat in 2011 compared with 2010.

Other revenues for the News Media Group decreased in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily because of lower digital archives and commercial printing revenues.

About Group

About Group revenues decreased in 2011 compared with 2010 primarily due to lower cost-per-click and display advertising. The declines in cost-per-click advertising revenues were primarily due to lower click-through rates and page views. Design changes in cost-per-click advertisements served by Google, which were implemented in July 2010, continued to have a negative impact on click-through rates during the first half of 2011. After cycling through those design changes, click-through rates continued to experience downward pressure through the fourth quarter of 2011 and advertising rates for cost-per-click advertising began to decline in the fourth quarter in line with the marketplace. In addition, the increased competition in the content space and the algorithm changes Google implemented during the first quarter of 2011 contributed to the declines in page views experienced during most of 2011. In the fourth quarter of 2011, monthly page views increased compared with 2010. Lower display advertising revenues mainly resulted from competitive marketplace pressures as well as uneven economic conditions during 2011. In the second half of 2011, the About Group implemented a plan to better leverage the site’s reach and rebuild its sales force in order to revitalize display advertising.

About Group revenues increased in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily due to growth in display and cost-per-click advertising revenues as a result of higher click-through rates and page views. However, uneven economic conditions, as well as competitive pressures in the market, negatively impacted display advertising beginning in the fourth quarter of 2010. In addition, the design changes in cost-per-click advertisements served by Google had a negative impact on click-through rates in the second half of 2010.

P. 34 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Operating Costs

Operating costs were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
Production costs:
Raw materials	$	161,691	$	160,422	$	166,387	0.8		(3.6	)
Wages and benefits	495,607		498,270		524,782		(0.5	)	(5.1	)
Other	300,169		303,086		330,061		(1.0	)	(8.2	)
Total production costs	957,467		961,778		1,021,230		(0.4	)	(5.8	)
Selling, general and administrative costs	1,019,611		1,054,199		1,152,874		(3.3	)	(8.6	)
Depreciation and amortization	116,454		120,950		133,696		(3.7	)	(9.5	)
Total operating costs	$	2,093,532	$	2,136,927	$	2,307,800	(2.0	)	(7.4	)

The components of operating costs as a percentage of total operating costs were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Components of operating costs as a percentage of total operating costs
Wages and benefits	42	%	42	%	43	%
Raw materials	8	%	8	%	7	%
Other operating costs	45	%	44	%	44	%
Depreciation and amortization	5	%	6	%	6	%
Total	100	%	100	%	100	%

The components of operating costs as a percentage of total revenues were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Components of operating costs as a percentage of total revenues
Wages and benefits	37	%	38	%	40	%
Raw materials	7	%	7	%	7	%
Other operating costs	41	%	39	%	42	%
Depreciation and amortization	5	%	5	%	6	%
Total	90	%	89	%	95	%

Production Costs

Total production costs in 2011 decreased compared with 2010 primarily due to lower outside printing costs (approximately $5 million) and various other costs, offset by higher raw materials expense (approximately $1 million), primarily newsprint. Cost-saving initiatives primarily contributed to the declines in outside printing costs. Newsprint expense increased 1.7%, with 7.5% from higher pricing offset in part by 5.8% from lower consumption. While newsprint prices have remained stable since increasing steadily through the first half of 2010, newsprint prices were higher in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010.

Total production costs in 2010 decreased compared with 2009 primarily due to lower compensation and benefits costs (approximately $27 million) and outside printing costs (approximately $12 million), mainly reflecting the impact of a reduced workforce and cost-saving initiatives, as well as lower raw materials expense (approximately $6 million), primarily newsprint. In 2010, newsprint expense declined 6.7%, with 8.5% from lower consumption offset in part by 1.8% from higher pricing. Newsprint prices hit the bottom of the cycle in the third quarter of 2009, but increased steadily through the first half of 2010. Although we did not experience significant newsprint price increases in the second half of 2010, newsprint prices were higher than the same period in 2009.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 35

Selling, General and Administrative Costs

Total selling, general and administrative costs in 2011 decreased compared with 2010 primarily due to lower compensation costs (approximately $41 million) and professional fees (approximately $8 million), partially offset by higher promotion (approximately $12 million) and severance (approximately $7 million) costs. Compensation costs declined mainly as a result of lower variable compensation expense. The decline in professional fees mainly resulted from the costs incurred in the prior year associated with our digital initiatives as well as cost-saving initiatives. Promotion costs were higher mainly because of the launch of digital subscription packages at The Times in 2011. Severance costs were higher due to the level of workforce reduction programs year-over-year.

Total selling, general and administrative costs in 2010 decreased compared with 2009 primarily due to lower severance costs (approximately $48 million) as a result of a larger workforce reduction program in 2009, lower bad debt expense (approximately $16 million) due to improvements in the overall economy and lower benefits expense (approximately $11 million), professional fees (approximately $8 million) and various other costs.

Depreciation and Amortization

Consolidated depreciation and amortization by reportable segment and the Company as a whole, were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
News Media Group	$	105,934	$	109,341	$	122,609	(3.1	)	(10.8	)
About Group	10,520		11,609		11,087		(9.4	)	4.7
Total depreciation and amortization	$	116,454	$	120,950	$	133,696	(3.7	)	(9.5	)

Depreciation and amortization decreased at the News Media Group in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily due to the accelerated depreciation expense recognized in 2009 for assets at the Billerica, Mass., printing facility. We completed the consolidation of this printing facility with the Globe’s printing facility in Boston, Mass., in the second quarter of 2009.

Segment Operating Costs

The following table sets forth consolidated costs by reportable segment, Corporate and the Company as a whole:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)							11-10		10-09
News Media Group	$	1,986,176	$	2,015,728	$	2,182,964	(1.5	)	(7.7	)
About Group	67,036		74,125		70,180		(9.6	)	5.6
Corporate	40,320		47,074		54,656		(14.3	)	(13.9	)
Total operating costs	$	2,093,532	$	2,136,927	$	2,307,800	(2.0	)	(7.4	)

News Media Group

In 2011, operating costs for the News Media Group decreased compared with 2010 primarily due to declines in compensation and benefits costs (approximately $29 million), professional fees (approximately $8 million), outside printing costs (approximately $4 million) and various other costs, partially offset by higher promotion (approximately $12 million) and severance costs (approximately $6 million). Compensation costs declined mainly as a result of lower variable compensation expense. The decline in professional fees mainly resulted from the costs incurred in the prior year associated with our digital initiatives as well as cost-saving initiatives. Cost-saving initiatives primarily contributed to lower outside printing costs. Promotion costs were higher mainly in connection with the launch of digital subscription packages at The Times in 2011. Severance costs were higher due to the level of workforce reduction programs year-over-year.

P. 36 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

In 2010, operating costs for the News Media Group decreased compared with 2009 primarily due to declines across most major categories. Lower severance costs (approximately $46 million), compensation and benefits costs (approximately $30 million), bad debt expense (approximately $17 million), outside printing and distribution costs (approximately $16 million), and depreciation and amortization costs (approximately $13 million) were the main drivers. Lower severance costs were due to a larger workforce reduction program in 2009 and lower compensation and benefits costs reflect the impact of our reduced workforce and cost-saving initiatives. Lower bad debt expense was a result of improved economic conditions compared with 2009. Lower outside printing and distribution costs mainly reflect the impact of cost-saving initiatives.

About Group

Operating costs for the About Group decreased in 2011 compared with 2010 primarily due to lower compensation costs ($3.1 million), driven by lower variable compensation expense, and a one-time benefit from the sale of UCompareHealthCare.com in February 2011.

Operating costs for the About Group increased in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily due to higher compensation and benefits costs ($2.2 million) and higher marketing costs ($0.5 million).

Corporate

Operating costs for Corporate decreased in 2011 compared with 2010 primarily due to lower compensation and benefits costs ($9.6 million) mainly driven by lower variable compensation expense, offset by various other costs.

Operating costs for Corporate decreased in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily due to lower professional fees ($6.7 million) and benefits and compensation costs ($3.2 million), offset in part by a one-time benefit from the sale of an asset ($1.8 million) in the second quarter of 2009.

Other Items

Impairment of Assets

2011

In 2011, we recorded a $164.4 million impairment charge. At the News Media Group, the impairment consisted of the write-down of goodwill at the Regional Media Group of $152.1 million and the write-down of certain assets held for sale, primarily of Baseline, totaling $9.2 million. At the About Group, the impairment consisted of a write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. of $3.1 million.

Regional Media Group

Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our policy is to perform our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. However, due to certain impairment indicators at the Regional Media Group, including lower-than-expected operating results, we performed an interim impairment test of goodwill as of June 26, 2011. The Regional Media Group is part of the News Media Group reportable segment. See Note 21 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the sale of the Regional Media Group on January 6, 2012.

The interim test resulted in an impairment of goodwill of $152.1 million mainly from lower projected long-term operating results and cash flows of the Regional Media Group primarily due to the continued decline in print advertising revenues. These factors resulted in the carrying value of the net assets being greater than their fair value, and therefore a write-down to fair value was required. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of goodwill at the Regional Media Group to zero.

In determining the fair value of the Regional Media Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected severity and duration of the uneven economic environment and the secular changes affecting the newspaper industry in the Regional Media Group markets. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with the continued benefits from reductions to the group’s cost structure, played a significant role in calculating the fair value of the Regional Media Group.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 37

Property, plant and equipment is tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Due to the factors discussed above, we completed an interim impairment test of property, plant and equipment as of June 26, 2011. The impairment test was completed at each newspaper (asset group level with the lowest level of cash flows) in the Regional Media Group. Our test did not result in an impairment because the sum of the future undiscounted cash flows at each newspaper was greater than the carrying value of property, plant and equipment.

About Group

Our 2011 annual impairment test, which was completed in the fourth quarter, resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of $3.1 million relating to the write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. This impairment charge reduced the carrying value of the ConsumerSearch trade name to approximately $3 million. The fair value of the trade name was calculated using a relief-from-royalty method. The asset impairment was driven by lower cost-per-click advertising revenues.

There were no additional impairment charges in connection with our 2011 annual impairment test. However, the About Group's estimated fair value was 18% greater than its carrying value in our 2011 impairment test compared with 60% in our 2010 impairment test, a significant decline during 2011. The About Group had approximately $367 million of goodwill as of December 25, 2011.

In determining the fair value of the About Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected recovery of display and cost-per-click advertising. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with investments to grow content and traffic, play a significant role in calculating the fair value of the About Group. We believe if the long-term projected cash flows of the About Group are not met a goodwill impairment charge could be reasonably likely.    

Assets Held for Sale

In the second quarter of 2011, we classified certain assets as held for sale, primarily of Baseline. The carrying value of these assets was greater than their fair value, less cost to sell, resulting in an impairment of certain intangible assets and property totaling $9.2 million. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of intangible assets to zero and the property to a nominal value. The fair value for these assets was determined by estimating the most likely sale price with a third-party buyer based on market data. In October 2011, we completed the sale of Baseline, which resulted in a nominal gain.

2010

We consolidated the printing facility of the Globe in Billerica, Mass., into the Boston, Mass., printing facility in the second quarter of 2009. After exploring different opportunities for the assets at Billerica, we entered into an agreement in the third quarter of 2010 to sell the majority of these assets to a third party. Therefore, assets with a carrying value of approximately $20 million were written down to their fair value, resulting in a $16.1 million impairment charge in 2010.

2009

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we recorded a $4.2 million charge for an impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project at the News Media Group.

Pension Withdrawal Expense

Over the past three years, certain events, such as amendments to various collective bargaining agreements, resulted in withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans. These actions along with a reduction in covered employees have resulted in us estimating withdrawal liabilities to the respective plans for our proportionate share of any unfunded vested benefits. We recorded an estimated charge for pension plan withdrawal obligations of $4.2 million in 2011, $6.3 million in 2010 and $78.9 million in 2009. Our multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability was approximately $100 million as of December 25, 2011. This liability is the present value of the obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from certain plans as well as an estimate of future partial withdrawals that we considered probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability will not be known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability will be adjusted as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

P. 38 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Pension Curtailment Gain

We did not make any significant changes to our pension plans during 2011 or 2010. However, in 2009, we made the following changes to certain of our pension plans, which resulted in a net pension curtailment gain of $54.0 million.

We amended a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan for non-union employees to discontinue future benefit accruals under the plan and freeze existing accrued benefits effective December 31, 2009. Benefits earned by participants under the pension plan prior to January 1, 2010 were not affected. We also froze a non-qualified pension plan that provides enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The accrued benefits under this supplemental benefit plan were determined and frozen based on eligible earnings through December 31, 2009. The reduction of benefits under the qualified and non-qualified plans mentioned above and various other non-qualified plans resulted in a curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

In 2009, we also froze a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan in connection with ratified amendments to a collective bargaining agreement covering the Newspaper Guild of the Globe. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $2.5 million.

In 2009, we also eliminated certain non-qualified retirement benefits of various employees of the Globe in connection with the amendment of two union agreements. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $0.2 million.

Loss on Leases and Other Expenses

In 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer at the end of 2011.

The total loss on leases and other expenses recorded in 2009 was $34.6 million as detailed below.

In 2009, we recorded a loss of $22.8 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under leases, for property previously occupied by City & Suburban Delivery Systems, Inc. (“City & Suburban”), in excess of rental income under potential subleases. We closed City & Suburban, which operated a wholesale distribution business that delivered The Times and other newspapers and magazines to newsstands and retail outlets in the New York metropolitan area, in January 2009. Also in 2009, we recorded a loss of $8.3 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under a lease for office space at The New York Times Media Group, in excess of rental income under potential subleases.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we also recorded a $3.5 million charge for the early termination of a third-party printing contract.

Gain on Sale of Assets

In 2009, we sold certain surplus real estate assets at the Regional Media Group and recorded a gain on the sales totaling $5.2 million.

Operating Profit/(Loss)

Consolidated operating profit/(loss) by reportable segment, Corporate and the Company as a whole, were as follows:

	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009		% Change
(In thousands)									11-10		10-09
News Media Group	$	60,853		$	219,242		$	21,163	(72.2	)	*
About Group	40,674			61,952			50,881		(34.3	)	21.8
Corporate	(44,820		)	(47,074		)	2,015		(4.8	)	*
Total operating profit	$	56,707		$	234,120		$	74,059	(75.8	)	*

* Represents an increase or decrease in excess of 100%.

We discuss the reasons for the year-to-year changes in each segment’s and Corporate’s operating profit/(loss) in the “Revenues,” “Operating Costs,” and “Other Items” sections above.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 39

NON-OPERATING ITEMS

Income from Joint Ventures

We have investments in Metro Boston, two paper mills (Malbaie and Madison), quadrantONE and Fenway Sports Group, which were accounted for under the equity method as of December 25, 2011. Our proportionate share of the operating results of these investments is recorded in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 7 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding these investments.

In 2011, we had income from joint ventures of $28,000 compared with $19.0 million in 2010. In 2010, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $12.7 million from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills in which we have an investment. Our share of the pre-tax gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million. The $12.7 million gain is included in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Excluding this gain, joint venture results in 2011 were negatively impacted by Fenway Sports Group’s acquisition of Liverpool Football Club, mainly due to the amortization expense associated with the purchase, offset in part by improved results driven by higher paper selling prices at both paper mills in which we have investments.

In 2010, we had income from joint ventures of $19.0 million compared with $20.7 million in 2009. Excluding the $12.7 million pre-tax gain from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills, income from joint ventures declined in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily due to a decline in results driven by lower paper selling prices at both paper mills in which we have investments.

Gain on Sale of Investments

In 2011, we recognized a gain of $71.2 million resulting from the sale of 390 units in Fenway Sports Group ($65.3 million) and the sale of a portion of our interest in Indeed.com ($5.9 million), a job listing aggregator. We retain a substantial portion of our initial interest in Indeed.com.

In 2010, we recognized a gain of $9.1 million resulting from the sale of 50 units in Fenway Sports Group.

In February 2012, we sold 100 units in Fenway Sports Group for an aggregate price of $30.0 million. We will record a pre-tax gain of approximately $18 million in the first quarter of 2012. Following the sale, we own 210 units, or 4.97%, of Fenway Sports Group. We continue to market our remaining units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

Effective with this sale, given our reduced ownership level and lack of influence on the operations of Fenway Sports Group, we will change the accounting for our investment from the equity method to the cost method. Therefore, we will no longer recognize our proportionate share of the operating results of Fenway Sports Group in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and our investment will be reclassified from “Investments in joint ventures” into “Miscellaneous assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet.

P. 40 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net, was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Cash interest expense	$	79,187		$	79,349		$	78,606
Non-cash amortization of discount on debt	6,933			7,251			6,084
Capitalized interest	(427		)	(299		)	(1,566		)
Interest income	(450		)	(1,239		)	(1,423		)
Total interest expense, net	$	85,243		$	85,062		$	81,701

We had lower interest expense in 2011 due to the prepayment in August 2011 of our 14.053% Notes. However, this was more than offset by higher interest expense in connection with the issuance of our 6.625% Notes in November 2010 and lower interest income from a loan to a third-party, which was repaid in October 2010.

Interest expense, net, increased in 2010 compared with 2009 as a result of higher interest rates on our debt, offset in part by lower average debt outstanding.

Premium on Debt Redemptions

On August 15, 2011, we prepaid in full all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes. The prepayment totaled approximately $280 million, comprising (1) the $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes; (2) approximately $3 million representing all interest that was accrued and unpaid on the 14.053% Notes to August 15, 2011; and (3) a make-whole premium amount of approximately $27 million due in connection with the prepayment. We funded the prepayment from available cash. As a result of this prepayment, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in the third quarter of 2011 and expect to save in excess of $39 million annually in interest expense through January 15, 2015, the original maturity date.

In April 2009, we settled the redemption of all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of our 4.5% notes due March 15, 2010, that had been called for redemption in March 2009. The redemption price of approximately $260 million included a $9.3 million premium and was computed under the terms of the notes as the present value of the scheduled payments of principal and unpaid interest, plus accrued interest to the redemption settlement date.

Income Taxes

We had income tax expense of $36.5 million on a pre-tax loss of $3.7 million in 2011. The effective tax rate for the full year 2011 is not meaningful because a portion of the non-cash charge in the second quarter of 2011 for the impairment of the Regional Media Group’s goodwill was non-deductible.

We had income tax expense of $68.5 million on pre-tax income of $177.2 million in 2010. Our effective tax rate was 38.7% in 2010. The effective tax rate for 2010 was favorably affected by approximately $22 million for the reversal of reserves for uncertain tax positions due to the closing of tax audits and the lapse of applicable statutes of limitations and unfavorably affected by an $11.4 million tax charge as described below.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which were enacted in 2010, eliminated the tax deductibility of certain retiree health care costs, beginning January 1, 2013, to the extent of federal subsidies received by plan sponsors that provide retiree prescription drug benefits equivalent to Medicare Part D. Because the future anticipated retiree health-care liabilities and related subsidies were already reflected in our financial statements, this legislation required us to reduce the related deferred tax asset recognized in our financial statements. As a result, we recorded a tax charge of $11.4 million in 2010 for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health-care legislation enacted in 2010.

We had $2.2 million of tax expense on pre-tax income of $3.8 million in 2009. Our effective tax rate was 58.4% in 2009. The high tax rate was driven by the impact of certain items, including the reduction of deferred tax asset balances resulting from lower income tax rates, on near break-even results in 2009.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 41

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued operations are summarized in the following chart:

(In thousands)	December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	—	$	5,062
Total operating costs	—		7,082
Pre-tax loss	—		(2,020		)
Income tax benefit	—		(864		)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—		(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes:
Gain on sale	16		34,914
Income tax expense	3		15,426
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	13		19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$	13	$	18,332

WQXR-FM

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, a New York City classical radio station, which was sold in October 2009, are presented as discontinued operations. We received proceeds related to the sale of approximately $45 million and recorded a pre-tax gain of approximately $35 million (approximately $19 million after tax) in the fourth quarter of 2009. In 2010, we recorded post-closing adjustments to the gain.

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, which were previously consolidated in the results of the News Media Group, are presented as discontinued operations in our Consolidated Financial Statements for all periods presented.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Overview

The following table presents information about our financial position.

Financial Position Summary

	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			% Change
(In thousands, except ratios)							11-10
Cash and cash equivalents	$	175,151		$	369,668		(52.6	)
Short-term investments	104,846			29,974			*
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	74,920			38			*
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	698,220			996,405			(29.9	)
Total New York Times Company stockholders’ equity	506,360			659,927			(23.3	)
Ratios:
Total debt to total capitalization	60		%	60		%	—
Current assets to current liabilities	1.46			1.70			(14.1	)

* Represents an increase in excess of 100%.

We meet our cash obligations with cash inflows from operations, in combination with other financing sources. Our primary sources of cash inflows from operations are advertising and circulation sales. Advertising and circulation provided about 53% and 41%, respectively, of total revenues in 2011. The remaining cash inflows from operations are from other revenue sources such as news services/syndication, commercial printing, rental income, digital archives and direct mail advertising services. Our primary source of cash outflows are for employee compensation, pension and other benefits, raw materials, services and supplies, interest and income taxes. Contributions to our qualified pension plans can have a significant impact on cash flows. See “— Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” for additional information regarding our pension plans.

P. 42 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

We have continued to manage our liquidity position by improving our financial flexibility and our debt profile. As of December 25, 2011, we had total debt and capital lease obligations of approximately $773 million and cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately $280 million. Accordingly, our total debt and capital lease obligations, net of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, or “net debt,” was approximately $493 million even after the prepayment of the 14.053% Notes and making contributions totaling approximately $151 million to certain qualified pension plans in 2011. Our efforts to strengthen our liquidity position and improve our debt profile over the past two years allowed us to prepay on August 15, 2011, all of our $250.0 million 14.053% Notes. In addition, in June 2011, we entered into a new $125.0 million asset-backed five-year revolving credit facility that replaced our $400.0 million revolving credit facility. As of December 25, 2011, we had no outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility.

We believe our cash balance and cash provided by operations, in combination with other financing sources, will be sufficient to meet our financing needs over the next 12 months. 

Capital Resources

Sources and Uses of Cash

Cash flows provided by/(used in) by category were as follows:

	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009			% Change
(In thousands)										11-10		10-09
Operating activities	$	73,927		$	153,327		$	247,253		(51.8	)	(38.0	)
Investing activities	$	(18,254	)	$	(40,520	)	$	8,073		(55.0	)	*
Financing activities	$	(250,226	)	$	220,666		$	(276,651	)	*		*

* Represents an increase or decrease in excess of 100%.

Operating Activities

Operating cash inflows include cash receipts from advertising and circulation sales and other revenue transactions. Operating cash outflows include payments for employee compensation, pension and other benefits, raw materials, services and supplies, interest and income taxes.

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased in 2011 compared with 2010 primarily due to higher working capital requirements, including approximately $30 million associated with the prepayment of the 14.053% Notes, partially offset by lower pension contributions to certain qualified pension plans, which totaled approximately $151 million in 2011 compared with $176 million in 2010.

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased in 2010 compared with 2009 primarily driven by contributions totaling approximately $176 million to certain qualified pension plans, offset in part by improved operating performance as a result of cost-saving initiatives in recent years.

Investing Activities

Cash from investing activities generally includes proceeds from short-term investments that have matured and the sale of assets or a business. Cash used in investing activities generally includes purchases of short-term investments, payments for capital projects, restricted cash subject to collateral requirements primarily for obligations under our workers’ compensation programs, acquisitions of new businesses and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities in 2011 was mainly due to purchases of short-term investments, capital expenditures and changes in restricted cash, offset in part by proceeds from the short-term investments that have matured, proceeds from the sales of 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group and a portion of our interest in Indeed.com, as well as proceeds primarily from the sales of UCompareHealthCare.com and Baseline in 2011.

Net cash used in investing activities in 2010 was primarily for capital expenditures and the purchase of short-term investments, partially offset by loan repayments from a third-party circulation service provider, and proceeds from the sale of 50 of our units in Fenway Sports Group.

Net cash provided by investing activities in 2009 was primarily due to the proceeds from the sale of WQXR-FM and other assets, offset in part by capital expenditures.

Capital expenditures were $44.9 million in 2011, $33.6 million in 2010 and $51.1 million in 2009.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 43

Financing Activities

Cash from financing activities generally includes borrowings under third-party financing arrangements and the issuance of long-term debt. Cash used in financing activities generally includes the repayment of amounts outstanding under third-party financing arrangements and long-term debt.

Net cash used in financing activities in 2011 was primarily for the prepayment of our 14.053% Notes (see “— Third-Party Financing” below).

Net cash provided by financing activities in 2010 consisted mainly of debt incurred under the issuance of 6.625% senior unsecured notes (see “— Third-Party Financing” below).

 Net cash used in financing activities in 2009 consisted mainly of repayments under our revolving credit agreements, repayments in connection with the early redemption of our 4.5% notes due March 15, 2010 and the repurchase of medium-term notes, partially offset by debt incurred under the issuance of 14.053% Notes and a sale-leaseback financing (see “— Third-Party Financing” below).

See our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for additional information on our sources and uses of cash.

Restricted Cash

We were required to maintain $27.6 million of restricted cash as of December 25, 2011, subject to certain collateral requirements primarily for obligations under our workers’ compensation programs. These collateral requirements were previously supported by letters of credit under our $400.0 million revolving credit facility that was replaced in June 2011.

Third-Party Financing

Our total debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:

(In thousands, except percentages)	Coupon Rate		December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Senior notes due in 2012, net of unamortized debt costs of $100 in 2011 and $229 in 2010	4.610	%	$	74,900	$	74,771
Senior notes due in 2015, net of unamortized debt costs of $109 in 2011 and $140 in 2010	5.0	%	249,891		249,860
Senior notes due in 2015, called in 2011, net of unamortized debt costs of $22,320 in 2010	14.053	%	—		227,680
Senior notes due in 2016, net of unamortized debt costs of $4,213 in 2011 and $4,898 in 2010	6.625	%	220,787		220,102
Option to repurchase ownership interest in headquarters building in 2019, net of unamortized debt costs of $29,139 in 2011 and $32,694 in 2010			220,861		217,306
Total debt			766,439		989,719
Capital lease obligations			6,701		6,724
Total debt and capital lease obligations			$	773,140	$	996,443

Based on borrowing rates currently available for debt with similar terms and average maturities, the fair value of our long-term debt was approximately $800 million as of December 25, 2011 and approximately $1.1 billion as of December 26, 2010. We were in compliance with our covenants under our third-party financing arrangements as of December 25, 2011.

4.610% Notes

We have $75.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.610% senior notes due September 26, 2012, outstanding (the “4.610% Notes”). The 4.610% Notes were reclassified to “Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The 4.610% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 4.610% Notes are not otherwise callable.

P. 44 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The 4.610% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

5.0% Notes

We have $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.0% senior unsecured notes due March 15, 2015, outstanding (the “5.0% Notes”).

The 5.0% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 5.0% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 5.0% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

14.053% Notes

In January 2009, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement with Inmobiliaria Carso, S.A. de C.V. and Banco Inbursa S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Inbursa (each an “Investor” and collectively the “Investors”), we issued, for an aggregate purchase price of $250.0 million, (1) $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 14.053% senior unsecured notes due January 15, 2015, and (2) detachable warrants to purchase 15.9 million shares of our Class A Common Stock at a price of $6.3572 per share. The warrants are exercisable at the holder’s option at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, until January 15, 2015. Each Investor is an affiliate of Carlos Slim Helú, the beneficial owner of approximately 8% of our Class A Common Stock (excluding the warrants). Each Investor purchased an equal number of 14.053% Notes and warrants.

On August 15, 2011, we prepaid in full all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes. The prepayment totaled approximately $280 million, comprising (1) the $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes, (2) approximately $3 million representing all interest that was accrued and unpaid on the 14.053% Notes to August 15, 2011, and (3) a make-whole premium amount of approximately $27 million due in connection with the prepayment. We funded the prepayment from available cash. As a result of this prepayment, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in the third quarter of 2011. This charge is included in “Premium on debt redemptions” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

6.625% Notes

In November 2010, we completed an offering of $225.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2016 (“6.625% Notes”).

We received proceeds of approximately $220 million (purchase price of $225.0 million, net of approximately $5 million in transaction costs). The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 7%.

We have the option to redeem all or a portion of the 6.625% Notes, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 6.625% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 6.625% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to:

• incur additional indebtedness and issue preferred stock;

• pay dividends or make other equity distributions;

• agree to any restrictions on the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to make payments to us;

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt;

• make certain investments;

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 45

• merge or consolidate with other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; and

• engage in sale and leaseback transactions.

Sale-Leaseback Financing

In March 2009, an affiliate of our Company entered into an agreement to sell and simultaneously lease back a portion of our leasehold condominium interest in our Company’s headquarters building located at 620 Eighth Avenue in New York City (the “Condo Interest”). The sale price for the Condo Interest was $225.0 million. We have an option, exercisable in 2019, to repurchase the Condo Interest for $250.0 million. The lease term is 15 years, and we have three renewal options that could extend the term for an additional 20 years.

The transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction. As such, we have continued to depreciate the Condo Interest and account for the rental payments as interest expense. The difference between the purchase option price of $250.0 million and the net sale proceeds of approximately $211 million, or approximately $39 million, is being amortized over a 10-year period through interest expense. The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 13%.

Revolving Credit Facility

In June 2011, we entered into a new $125.0 million asset-backed five-year revolving credit facility. This new credit facility replaced our $400.0 million revolving credit facility, which was to expire on June 21, 2011. As of December 25, 2011, there were no outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility.

Borrowings under the new credit facility will be secured by a lien on certain advertising receivables. In addition, borrowings bear interest at specified margins based on our utilization and at rates that vary between the LIBOR and prime rates (as defined by the credit agreement) depending on the term to maturities we specify. The new credit facility contains various customary affirmative and negative covenants, including a springing financial covenant and various incurrence-based negative covenants described below.

The springing financial covenant provides that when availability under the new credit facility falls below the greater of $16.7 million or 15% of the commitment for three consecutive business days, we will be required to maintain on a trailing four-quarter basis a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.00:1.00. The fixed charge coverage ratio is defined as the ratio of (1) EBITDA (as defined by the credit agreement) minus unfinanced capital expenditures and tax payments paid in cash during the applicable period to (2) fixed charges (as defined by the credit agreement) for such period. Under the credit agreement, EBITDA for a period is generally defined as the sum for such period of net income plus interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash items, including, without limitation, stock compensation expenses and pension expenses, and other non-recurring expenses which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period, minus, to the extent included in net income, income tax credits and non-cash items increasing net income for such period. Fixed charges for a period are generally defined by the credit agreement as the sum for such period of interest expense, cash dividends or other distributions paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid, scheduled payments of principal and mandatory pension payments made in cash.

In addition, the new credit facility contains incurrence-based negative covenants that, subject to customary exceptions and cure periods, restrict our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to:

• incur debt (directly or by third-party guarantees);

• grant liens;

• pay dividends;

• make investments;

• make acquisitions or dispositions; and

• prepay debt.

As long as we have not drawn an amount in excess of $250,000 for a period of 90 days under the new credit facility, the negative covenants generally do not apply. In addition, to the extent we have borrowings under the new credit facility, we may engage in transactions restricted by the covenants so long as we meet, on a pro forma basis, the 1.00:1.00 fixed charge coverage ratio test, availability under the new credit facility for the preceding 30 days is equal to at least $62.5 million (net of restricted cash in an amount up to $25.0 million) and no default has occurred.

P. 46 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Contractual Obligations

The information provided is based on management’s best estimate and assumptions of our contractual obligations as of December 25, 2011. Actual payments in future periods may vary from those reflected in the table.

	Payment due in
(In thousands)	Total		2012		2013-2014		2015-2016		Later Years
Long-term debt(1)	$	1,111,511	$	131,497	$	106,414	$	564,224	$	309,376
Capital leases(2)	11,130		573		1,104		1,104		8,349
Operating leases(2)	65,758		16,096		21,890		13,884		13,888
Benefit plans(3)	1,619,505		135,606		275,858		300,635		907,406
Total	$	2,807,904	$	283,772	$	405,266	$	879,847	$	1,239,019

(1) Includes estimated interest payments on long-term debt and our 4.610% Notes due September 26, 2012. See Note 8 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to our total debt.

(2) See Note 20 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to our capital and operating leases.

(3) Includes estimated benefits payments under our Company-sponsored pension and other postretirement benefit plans. Payments for these plans have been estimated over a 10-year period; therefore the amounts included in the “Later Years” column only include payments for the period of 2017-2021. While benefit payments under these plans are expected to continue beyond 2021, we believe that an estimate beyond this period is impracticable. Benefit plans in the table above also include estimated payments for multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liabilities. See Notes 11 and 12 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to our pension and other postretirement benefits plans.

“Other Liabilities – Other” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets include liabilities related to (1) deferred compensation, primarily consisting of our deferred executive compensation plan (the “DEC plan”), (2) our liability for uncertain tax positions, and (3) various other liabilities. These liabilities are not included in the table above primarily because the future payments are not determinable.

The DEC plan enables certain eligible executives to elect to defer a portion of their compensation on a pre-tax basis. While the initial deferral period is for a minimum of two years up to a maximum of 15 years (after which time taxable distributions must begin), the executive has the option to extend the deferral period. Therefore, the future payments under the DEC plan are not determinable. See Note 13 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on “Other Liabilities – Other.”

Our tax liability for uncertain tax positions was approximately $64 million, including approximately $16 million of accrued interest and penalties as of December 25, 2011. Until formal resolutions are reached between us and the tax authorities, the timing and amount of a possible audit settlement for uncertain tax benefits is not practicable. Therefore, we do not include this obligation in the table of contractual obligations. See Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on “Income Taxes.”

We have a contract with a major paper supplier to purchase newsprint. The contract requires us to purchase annually the lesser of a fixed number of tons or a percentage of our total newsprint requirement at market rate in an arm’s length transaction. Since the quantities of newsprint purchased annually under this contract are based on our total newsprint requirement, the amount of the related payments for these purchases is excluded from the table above.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have any material off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 25, 2011. We had letters of credit outstanding of approximately $62 million as of December 26, 2010 under our $400.0 million revolving credit facility, which supported our obligations under our workers’ compensation program, sale-leaseback financing and the acquisition of our New York headquarters site. In June 2011, the $400.0 million revolving credit facility was replaced. See “— Third-Party Financing — Revolving Credit Facility” for additional information.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 47

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the periods presented.

We continually evaluate the policies and estimates we use to prepare our Consolidated Financial Statements. In general, management’s estimates are based on historical experience, information from third-party professionals and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the facts and circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates made by management.

We believe our critical accounting policies include our accounting for long-lived assets, retirement benefits, stock-based compensation, income taxes, self-insurance liabilities and accounts receivable allowances. Specific risks related to our critical accounting policies are discussed below.

Long-Lived Assets

We evaluate whether there has been an impairment of goodwill or intangible assets not amortized on an annual basis or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate that a possible impairment may exist. All other long-lived assets are tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate that a possible impairment exists.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Long-lived assets	$	1,591,699		$	1,836,665
Total assets	$	2,883,450		$	3,285,741
Percentage of long-lived assets to total assets	55		%	56		%

The impairment analysis is considered critical to our segments because of the significance of long-lived assets to our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

We test for goodwill impairment at the reporting unit level, which are our operating segments. Separate financial information about these segments is regularly evaluated by our chief operating decision-maker in deciding how to allocate resources. We first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment determines whether it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment two-step test.

If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, in the first step we compare the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Fair value is calculated by a combination of a discounted cash flow model and a market approach model. In calculating fair value for each reporting unit, we generally weigh the results of the discounted cash flow model more heavily than the market approach because the discounted cash flow model is specific to our business and long-term projections. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step must be performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. In the second step, we compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. An impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill.

The discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgments, estimates and assumptions, many of which are interdependent, about future revenues, operating margins, growth rates, capital expenditures, working capital and discount rates. The starting point for the assumptions used in our discounted cash flow analysis is the annual long-range financial forecast. The annual planning process that we undertake to prepare the long-range financial forecast takes into consideration a multitude of factors, including historical growth rates and operating performance, related industry trends, macroeconomic conditions, and marketplace data, among others. Assumptions are also made for perpetual growth rates for periods beyond the long-range financial forecast period. Our estimates of fair value are sensitive to changes in all of these variables, certain of which relate to broader macroeconomic conditions outside our control.

The market approach analysis includes applying a multiple, based on comparable market transactions, to certain operating metrics of the reporting unit.

P. 48 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

We compare the sum of the fair values of our reporting units to our market capitalization to determine whether our estimates of reporting unit fair value are reasonable.

Intangible assets that are not amortized (trade names) are tested for impairment at the asset level by comparing the fair value of the asset with its carrying amount. Fair value is calculated as the discounted cash flows utilizing the relief-from-royalty method. This method is based on applying a royalty rate, which would be obtained through a lease, to the cash flows derived from the asset being tested. The royalty rate is derived from market data. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the asset is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over the fair value of the asset.

All other long-lived assets (intangible assets that are amortized, such as content and customer lists) are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of goodwill, other intangible assets acquired and other long-lived assets are estimated future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, as well as other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated results of the impairment tests can vary within a range of outcomes.

In addition to annual testing, management uses certain indicators to evaluate whether the carrying values of its long-lived assets may not be recoverable and an interim impairment test may be required. These indicators include (1) current-period operating or cash flow declines combined with a history of operating or cash flow declines or a projection/forecast that demonstrates continuing declines in the cash flow or the inability to improve our operations to forecasted levels, (2) a significant adverse change in the business climate, whether structural or technological and (3) a decline in our stock price and market capitalization.    

Management has applied what it believes to be the most appropriate valuation methodology for its impairment testing. See Note 5 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Retirement Benefits

Our single-employer pension and other postretirement benefit costs are accounted for using actuarial valuations. We recognize the funded status of these plans – measured as the difference between plan assets, if funded, and the benefit obligation – on the balance sheet and recognize changes in the funded status that arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic pension cost, within other comprehensive income, net of income taxes. The assets related to our funded pension plans are measured at fair value.

We consider accounting for retirement plans critical to all of our operating segments because management is required to make significant subjective judgments about a number of actuarial assumptions, which include discount rates, health-care cost trend rates, long-term return on plan assets and mortality rates. These assumptions may have an effect on the amount and timing of future contributions. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the impact from our pension and other postretirement benefits could vary within a range of outcomes and could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We also recognize the present value of pension liabilities associated with the withdrawal from multiemployer pension plans.

See “— Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” below for more information on our retirement benefits.

Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, and for certain awards at the end of each reporting period based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the appropriate vesting period. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating the expected term of stock options, the expected volatility of our stock and expected dividends. In addition, judgment is required in estimating the amount of stock-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. If actual results differ significantly from these estimates or different key assumptions were used, it could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 49

Statements. See Note 17 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding stock-based compensation expense.

Income Taxes

We consider accounting for income taxes critical to our operations because management is required to make significant subjective judgments in developing our provision for income taxes, including the determination of deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowances that may be required against deferred tax assets.

Income taxes are recognized for the following: (1) amount of taxes payable for the current year and (2) deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequence of events that have been recognized differently in the financial statements than for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established using statutory tax rates and are adjusted for tax rate changes in the period of enactment.

We assess whether our deferred tax assets shall be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our process includes collecting positive (e.g., sources of taxable income) and negative (e.g., recent historical losses) evidence and assessing, based on the evidence, whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We recognize in our financial statements the impact of a tax position if that tax position is more likely than not of being sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the tax position. This involves the identification of potential uncertain tax positions, the evaluation of tax law and an assessment of whether a liability for uncertain tax positions is necessary. Different conclusions reached in this assessment can have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

We operate within multiple taxing jurisdictions and are subject to audit in these jurisdictions. These audits can involve complex issues, which could require an extended period of time to resolve. Until formal resolutions are reached between us and the tax authorities, the timing and amount of a possible audit settlement for uncertain tax benefits is difficult to predict.

Self-Insurance

We self-insure for workers’ compensation costs, automobile and general liability claims, up to certain deductible limits, as well as for certain employee medical and disability benefits. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks are primarily calculated using actuarial methods. The liabilities include amounts for actual claims, claim growth and claims incurred but not yet reported. Actual experience, including claim frequency and severity as well as health-care inflation, could result in different liabilities than the amounts currently recorded. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks were approximately $52 million as of December 25, 2011 and $63 million as of December 26, 2010.

Accounts Receivable Allowances

Credit is extended to our advertisers and subscribers based upon an evaluation of the customers’ financial condition, and collateral is not required from such customers. We use prior credit losses as a percentage of credit sales, the aging of accounts receivable and specific identification of potential losses to establish reserves for credit losses on accounts receivable. In addition, we establish reserves for estimated rebates, returns, rate adjustments and discounts based on historical experience.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Accounts receivable allowances	$	18,637		$	30,209
Accounts receivable, net	288,355			302,245
Accounts receivable - gross	$	306,992		$	332,454
Total current assets	$	748,589		$	857,232
Percentage of accounts receivable allowances to gross accounts receivable	6		%	9		%
Percentage of net accounts receivable to current assets	39		%	35		%

We consider accounting for accounts receivable allowances critical to all of our operating segments because of the significance of accounts receivable to our current assets and operating cash flows. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required, which could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

P. 50 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

PENSIONS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

We sponsor several single-employer defined benefit pension plans, the majority of which have been frozen; participate in The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, a joint Company and Guild-sponsored plan; and make contributions to several multiemployer pension plans in connection with collective bargaining agreements. These plans cover the majority of our employees. The table below includes the liability for all of these plans.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Pension and other postretirement liabilities	$	1,013,091		$	931,638
Total liabilities	$	2,373,941		$	2,621,665
Percentage of pension and other postretirement liabilities to total liabilities	43		%	36		%

Pension Benefits

Our Company-sponsored defined benefit pension plans include qualified plans (funded) as well as non-qualified plans (unfunded). These plans provide participating employees with retirement benefits in accordance with benefit formulas detailed in each plan. Our non-qualified plans provide enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan is a qualified plan and is also included in the table below.

We also have a foreign-based pension plan for certain IHT employees (the “foreign plan”). The information for the foreign plan is combined with the information for U.S. non-qualified plans. The benefit obligation of the foreign plan is immaterial to our total benefit obligation.

The funded status of our qualified and non-qualified pension plans as of December 25, 2011 is as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans		Non-Qualified Plans		All Plans
Pension obligation	$	1,986,502	$	277,060	$	2,263,562
Fair value of plan assets	1,464,729		—		1,464,729
Pension underfunded/unfunded obligation	$	521,773	$	277,060	$	798,833

We made contributions of approximately $151 million to certain qualified pension plans in 2011. The majority of these contributions were discretionary. We expect to make mandatory contributions, primarily contractual contributions in connection with The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, of approximately $45 million in 2012. We may make discretionary contributions in 2012 to our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans depending on cash flows, pension asset performance, interest rates and other factors.

Pension expense is calculated using a number of actuarial assumptions, including an expected long-term rate of return on assets (for qualified plans) and a discount rate. Our methodology in selecting these actuarial assumptions is discussed below.

In determining the expected long-term rate of return on assets, we evaluated input from our investment consultants, actuaries and investment management firms, including our review of asset class return expectations, as well as long-term historical asset class returns. Projected returns by such consultants and economists are based on broad equity and bond indices. Our objective is to select an average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions to the plan during the year. The expected long-term rate of return determined on this basis was 8.25% in 2011. Our plan assets had a rate of return of approximately 2% in 2011 and an average annual return of approximately 13% over the three-year period 2009-2011. We regularly review our actual asset allocation and periodically rebalance our investments to meet our investment strategy.

The value (“market-related value”) of plan assets is multiplied by the expected long-term rate of return on assets to compute the expected return on plan assets, a component of net periodic pension cost. The market-related value of plan assets is a calculated value that recognizes changes in fair value over three years.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 51

Based on the composition of our assets at the beginning of the year, we estimated our 2012 expected long-term rate of return to be 8.00%, a decline from 8.25% in 2011. If we had decreased our expected long-term rate of return on our plan assets by 50 basis points to 7.75% in 2011, pension expense would have increased by approximately $7 million in 2011 for our qualified pension plans. Our funding requirements would not have been materially affected.

We determined our discount rate using a Ryan ALM, Inc. Curve (the “Ryan Curve”). The Ryan Curve provides the bonds included in the curve and allows adjustments for certain outliers (e.g., bonds on “watch”). We believe the Ryan Curve allows us to calculate an appropriate discount rate.

To determine our discount rate, we project a cash flow based on annual accrued benefits. For active participants, the benefits under the respective pension plans are projected to the date of termination. The projected plan cash flow is discounted to the measurement date, which is the last day of our fiscal year, using the annual spot rates provided in the Ryan Curve. A single discount rate is then computed so that the present value of the benefit cash flow equals the present value computed using the Ryan Curve rates.

The discount rate determined on this basis was 5.05% for our qualified plans and 4.80% for our non-qualified plans as of December 25, 2011.

If we had decreased the expected discount rate by 50 basis points to 4.55% for our qualified plans and 4.30% for our non-qualified plans in 2011, pension expense would have increased by approximately $4 million and $0.2 million, respectively, and as of December 25, 2011, our pension obligation would have increased by approximately $135 million and $14 million, respectively.

We will continue to evaluate all of our actuarial assumptions, generally on an annual basis, and will adjust as necessary. Actual pension expense will depend on future investment performance, changes in future discount rates, the level of contributions we make and various other factors.

We also recognize the present value of pension liabilities associated with the withdrawal from multiemployer pension plans. Our multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability was approximately $100 million as of December 25, 2011. This liability is the present value of the obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from certain plans as well as an estimate of future partial withdrawals that we considered probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability will not be known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability will be adjusted as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

See Note 11 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding our pension plans.

Other Postretirement Benefits

We provide health benefits to retired employees (and their eligible dependents) who meet the definition of an eligible participant and certain age and service requirements, as outlined in the plan document. While we offer pre-age 65 retiree medical coverage to employees who meet certain retiree medical eligibility requirements, we no longer provide post-age 65 retiree medical benefits for employees who retire on or after March 1, 2009. We also contribute to a postretirement plan under the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. We accrue the costs of postretirement benefits during the employees’ active years of service and our policy is to pay our portion of insurance premiums and claims from our assets.

The annual postretirement expense was calculated using a number of actuarial assumptions, including a health-care cost trend rate and a discount rate. The health-care cost trend rate decreased to 7.33% as of December 25, 2011, from 7.75% as of December 26, 2010. A one-percentage point change in the assumed health-care cost trend rate would result in an increase of $0.4 million or a decrease of $0.3 million in our 2011 service and interest costs, respectively, two factors included in the calculation of postretirement expense. A one-percentage point change in the assumed health-care cost trend rate would result in an increase of approximately $5 million or a decrease of approximately $5 million, in our accumulated benefit obligation as of December 25, 2011. Our discount rate assumption for postretirement benefits is consistent with that used in the calculation of pension benefits. See “— Pension Benefits” above for information on our discount rate assumption.

See Notes 11 and 12 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

P. 52 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) amended its guidance on goodwill impairment testing to reduce the cost and complexity of testing goodwill for impairment by providing the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test. The provisions of this new guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new guidance early when we conducted our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB amended its guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements to improve the comparability, consistency and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items that are recorded in other comprehensive income. The new accounting guidance requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. The provisions of this guidance are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB amended its guidance related to fair value measurements in order to align the definition of fair value measurements and the related disclosure requirements between accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and International Financial Reporting Standards. These amendments, which are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, also change certain existing fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 53

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Our market risk is principally associated with the following:

• We do not have interest rate risk related to our debt because, as of December 25, 2011, our portfolio does not include variable-rate debt.

• Newsprint is a commodity subject to supply and demand market conditions. We have equity investments in two paper mills, which provide a partial hedge against price volatility. The cost of raw materials, of which newsprint expense is a major component, represented 8% of our total operating costs in 2011 and 2010. Based on the number of newsprint tons consumed in 2011 and 2010, a $10 per ton increase in newsprint prices would have resulted in additional newsprint expense of $2.2 million (pre-tax) in 2011 and $2.3 million (pre-tax) in 2010.

• A significant portion of our employees are unionized and our results could be adversely affected if labor negotiations were to restrict our ability to maximize the efficiency of our operations. In addition, if we were to experience labor unrest, strikes or other business interruptions in connection with labor negotiations, or if we are unable to negotiate labor contracts on reasonable terms, our ability to produce and deliver our most significant products could be impaired.

See Notes 4, 7, 8 and 20 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

P. 54 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2011 FINANCIAL REPORT

INDEX	PAGE
Management’s Responsibilities Report	56
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting	57
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Consolidated Financial Statements	58
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting	59
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009	60
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010	62
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009	64
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009	66
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements	69
1.   Basis of Presentation	69
2.   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	69
3.   Short-Term Investments	73
4.   Inventories	74
5.   Impairment of Assets	74
6.   Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired	76
7.   Investments in Joint Ventures	77
8.   Debt Obligations	79
9.   Other	81
10. Fair Value Measurements	83
11. Pension Benefits	84
12. Other Postretirement Benefits	94
13. Other Liabilities	97
14. Income Taxes	98
15. Discontinued Operations	100
16. Earnings/(Loss) Per Share	101
17. Stock-Based Awards	101
18. Stockholders’ Equity	105
19. Segment Information	106
20. Commitments and Contingent Liabilities	108
21. Subsequent Events	109
Quarterly Information (Unaudited)	111
Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts for the three years ended December 25, 2011	114

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 55

MANAGEMENT’SRESPONSIBILITIES REPORT

The Company’s consolidated financial statements were prepared by management, who is responsible for their integrity and objectivity. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and, as such, include amounts based on management’s best estimates and judgments.

Management is further responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company follows and continuously monitors its policies and procedures for internal control over financial reporting to ensure that this objective is met (see “Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting” below).

The consolidated financial statements were audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, in 2011, 2010 and 2009. Its audits were conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and its report is shown on Page 58.

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, which is composed solely of independent directors, meets regularly with the independent registered public accounting firm, internal auditors and management to discuss specific accounting, financial reporting and internal control matters. Both the independent registered public accounting firm and the internal auditors have full and free access to the Audit Committee. Each year the Audit Committee selects, subject to ratification by stockholders, the firm which is to perform audit and other related work for the Company.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY		THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
BY:	/s/ ARTHUR SULZBERGER, JR.	BY:	/s/ JAMES M. FOLLO
	Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.		James M. Follo
	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer		Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
	February 23, 2012		February 23, 2012

P. 56 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

Management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

• pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company;

• provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and

• provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 25, 2011. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control – Integrated Framework. Based on its assessment, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 25, 2011.

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, that audited the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 25, 2011, which is included on Page 59 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 57

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of

The New York Times Company

New York, NY

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The New York Times Company as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three fiscal years in the period ended December 25, 2011. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed at Item 15(A)(2) of The New York Times Company’s 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K. These financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of The New York Times Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of The New York Times Company at December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three fiscal years in the period ended December 25, 2011, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects, the information set forth therein.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), The New York Times Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 25, 2011, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated February 23, 2012 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York

February 23, 2012

P. 58 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of

The New York Times Company

New York, NY

We have audited The New York Times Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 25, 2011, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO criteria). The New York Times Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on The New York Times Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, The New York Times Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 25, 2011 based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of The New York Times Company as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three fiscal years in the period ended December 25, 2011 and our report dated February 23, 2012 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York

February 23, 2012

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 59

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

	Years Ended
(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Revenues
Advertising	$	1,221,497		$	1,300,361		$	1,336,291
Circulation	941,468			931,493			936,486
Other	160,436			161,609			167,662
Total	2,323,401			2,393,463			2,440,439
Operating costs
Production costs:
Raw materials	161,691			160,422			166,387
Wages and benefits	495,607			498,270			524,782
Other	300,169			303,086			330,061
Total production costs	957,467			961,778			1,021,230
Selling, general and administrative costs	1,019,611			1,054,199			1,152,874
Depreciation and amortization	116,454			120,950			133,696
Total operating costs	2,093,532			2,136,927			2,307,800
Impairment of assets	164,434			16,148			4,179
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228			6,268			78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500			—			34,633
Net pension curtailment gain	—			—			53,965
Gain on sale of assets	—			—			5,198
Operating profit	56,707			234,120			74,059
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128			—
Income from joint ventures	28			19,035			20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062			81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221			3,775
Income tax expense	36,506			68,516			2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705			1,569
Discontinued operations:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			—			(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	—			13			19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332
Net (loss)/income	(40,224		)	108,718			19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555			(1,014		)	(10		)
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(39,669	)	$	107,691		$	1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332
Net (loss)/income	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

P. 60 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS — continued

	Years Ended
(In thousands, except per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	147,190			145,636		144,188
Diluted	147,190			152,600		146,367
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.14
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.14

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 61

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share and per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	175,151		$	369,668
Short-term investments	104,846			29,974
Restricted cash	27,628			—
Accounts receivable (net of allowances: 2011 – $18,637; 2010 – $30,209)	288,355			302,245
Inventories	21,087			16,132
Deferred income taxes	73,055			68,875
Other current assets	58,467			70,338
Total current assets	748,589			857,232
Investments in joint ventures	82,019			134,641
Property, plant and equipment:
Equipment	1,189,768			1,166,697
Buildings, building equipment and improvements	865,330			873,801
Land	140,413			140,997
Assets in progress	15,032			24,247
Total, at cost	2,210,543			2,205,742
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,125,353		)	(1,048,956		)
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,085,190			1,156,786
Intangible assets acquired:
Goodwill (less accumulated impairment losses of $957,311 in 2011 and $805,218 in 2010)	488,894			644,464
Other intangible assets acquired (less accumulated amortization of $71,223 in 2011 and $69,383 in 2010)	17,615			35,415
Total intangible assets acquired	506,509			679,879
Deferred income taxes	280,283			255,701
Miscellaneous assets	180,860			201,502
Total assets	$	2,883,450		$	3,285,741

 See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

P. 62 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS — continued

(In thousands, except share and per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$	103,894		$	113,968
Accrued payroll and other related liabilities	112,024			143,850
Unexpired subscriptions	74,350			72,896
Accrued expenses	148,120			173,625
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	74,920			38
Total current liabilities	513,308			504,377
Other liabilities
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	698,220			996,405
Pension benefits obligation	880,504			772,785
Postretirement benefits obligation	104,192			130,623
Other	177,717			217,475
Total other liabilities	1,860,633			2,117,288
Stockholders’ equity
Serial preferred stock of $1 par value – authorized 200,000 shares – none issued	—			—
Common stock of $.10 par value:
Class A – authorized 300,000,000 shares; issued: 2011 – 150,007,446; 2010 – 149,302,487 (including treasury shares: 2011 – 2,979,786; 2010 – 3,970,238)	15,001			14,930
Class B – convertible – authorized and issued shares: 2011 – 818,885; 2010 – 819,125 (including treasury shares: 2011 – none; 2010 – none)	82			82
Additional paid-in capital	32,024			40,155
Retained earnings	1,086,625			1,126,294
Common stock held in treasury, at cost	(110,974		)	(134,463		)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	10,928			11,298
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment	(652		)	(1,143		)
Funded status of benefit plans	(526,674		)	(397,226		)
Total accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(516,398		)	(387,071		)
Total New York Times Company stockholders’ equity	506,360			659,927
Noncontrolling interest	3,149			4,149
Total stockholders’ equity	509,509			664,076
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	2,883,450		$	3,285,741

 See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 63

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

	Years Ended
(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Cash flows from operating activities
Net (loss)/income	$	(40,224	)	$	108,718		$	19,901
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Impairment of assets	164,434			16,148			4,179
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228			6,268			78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500			—			34,633
Gain on sale of investments	(71,171		)	(9,128		)	—
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250
Net pension curtailment gain	—			—			(53,965		)
Gain on sale of Radio Operations	—			(16		)	(34,914		)
Gain on sale of assets	—			—			(5,198		)
Depreciation and amortization	116,454			120,950			133,775
Stock-based compensation expense	8,497			7,029			11,250
Undistributed loss/(income) of equity method investments – net of dividends	3,435			(10,710		)	(17,892		)
Deferred income taxes	60,741			61,271			44,431
Long-term retirement benefit obligations	(141,714		)	(167,498		)	13,936
Other – net	(462		)	5,611			9,816
Changes in operating assets and liabilities – net of dispositions:
Accounts receivable – net	12,603			39,830			52,817
Inventories	(4,955		)	171			8,324
Other current assets	1,820			(572		)	15,798
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(93,581		)	(20,137		)	(75,432		)
Unexpired subscriptions	2,941			(4,608		)	(2,387		)
Net cash provided by operating activities	73,927			153,327			247,253
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of short-term investments	(279,721		)	(29,974		)	—
Maturities of short-term investments	204,849			—			—
Proceeds from sale/(purchase) of investments – net	117,966			9,254			(1,338		)
Capital expenditures	(44,887		)	(33,565		)	(51,056		)
Change in restricted cash	(27,628		)	—			—
Proceeds from the sale of assets	11,167			2,265			26,543
Loan repayments/(issuance) – net	—			11,500			(11,500		)
Proceeds from the sale of Radio Operations	—			—			45,424
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(18,254		)	(40,520		)	8,073
Cash flows from financing activities
Long-term obligations:
Proceeds from issuance of senior unsecured notes	—			220,248			221,322
Repayments	(590		)	(592		)	(98,958		)
Proceeds from sale-leaseback financing	—			—			210,502
Redemption of long-term debt	(250,000		)	—			(250,000		)
Capital shares:
Issuance	364			1,010			443
Repurchases	—			—			(489		)
Proceeds from sale of warrants	—			—			20,529
Repayments under revolving credit agreements – net	—			—			(380,000		)
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities	(250,226		)	220,666			(276,651		)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(194,553		)	333,473			(21,325		)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	36			(325		)	1,061
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	369,668			36,520			56,784
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	$	175,151		$	369,668		$	36,520

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

P. 64 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES TO CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Cash Flow Information

	Years Ended
(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Cash payments
Interest	$	98,763		$	76,748	$	68,976
Income tax (refunds)/paid – net	$	(22,757	)	$	18,948	$	(23,692	)

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 65

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(In thousands, except share and per share data)	Capital Stock Class A and Class B Common		Additional Paid-in Capital			Retained Earnings		Common Stock Held in Treasury, at Cost			Accumulated Other Compre- hensive Loss, Net of Income Taxes			Total New York Times Company Stock- holders’ Equity			Non- controlling Interest		Total Stock- holders’ Equity
Balance, December 28, 2008	$	14,889	$	22,149		$	998,699	$	(159,679	)	$	(372,095	)	$	503,963		$	3,066	$	507,029
Comprehensive income:
Net income	—		—			19,891		—			—			19,891			10		19,901
Foreign currency translation income (net of tax expense of $533)	—		—			—		—			2,345			2,345			—		2,345
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of tax benefit of $523)	—		—			—		—			(697		)	(697		)	—		(697		)
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of tax expense of $24,754)	—		—			—		—			46,683			46,683			125		46,808
Comprehensive income														68,222			135		68,357
Issuance of warrants	—		20,529			—		—			—			20,529			—		20,529
Issuance of shares:
Retirement units – 3,385 Class A shares	—		(30		)	—		75			—			45			—		45
Employee stock purchase plan – 139,904 Class A shares	14		827			—		—			—			841			—		841
Stock options – 118,400 Class A shares	12		417			—		—			—			429			—		429
Stock conversions – 159 Class B shares to A shares	—		—			—		—			—			—			—		—
Restricted shares forfeited – 2,585 Class A shares	—		57			—		(57		)	—			—			—		—
Restricted stock units vested – 57,520 Class A shares	—		(1,079		)	—		908			—			(171		)	—		(171		)
401(k) Company stock match – 444,936 Class A shares	—		(7,466		)	—		9,940			—			2,474			—		2,474
Stock-based compensation	—		10,433			—		—			—			10,433			—		10,433
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	—		(2,234		)	—		—			—			(2,234		)	—		(2,234		)
Repurchase of stock – 52,412 Class A shares	—		—			—		(489		)	—			(489		)	—		(489		)
Balance, December 27, 2009	14,915		43,603			1,018,590		(149,302		)	(323,764		)	604,042			3,201		607,243

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

P. 66 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY — continued

(In thousands, except share and per share data)	Capital Stock Class A and  Class B Common	Additional Paid-in Capital		Retained Earnings	Common Stock Held in Treasury, at Cost		Accumulated Other Compre- hensive Loss, Net of Income Taxes		Total New York Times Company Stock- holders’ Equity		Non- controlling Interest		Total Stock- holders’ Equity
Comprehensive income:
Net income	—	—		107,704	—		—		107,704		1,014		108,718
Foreign currency translation loss (net of tax benefit of $4,076)	—	—		—	—		(5,540	)	(5,540	)	—		(5,540	)
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of tax benefit of $316)	—	—		—	—		(446	)	(446	)	—		(446	)
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of tax benefit of $39,281)	—	—		—	—		(57,321	)	(57,321	)	(66	)	(57,387	)
Comprehensive income									44,397		948		45,345
Issuance of shares:
Retirement units – 18,038 Class A shares	—	(109	)	—	427		—		318		—		318
Employee stock purchase plan – 722,916 Class A shares	72	3,761		—	—		—		3,833		—		3,833
Stock options – 257,600 Class A shares	25	913		—	—		—		938		—		938
Stock conversions – 6,350 Class B shares to A shares	—	—		—	—		—		—		—		—
Restricted stock units vested – 203,566 Class A shares	—	(6,180	)	—	4,828		—		(1,352	)	—		(1,352	)
401(k) Company stock match – 435,895 Class A shares	—	(5,106	)	—	9,584		—		4,478		—		4,478
Stock-based compensation	—	7,119		—	—		—		7,119		—		7,119
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	—	(3,846	)	—	—		—		(3,846	)	—		(3,846	)
Balance, December 26, 2010	15,012	40,155		1,126,294	(134,463	)	(387,071	)	659,927		4,149		664,076

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 67

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY — continued

(In thousands, except share and per share data)	Capital Stock Class A and Class B Common		Additional Paid-in Capital			Retained Earnings			Common Stock Held in Treasury, at Cost			Accumulated Other Compre- hensive Loss, Net of Income Taxes			Total New York Times Company Stock- holders’ Equity			Non- controlling Interest			Total Stock- holders’ Equity
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss	—		—			(39,669		)	—			—			(39,669		)	(555		)	(40,224		)
Foreign currency translation loss (net of tax benefit of $153)	—		—			—			—			(370		)	(370		)	—			(370		)
Unrealized derivative gain on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of tax expense of $348)	—		—			—			—			491			491			—			491
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of tax benefit of $89,697)	—		—			—			—			(129,448		)	(129,448		)	(445		)	(129,893		)
Comprehensive loss															(168,996		)	(1,000		)	(169,996		)
Issuance of shares:
Employee stock purchase plan – 603,114 Class A shares	60		4,258			—			—			—			4,318			—			4,318
Stock options – 100,200 Class A shares	11		353			—			—			—			364			—			364
Stock conversions – 240 Class B shares to A shares	—		—			—			—			—			—			—			—
Restricted stock units vested – 210,769 Class A shares	—		(6,250		)	—			4,965			—			(1,285		)	—			(1,285		)
401(k) Company stock match – 781,088 Class A shares	—		(11,800		)	—			18,524			—			6,724			—			6,724
Stock-based compensation	—		9,410			—			—			—			9,410			—			9,410
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	—		(4,102		)	—			—			—			(4,102		)	—			(4,102		)
Balance, December 25, 2011	$	15,083	$	32,024		$	1,086,625		$	(110,974	)	$	(516,398	)	$	506,360		$	3,149		$	509,509

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

P. 68 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Basis of Presentation

Nature of Operations

The New York Times Company is a leading global, multimedia news and information company that currently includes newspapers, digital businesses, investments in paper mills and other investments (see Note 7). The New York Times Company and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to collectively as the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our.” Our major source of revenue is advertising, predominantly from our newspaper business. The newspapers primarily operate in the Northeast markets in the United States.

Principles of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of our Company and our wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of all significant intercompany transactions.

The portion of the net income or loss and equity of a subsidiary attributable to the owners of a subsidiary other than the Company (a noncontrolling interest) is included within net income or loss in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and as a component of consolidated stockholders’ equity in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year end is the last Sunday in December. Fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 each comprise 52 weeks. Our fiscal years ended as of December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009.

Reclassifications

For comparability, certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the 2011 presentation.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of 3 months or less to be cash equivalents.

Short-Term Investments

We have the intention and ability to hold our short-term investments to maturity. These investments are classified as held-to-maturity and are reported at amortized cost. The changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounts Receivable

Credit is extended to our advertisers and our subscribers based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, and collateral is not required from such customers. Allowances for estimated credit losses, rebates, returns, rate adjustments and discounts are generally established based on historical experience.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or current market value. Inventory cost is generally based on the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for newsprint and the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method for other inventories.

Investments

Investments in which we have at least a 20%, but not more than a 50%, interest are generally accounted for under the equity method. Investment interests below 20% are generally accounted for under the cost method, except if we could exercise significant influence, the investment would be accounted for under the equity method. We have an investment interest below 20% in Fenway Sports Group, which is accounted for under the equity method (see Notes 7 and 21).

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 69

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed by the straight-line method over the shorter of estimated asset service lives or lease terms as follows: buildings, building equipment and improvements – 10 to 40 years; equipment – 3 to 30 years. We capitalize interest costs and certain staffing costs as part of the cost of major projects.

We evaluate whether there has been an impairment of long-lived assets, primarily property, plant and equipment, if certain circumstances indicate that a possible impairment may exist. These assets are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Acquired

Goodwill is the excess of cost over the fair value of tangible and other intangible net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our annual impairment testing date is the first day of our fiscal fourth quarter.

Other intangible assets acquired consist primarily of trade names on various acquired properties, content, customer lists and other assets. Other intangible assets acquired that have indefinite lives (trade names) are not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Certain other intangible assets acquired (content, customer lists and other assets) are amortized over their estimated useful lives and tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate an impairment may exist.

We test for goodwill impairment at the reporting unit level, which are our operating segments. Separate financial information about these segments is regularly evaluated by our chief operating decision-maker in deciding how to allocate resources. We first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment two-step test.

If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, in the first step, we compare the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Fair value is calculated by a combination of a discounted cash flow model and a market approach model. In calculating fair value for each reporting unit, we generally weigh the results of the discounted cash flow model more heavily than the market approach because the discounted cash flow model is specific to our business and long-term projections. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step must be performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. In the second step, we compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. An impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill.

The discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgments, estimates and assumptions, many of which are interdependent, about future revenues, operating margins, growth rates, capital expenditures, working capital and discount rates. The starting point for the assumptions used in our discounted cash flow analysis is the annual long-range financial forecast. The annual planning process that we undertake to prepare the long-range financial forecast takes into consideration a multitude of factors, including historical growth rates and operating performance, related industry trends, macroeconomic conditions, and marketplace data, among others. Assumptions are also made for perpetual growth rates for periods beyond the long-range financial forecast period. Our estimates of fair value are sensitive to changes in all of these variables, certain of which relate to broader macroeconomic conditions outside our control.

The market approach analysis includes applying a multiple, based on comparable market transactions, to certain operating metrics of the reporting unit.

We compare the sum of the fair values of our reporting units to our market capitalization to determine whether our estimates of reporting unit fair value are reasonable.

P. 70 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Intangible assets that are not amortized (trade names) are tested for impairment at the asset level by comparing the fair value of the asset with its carrying amount. Fair value is calculated as the discounted cash flows utilizing the relief-from-royalty method. This method is based on applying a royalty rate, which would be obtained through a lease, to the cash flows derived from the asset being tested. The royalty rate is derived from market data. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the asset is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over the fair value of the asset.

All other long-lived assets (intangible assets that are amortized, such as content and customer lists) are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of goodwill, other intangible assets acquired and other long-lived assets are estimated future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, as well as other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated results of the impairment tests can vary within a range of outcomes.

In addition to annual testing, management uses certain indicators to evaluate whether the carrying values of its long-lived assets may not be recoverable and an interim impairment test may be required. These indicators include (1) current-period operating or cash flow declines combined with a history of operating or cash flow declines or a projection/forecast that demonstrates continuing declines in the cash flow or the inability to improve our operations to forecasted levels, (2) a significant adverse change in the business climate, whether structural or technological and (3) a decline in our stock price and market capitalization.    

Management has applied what it believes to be the most appropriate valuation methodology for its impairment testing. See Note 5.

Self-Insurance

We self-insure for workers’ compensation costs, automobile and general liability claims, up to certain deductible limits, as well as for certain employee medical and disability benefits. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks are primarily calculated using actuarial methods. The liabilities include amounts for actual claims, claim growth and claims incurred but not yet reported. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks were approximately $52 million as of December 25, 2011 and $63 million as of December 26, 2010.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Our single-employer pension and other postretirement benefit costs are accounted for using actuarial valuations. We recognize the funded status of these plans – measured as the difference between plan assets, if funded, and the benefit obligation – on the balance sheet and recognize changes in the funded status that arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic pension cost, within other comprehensive income, net of income taxes. The assets related to our funded pension plans are measured at fair value.

We make significant subjective judgments about a number of actuarial assumptions, which include discount rates, health-care cost trend rates, long-term return on plan assets and mortality rates. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the impact from our pension and other postretirement benefits could vary within a range of outcomes and could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We also recognize the present value of pension liabilities associated with the withdrawal from multiemployer pension plans. We assess a liability for obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans as well as estimate obligations for future partial withdrawals that we consider probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability is not known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, we adjust the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

See Notes 11 and 12 for additional information regarding pension and other postretirement benefits.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 71

Revenue Recognition

Advertising revenues are recognized when advertisements are published in newspapers or placed on digital platforms or, with respect to certain digital advertising, each time a user clicks on certain ads, net of provisions for estimated rebates, rate adjustments and discounts.

• We recognize a rebate obligation as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rebates that will be earned and claimed, related to the underlying revenue transactions during the period. Measurement of the rebate obligation is estimated based on the historical experience of the number of customers that ultimately earn and use the rebate.

• Rate adjustments primarily represent credits given to customers related to billing or production errors and discounts represent credits given to customers who pay an invoice prior to its due date. Rate adjustments and discounts are accounted for as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rate adjustments or discounts related to the underlying revenues during the period. Measurement of rate adjustments and discount obligations are estimated based on historical experience of credits actually issued.

Circulation revenues include single-copy and subscription revenues. Circulation revenues are based on the number of copies of the printed newspaper (through home-delivery subscriptions and single-copy sales) and digital subscriptions sold and the rates charged to the respective customers. Single-copy revenue is recognized based on date of publication, net of provisions for related returns. Proceeds from subscription revenues are deferred at the time of sale and are recognized in earnings on a pro rata basis over the terms of the subscriptions.

Other revenues are recognized when the related service or product has been delivered.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recognized for the following: (1) amount of taxes payable for the current year and (2) deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequence of events that have been recognized differently in the financial statements than for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established using statutory tax rates and are adjusted for tax rate changes in the period of enactment.

We assess whether our deferred tax assets should be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our process includes collecting positive (e.g., sources of taxable income) and negative (e.g., recent historical losses) evidence and assessing, based on the evidence, whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We recognize in our financial statements the impact of a tax position if that tax position is more likely than not of being sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the tax position. This involves the identification of potential uncertain tax positions, the evaluation of tax law and an assessment of whether a liability for uncertain tax positions is necessary. Different conclusions reached in this assessment can have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We operate within multiple taxing jurisdictions and are subject to audit in these jurisdictions. These audits can involve complex issues, which could require an extended period of time to resolve. Until formal resolutions are reached between us and the tax authorities, the timing and amount of a possible audit settlement for uncertain tax benefits is difficult to predict.

Stock-Based Compensation

We establish fair value for our stock-based awards to determine our cost and recognize the related expense over the appropriate vesting period. We recognize compensation expense for outstanding stock options, stock-settled restricted stock units, cash-settled restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, Common Stock under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and awards under a Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) (together, the “Stock-Based Awards”). See Note 17 for additional information related to stock-based compensation expense.

P. 72 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing net earnings/(loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings/(loss) per share is calculated similarly, except that it includes the dilutive effect of the assumed exercise of securities, including outstanding warrants and the effect of shares issuable under our Company’s stock-based incentive plans if such effect is dilutive.

Foreign Currency Translation

The assets and liabilities of foreign companies are translated at year-end exchange rates. Results of operations are translated at average rates of exchange in effect during the year. The resulting translation adjustment is included as a separate component in the Stockholders’ Equity section of our Consolidated Balance Sheets, in the caption “Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes.”

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) amended its guidance on goodwill impairment testing to reduce the cost and complexity of testing goodwill for impairment by providing the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test. The provisions of this new guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new guidance early when we conducted our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB amended its guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements to improve the comparability, consistency and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items that are recorded in other comprehensive income. The new accounting guidance requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. The provisions of this guidance are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB amended its guidance related to fair value measurements in order to align the definition of fair value measurements and the related disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. These amendments, which are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, also change certain existing fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

3. Short-Term Investments

We have short-term investments, with original maturities of longer than 3 months, in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 25, 2011 and as of December 26, 2010. The carrying value of the short-term investments (which approximated the fair value) was $104.8 million in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 25, 2011 and $30.0 million in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 26, 2010. The short-term investments have remaining maturities of about 1 month to 6 months as of December 25, 2011.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 73

4. Inventories

Inventories as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Newsprint and magazine paper	$	16,927	$	12,596
Other inventory	4,160		3,536
Total	$	21,087	$	16,132

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or current market value. Cost was determined utilizing the LIFO method for 71% of inventory in 2011 and 66% of inventory in 2010. The excess of replacement or current cost over stated LIFO value was approximately $5 million as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010. The remaining portion of inventory is accounted for under the FIFO method.

5. Impairment of Assets

2011

In 2011, we recorded a $164.4 million impairment charge. At the News Media Group, the impairment consisted of the write-down of goodwill at the Regional Media Group of $152.1 million and the write-down of certain assets held for sale, primarily of Baseline, totaling $9.2 million. At the About Group, the impairment consisted of a write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. of $3.1 million.

Regional Media Group

Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our policy is to perform our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. However, due to certain impairment indicators at the Regional Media Group, including lower-than-expected operating results, we performed an interim impairment test of goodwill as of June 26, 2011. The Regional Media Group is part of the News Media Group reportable segment. See Note 21 for information regarding the sale of the Regional Media Group on January 6, 2012.

The interim test resulted in an impairment of goodwill of $152.1 million mainly from lower projected long-term operating results and cash flows of the Regional Media Group primarily due to the continued decline in print advertising revenues. These factors resulted in the carrying value of the net assets being greater than their fair value, and therefore a write-down to fair value was required. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of goodwill at the Regional Media Group to $0.

In determining the fair value of the Regional Media Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected severity and duration of the uneven economic environment and the secular changes affecting the newspaper industry in the Regional Media Group markets. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with the continued benefits from reductions to the group’s cost structure, played a significant role in calculating the fair value of the Regional Media Group.

The fair value of the Regional Media Group’s goodwill was the residual fair value after allocating the total fair value of the Regional Media Group to its other assets, net of liabilities. The total fair value of the Regional Media Group was determined using a combination of a discounted cash flow model (present value of future cash flows) and a market approach model based on comparable businesses. We estimated a flat annual growth rate to arrive at a residual year representing the perpetual cash flows of the Regional Media Group. The residual year cash flow was capitalized to arrive at the terminal value of the Regional Media Group. Utilizing a discount rate of 10.7%, the present value of the cash flows during the projection period and terminal value were aggregated to estimate the fair value of the Regional Media Group. In the 2010 annual impairment test, we assumed a 2.0% annual growth rate and a discount rate of 10.5%. In determining the appropriate discount rate, we considered the weighted-average cost of capital for comparable companies.

P. 74 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Property, plant and equipment is tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Due to the factors discussed above, we completed an interim impairment test of property, plant and equipment as of June 26, 2011. The impairment test was completed at each newspaper (asset group level with the lowest level of cash flows) in the Regional Media Group. Our test did not result in an impairment because the sum of the future undiscounted cash flows at each newspaper was greater than the carrying value of property, plant and equipment.

About Group

Our 2011 annual impairment test, which was completed in the fourth quarter, resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of $3.1 million relating to the write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. This impairment charge reduced the carrying value of the ConsumerSearch trade name to approximately $3 million. The fair value of the trade name was calculated using a relief-from-royalty method. The impairment was driven by lower cost-per-click advertising revenues.

There were no additional impairment charges in connection with our 2011 annual impairment test. However, the About Group's estimated fair value was 18% greater than its carrying value in our 2011 impairment test compared with 60% in our 2010 impairment test, a significant decline during 2011. The About Group had approximately $367 million of goodwill as of December 25, 2011.

In determining the fair value of the About Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected recovery of display and cost-per-click advertising. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with investments to grow content and traffic, play a significant role in calculating the fair value of the About Group. We believe if the long-term projected cash flows of the About Group are not met a goodwill impairment charge could be reasonably likely.

Assets Held for Sale

In the second quarter of 2011, we classified certain assets as held for sale, primarily of Baseline. The carrying value of these assets was greater than their fair value, less cost to sell, resulting in an impairment of certain intangible assets and property totaling $9.2 million. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of intangible assets to $0 and the property to a nominal value. The fair value for these assets was determined by estimating the most likely sale price with a third-party buyer based on market data. In October 2011, we completed the sale of Baseline, which resulted in a nominal gain.

2010

We consolidated the printing facility of The Boston Globe (the “Globe”) in Billerica, Mass., into the Boston, Mass., printing facility in the second quarter of 2009. After exploring different opportunities for the assets at Billerica, we entered into an agreement in the third quarter of 2010 to sell the majority of these assets to a third party. Therefore, assets with a carrying value of approximately $20 million were written down to their fair value, resulting in a $16.1 million impairment charge in 2010. The fair value for these assets was calculated utilizing an offer from a third party to buy equipment from us and a real estate appraisal.

2009

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we recorded a $4.2 million charge for an impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project at the News Media Group. The assets were written down to $0 as the costs associated with this portion of the systems project was not utilized.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 75

6. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired

Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill in 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

(In thousands)	News Media Group			About Group			Total
Balance as of December 27, 2009
Goodwill	$	1,087,436		$	369,978		$	1,457,414
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 27, 2009	282,218			369,978			652,196
Foreign currency translation	(7,732		)	—			(7,732		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010
Goodwill	1,079,704			369,978			1,449,682
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010	274,486			369,978			644,464
Goodwill impaired during year	(152,093		)	—			(152,093		)
Goodwill disposed during year	(300		)	(2,702		)	(3,002		)
Foreign currency translation	(475		)	—			(475		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011
Goodwill	1,078,929			367,276			1,446,205
Accumulated impairment losses	(957,311		)	—			(957,311		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011	$	121,618		$	367,276		$	488,894

The table above includes goodwill impaired during 2011 (see Note 5). Goodwill disposed of during 2011 was related to the sales of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group, and Baseline, which was part of the News Media Group. The foreign currency translation line item reflects changes in goodwill resulting from fluctuating exchange rates related to the consolidation of the International Herald Tribune (“IHT”).

Other Intangible Assets Acquired

Other intangible assets acquired were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010
(In thousands, except years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)
Amortized other intangible assets:
Content	$	21,384	$	(18,133	)	$	3,251	1	$	25,712	$	(16,510	)	$	9,202	7
Customer lists	24,495		(21,842		)	2,653		2	28,316		(21,281		)	7,035		6
Other	33,074		(31,248		)	1,826		4	36,390		(31,592		)	4,798		3
Total	78,953		(71,223		)	7,730			90,418		(69,383		)	21,035
Unamortized other intangible assets:
Trade names						9,885								14,380
Total other intangible assets acquired						$	17,615							$	35,415

The table above includes the foreign currency translation adjustment related to the consolidation of the IHT. In addition, the table above includes other intangible assets impaired during the second and fourth quarters of 2011 (see Note 5) and disposed of during the first quarter of 2011 related to the sale of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group.

P. 76 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Amortization expense related to other intangible assets acquired that are subject to amortization was $7.1 million in 2011, $8.1 million in 2010, and $8.2 million in 2009.

Amortization expense for the next five years related to these intangible assets is expected to be as follows:

(In thousands)
Year	Amount
2012	$	4,800
2013	1,600
2014	600
2015	350
2016	270

7. Investments in Joint Ventures

As of December 25, 2011, our Company’s investments in joint ventures consisted of equity ownership interests in the following entities:

Company	Approximate % Ownership
Metro Boston LLC (“Metro Boston”)	49	%
Donohue Malbaie Inc. (“Malbaie”)	49	%
Madison Paper Industries (“Madison”)	40	%
quadrantONE LLC (“quadrantONE”)	25	%
Fenway Sports Group	7.3	%

Our Company’s investments above are accounted for under the equity method, and are recorded in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our proportionate shares of the operating results of our investments are recorded in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Metro Boston

We own a 49% interest in Metro Boston, which publishes a free daily newspaper in the greater Boston area.

Malbaie & Madison

We also have investments in a Canadian newsprint company, Malbaie, and a partnership operating a supercalendered paper mill in Maine, Madison (together, the “Paper Mills”).

Our Company and UPM-Kymmene Corporation, a Finnish paper manufacturing company, are partners through subsidiary companies in Madison. Our Company’s percentage ownership of Madison, which represents 40%, is through an 80%-owned consolidated subsidiary. UPM-Kymmene owns a 10% interest in Madison through a 20% noncontrolling interest in the consolidated subsidiary of our Company.

We received distributions from Malbaie of $0 million in 2011, $0 million in 2010 and $2.8 million in 2009.

We received distributions from Madison of $0 million in 2011, $5.3 million in 2010 and $0 million in 2009.

The News Media Group purchased newsprint and supercalendered paper from the Paper Mills at competitive prices. Such purchases aggregated approximately $34 million in 2011, $33 million in 2010 and $39 million in 2009.

In 2010, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $12.7 million from the sale of an asset at one of the Paper Mills. Our share of the pre-tax gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million. The $12.7 million gain is included in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 77

quadrantONE

We own a 25% interest in quadrantONE, an online advertising network that sells bundled premium, targeted display advertising onto local newspaper and other Web sites.

Fenway Sports Group

As of December 25, 2011, we owned a 7.3% interest in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball club; Liverpool Football Club (a soccer team in the English Premier League); approximately 80% of New England Sports Network (a regional cable sports network); and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (a leading NASCAR team).

On July 1, 2011, we sold 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group for $117.0 million. We recorded a pre-tax gain of $65.3 million in the third quarter of 2011. This transaction is in addition to the sale of 50 of our units in Fenway Sports Group that resulted in a pre-tax gain of $9.1 million in the second quarter of 2010. Following these transactions, we owned 310 units, or 7.3%, of Fenway Sports Group.

On February 3, 2012, we sold additional units of Fenway Sports Group. See Note 21 for additional information regarding the sale. We continue to market our remaining units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

The following tables present summarized combined information for our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures. Separate financial statements of these unconsolidated joint ventures are not required since none of our investments are considered individually significant. Summarized unaudited condensed combined balance sheets of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows as of:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011		December 31, 2010
Current assets	$	262,203	$	272,672
Non-current assets	1,405,110		1,421,083
Total assets	1,667,313		1,693,755
Current liabilities	551,105		426,020
Non-current liabilities	518,723		613,971
Total liabilities	1,069,828		1,039,991
Equity	522,930		580,603
Noncontrolling interest	74,555		73,161
Total liabilities and equity	$	1,667,313	$	1,693,755

Summarized unaudited condensed combined income statements of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows for the years ended:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011			December 31, 2010			December 31, 2009
Revenues	$	1,203,537		$	936,223		$	844,950
Costs and expenses	1,203,181			850,950			739,289
Operating income	356			85,273			105,661
Other (expense)/income	(10,014		)	14,724			5,418
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(9,658		)	99,997			111,079
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(25,004		)	(111		)	932
Net income	15,346			100,108			110,147
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23,517		)	(23,725		)	(20,631		)
Net (loss)/income less noncontrolling interest	$	(8,171	)	$	76,383		$	89,516

P. 78 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

8. Debt Obligations

Our total debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:

(In thousands, except percentages)	Coupon Rate		December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Senior notes due in 2012, net of unamortized debt costs of $100 in 2011 and $229 in 2010	4.610	%	$	74,900	$	74,771
Senior notes due in 2015, net of unamortized debt costs of $109 in 2011 and $140 in 2010	5.0	%	249,891		249,860
Senior notes due in 2015, called in 2011, net of unamortized debt costs of $22,320 in 2010	14.053	%	—		227,680
Senior notes due in 2016, net of unamortized debt costs of $4,213 in 2011 and $4,898 in 2010	6.625	%	220,787		220,102
Option to repurchase ownership interest in headquarters building in 2019, net of unamortized debt costs of $29,139 in 2011 and $32,694 in 2010			220,861		217,306
Total debt			766,439		989,719
Capital lease obligations			6,701		6,724
Total debt and capital lease obligations			$	773,140	$	996,443

Based on borrowing rates currently available for debt with similar terms and average maturities, the fair value of our long-term debt was approximately $800 million as of December 25, 2011 and approximately $1.1 billion as of December 26, 2010.

The aggregate face amount of maturities of debt over the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	75,000
2013	—
2014	—
2015	250,000
2016	225,000
Thereafter	250,000
Total face amount of maturities	800,000
Less: Unamortized debt costs	(33,561		)
Carrying value of debt	$	766,439

Interest expense, net, as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Cash interest expense	$	79,187		$	79,349		$	78,606
Non-cash amortization of discount on debt	6,933			7,251			6,084
Capitalized interest	(427		)	(299		)	(1,566		)
Interest income	(450		)	(1,239		)	(1,423		)
Total interest expense, net	$	85,243		$	85,062		$	81,701

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 79

4.610% Notes

We have $75.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.610% senior notes due September 26, 2012, outstanding (the “4.610% Notes”). The 4.610% Notes were reclassified to “Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The 4.610% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 4.610% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 4.610% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

5.0% Notes

We have $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.0% senior unsecured notes due March 15, 2015, outstanding (the “5.0% Notes”).

The 5.0% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 5.0% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 5.0% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

14.053% Notes

In January 2009, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement with Inmobiliaria Carso, S.A. de C.V. and Banco Inbursa S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Inbursa (each an “Investor” and collectively the “Investors”), we issued, for an aggregate purchase price of $250.0 million, (1) $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 14.053% senior unsecured notes due January 15, 2015 (the “14.053% Notes”), and (2) detachable warrants to purchase 15.9 million shares of our Class A Common Stock at a price of $6.3572 per share. The warrants are exercisable at the holder’s option at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, until January 15, 2015. Each Investor is an affiliate of Carlos Slim Helú, the beneficial owner of approximately 8% of our Class A Common Stock (excluding the warrants). Each Investor purchased an equal number of 14.053% Notes and warrants.

On August 15, 2011, we prepaid in full all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes. The prepayment totaled approximately $280 million, comprising (1) the $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes; (2) approximately $3 million representing all interest that was accrued and unpaid on the 14.053% Notes to August 15, 2011; and (3) a make-whole premium amount of approximately $27 million due in connection with the prepayment. We funded the prepayment from available cash. As a result of this prepayment, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in the third quarter of 2011. This charge is included in “Premium on debt redemptions” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

6.625% Notes

In November 2010, we completed an offering of $225.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2016 (“6.625% Notes”).

We received proceeds of approximately $220 million (purchase price of $225.0 million, net of approximately $5 million in transaction costs). The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 7%.

We have the option to redeem all or a portion of the 6.625% Notes, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 6.625% Notes are not otherwise callable.

P. 80 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The 6.625% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to:

• incur additional indebtedness and issue preferred stock;

• pay dividends or make other equity distributions;

• agree to any restrictions on the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to make payments to us;

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt;

• make certain investments;

• merge or consolidate with other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; and

• engage in sale and leaseback transactions.

Sale-Leaseback Financing

In March 2009, an affiliate of our Company entered into an agreement to sell and simultaneously lease back a portion of our leasehold condominium interest in our Company’s headquarters building located at 620 Eighth Avenue in New York City (the “Condo Interest”). The sale price for the Condo Interest was $225.0 million. We have an option, exercisable in 2019, to repurchase the Condo Interest for $250.0 million. The lease term is 15 years, and we have three renewal options that could extend the term for an additional 20 years.

The transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction. As such, we have continued to depreciate the Condo Interest and account for the rental payments as interest expense. The difference between the purchase option price of $250.0 million and the net sale proceeds of approximately $211 million, or approximately $39 million, is being amortized over a 10-year period through interest expense. The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 13%.

Revolving Credit Facility

In June 2011, we entered into a new $125.0 million asset-backed 5-year revolving credit facility. This new credit facility replaced our $400.0 million revolving credit facility, which was to expire on June 21, 2011. As of December 25, 2011, there were $0 outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility.

Borrowings under the new credit facility will be secured by a lien on certain advertising receivables. In addition, borrowings bear interest at specified margins based on our utilization and at rates that vary between the LIBOR and prime rates (as defined by the credit agreement) depending on the term to maturities we specify. The new credit facility contains various customary affirmative and negative covenants.

Premium on Debt Redemptions

In August 2011, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in connection with the prepayment of our 14.053% Notes.

In April 2009, we settled the redemption of all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of our 4.5% notes due March 15, 2010, that had been called for redemption in March 2009. The redemption price of approximately $260 million included a $9.3 million premium and was computed under the terms of the notes as the present value of the scheduled payments of principal and unpaid interest, plus accrued interest to the redemption settlement date.

9. Other

Severance Costs

We recognized severance costs of $13.6 million in 2011, $6.8 million in 2010, and $53.9 million in 2009. In 2011, 2010 and 2009, these costs were primarily recognized at the News Media Group related to various initiatives and are primarily recorded in “Selling, general and administrative costs” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We had a severance liability of $13.1 million and $11.1 million included in “Accrued expenses” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, respectively, of which the majority of the December 25, 2011 balance will be paid in 2012.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 81

Gain on Sale of Investments

We recognized a gain on the sale of investments of $71.2 million in 2011 and $9.1 million in 2010. See Note 7 for information regarding the gain in 2011 ($65.3 million) and 2010 ($9.1 million) related to the sales of our units in Fenway Sports Group.

In addition, we sold a minor portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator, resulting in a gain of $5.9 million in 2011. We retain a substantial portion of our initial interest in Indeed.com.

Loss on Leases and Other Expenses

In 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer at the end of 2011.

The total loss on leases and other expenses recorded in 2009 was $34.6 million as detailed below.

In 2009, we recorded a loss of $22.8 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under leases, for property previously occupied by City & Suburban Delivery Systems, Inc. (“City & Suburban”), in excess of rental income under potential subleases. We closed City & Suburban, which operated a wholesale distribution business that delivered The New York Times (“The Times”) and other newspapers and magazines to newsstands and retail outlets in the New York metropolitan area, in January 2009. Also in 2009, we recorded a loss of $8.3 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under a lease for office space at The New York Times Media Group, in excess of rental income under potential subleases.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we also recorded a $3.5 million charge for the early termination of a third-party printing contract.

Gain on Sale of Assets

In 2009, we sold certain surplus real estate assets at the Regional Media Group and recorded a gain on the sales totaling $5.2 million.

P. 82 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

10. Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The transaction would be in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability, based on assumptions that a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The fair value hierarchy consists of three levels:

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date;

Level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; and

Level 3 – unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

Assets/Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

As of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, we had assets related to our qualified pension plans measured at fair value. The required disclosures regarding such assets are presented in Note 11. The disclosure of the fair value of our short-term investments, which are classified as Level 1, is included in Note 3.

Assets Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Our non-financial assets, such as goodwill, other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment are only recorded at fair value if an impairment charge is recognized. The following tables present non-financial assets that were measured and recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis and the total impairment losses recorded during 2011, 2010 and 2009 on those assets:

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 25, 2011		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 25, 2011
Goodwill	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	152,093
Other intangible assets	2,864		—		—		2,864		10,574
Property, plant and equipment, net	—		—		—		—		1,767
Total impairment losses									$	164,434

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 26, 2010		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 26, 2010
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	4,838	$	—	$	—	$	4,838	$	16,148
Total impairment losses									$	16,148

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 27, 2009		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 27, 2009
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	4,179
Total impairment losses									$	4,179

We recorded impairment charges during 2011, 2010 and 2009 related to the write-down of certain assets to their fair value. We classified all these measurements as Level 3, as we used unobservable inputs within the valuation methodologies that were significant to the fair value measurements, and the valuations required management judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices. See Note 5 for information regarding the valuation techniques utilized to determine fair value.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 83

11. Pension Benefits

We sponsor several single-employer defined benefit pension plans, the majority of which have been frozen; participate in The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, a joint Company and Guild-sponsored plan; and make contributions to several multiemployer pension plans in connection with collective bargaining agreements. These plans cover the majority of our employees.

Single-Employer Plans

Our Company-sponsored defined benefit pension plans include qualified plans (funded) as well as non-qualified plans (unfunded). These plans provide participating employees with retirement benefits in accordance with benefit formulas detailed in each plan. Our non-qualified plans provide enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan is a qualified plan and is included in the tables below.

We also have a foreign-based pension plan for certain IHT employees (the “foreign plan”). The information for the foreign plan is combined with the information for U.S. non-qualified plans. The benefit obligation of the foreign plan is immaterial to our total benefit obligation.

Net Periodic Pension Cost

The components of net periodic pension cost/(income) were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010								December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans
Service cost	$	12,079		$	1,660	$	13,739		$	12,045		$	1,896	$	13,941		$	28,266		$	1,687	$	29,953
Interest cost	99,991			13,293		113,284			102,523			13,602		116,125			102,757			14,431		117,188
Expected return on plan assets	(111,813		)	—		(111,813		)	(113,625		)	—		(113,625		)	(113,359		)	—		(113,359		)
Recognized actuarial loss	25,781			3,214		28,995			16,496			4,103		20,599			21,901			4,061		25,962
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	803			—		803			803			—		803			(4,728		)	562		(4,166		)
Curtailment (gain)/loss	—			—		—			—			—		—			(58,283		)	4,318		(53,965		)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	$	26,841		$	18,167	$	45,008		$	18,242		$	19,601	$	37,843		$	(23,446	)	$	25,059	$	1,613

The net pension curtailment gain of $54.0 million in 2009 was as a result of the following changes to certain pension plans.

• We amended a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan for non-union employees to discontinue future benefit accruals under the plan and freeze existing accrued benefits effective December 31, 2009. Benefits earned by participants under the plan prior to January 1, 2010, were not affected. We also froze a non-qualified pension plan that provides enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The accrued benefits under this supplemental benefit plan were determined and frozen based on eligible earnings through December 31, 2009. The reduction of benefits under the qualified and non-qualified plans mentioned above and various other non-qualified plans resulted in a curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

• We froze a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan in connection with ratified amendments to a collective bargaining agreement covering the Newspaper Guild of the Globe. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $2.5 million.

• We eliminated certain non-qualified retirement benefits of various employees of the Globe in connection with the amendment of two union agreements. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $0.2 million.

P. 84 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	255,907		$	122,879		$	(69,416	)
Prior service cost	—			—			2,115
Amortization of loss	(28,995		)	(20,599		)	(25,962		)
Amortization of prior service (cost)/credit	(803		)	(803		)	4,166
Effect of curtailment	—			(1,083		)	(2,375		)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	226,109			100,394			(91,472		)
Net periodic pension cost	45,008			37,843			1,613
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income/loss	$	271,117		$	138,237		$	(89,859	)

The estimated actuarial loss and prior service cost that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year is approximately $34 million and $1 million, respectively.

The amount of cost recognized for defined contribution benefit plans was approximately $23 million for 2011, $23 million for 2010 and $14 million for 2009. Effective January 1, 2010, we increased our contribution under a defined contribution plan for non-union employees, including among other things, providing an incremental contribution equal to 3% of the employee’s eligible earnings, up to applicable limits under the Internal Revenue Code. This change to the defined contribution plan was made in conjunction with freezing our Company-sponsored qualified pension plan for non-union employees.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 85

Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

	December 25, 2011									December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	1,823,625		$	253,743		$	2,077,368		$	1,671,244		$	230,602		$	1,901,846
Service cost	12,079			1,660			13,739			12,045			1,896			13,941
Interest cost	99,991			13,293			113,284			102,523			13,602			116,125
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Actuarial loss	140,186			25,621			165,807			131,759			25,333			157,092
Curtailments	—			—			—			(1,083		)	—			(1,083		)
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Effects of change in currency conversion	—			(33		)	(33		)	—			(323		)	(323		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	1,986,502			277,060			2,263,562			1,823,625			253,743			2,077,368
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	1,381,811			—			1,381,811			1,150,915			—			1,150,915
Actual return on plan assets	21,712			—			21,712			147,837			—			147,837
Employer contributions	150,585			17,224			167,809			175,922			17,367			193,289
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,464,729			—			1,464,729			1,381,811			—			1,381,811
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	—		$	(18,784	)	$	(18,784	)	$	—		$	(16,436	)	$	(16,436	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(521,773		)	(258,276		)	(780,049		)	(441,814		)	(237,307		)	(679,121		)
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	904,214		$	99,130		$	1,003,344		$	699,709		$	76,723		$	776,432
Prior service cost	1,959			—			1,959			2,762			—			2,762
Total	$	906,173		$	99,130		$	1,005,303		$	702,471		$	76,723		$	779,194

P. 86 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The accumulated benefit obligation for all pension plans was $2.22 billion and $2.04 billion as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, respectively.

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Projected benefit obligation	$	2,263,562	$	2,077,368
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	2,223,755	$	2,035,644
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,464,729	$	1,381,811

Assumptions

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for qualified pension plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	5.05	%	5.60	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.00	%	4.00	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.60	%	6.30	%	6.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	4.00	%	4.00	%	3.50	%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets	8.25	%	8.75	%	8.75	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.80	%	5.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for the non-qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.45	%	6.00	%	6.55	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

We determined our discount rate using a Ryan ALM, Inc. Curve (the “Ryan Curve”). The Ryan Curve provides the bonds included in the curve and allows adjustments for certain outliers (e.g., bonds on “watch”). We believe the Ryan Curve allows us to calculate an appropriate discount rate.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 87

To determine our discount rate, we project a cash flow based on annual accrued benefits. For active participants, the benefits under the respective pension plans are projected to the date of termination. The projected plan cash flow is discounted to the measurement date, which is the last day of our fiscal year, using the annual spot rates provided in the Ryan Curve. A single discount rate is then computed so that the present value of the benefit cash flow equals the present value computed using the Ryan Curve rates.

In determining the expected long-term rate of return on assets, we evaluated input from our investment consultants, actuaries and investment management firms, including our review of asset class return expectations, as well as long-term historical asset class returns. Projected returns by such consultants and economists are based on broad equity and bond indices. Our objective is to select an average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions to the plan during the year.

The value (“market-related value”) of plan assets is multiplied by the expected long-term rate of return on assets to compute the expected return on plan assets, a component of net periodic pension cost. The market-related value of plan assets is a calculated value that recognizes changes in fair value over three years.

Plan Assets

Company-Sponsored Pension Plans

The assets underlying the Company-sponsored qualified pension plans are managed by professional investment managers. These investment managers are selected and monitored by the pension investment committee, composed of certain senior executives, who are appointed by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. The Finance Committee is responsible for adopting our investment policy, which includes rules regarding the selection and retention of qualified advisors and investment managers. The pension investment committee is responsible for implementing and monitoring compliance with our investment policy, selecting and monitoring investment managers and communicating the investment guidelines and performance objectives to the investment managers.

Our contributions are made on a basis determined by the actuaries in accordance with the funding requirements and limitations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and the Internal Revenue Code.

Investment Policy and Strategy

The primary long-term investment objective is to allocate assets in a manner that produces a total rate of return that meets or exceeds the growth of our pension liabilities.

The intermediate-term objective is to allocate assets in a manner that outperforms each of the capital markets in which assets are invested, net of costs, measured over a complete market cycle. Overall fund performance is compared to a Target Allocation Index based on the target allocations and comparable portfolios with similar investment objectives.

Asset Allocation Guidelines

In accordance with our asset allocation strategy, for substantially all of our Company-sponsored pension plan assets, investments are categorized into long duration fixed income investments whose value is highly correlated to that of the pension plan obligations (“Long Duration Assets”) or other investments, such as equities and high-yield fixed income securities, whose return over time is expected to exceed pension plan obligations (“Return-Seeking Assets”).

The proportional allocation of assets between Long Duration Assets and Return-Seeking Assets is dependent on the funded status of each pension plan. Under our policy, for example, a funded status of 85% to 90% requires an allocation of total assets of 45% to 55% to Long Duration Assets and 45% to 55% to Return-Seeking Assets. As our funded status increases, the allocation to Long Duration Assets will increase and the allocation to Return-Seeking Assets will decrease.

P. 88 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The following asset allocation guidelines apply to the Return-Seeking Assets:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	55%	-	70	%
International Equities	20%	-	30	%
Total Equity	75%	-	95	%
Fixed Income	0%	-	5	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Equity Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Cash Reserves	0%	-	5	%

The weighted-average asset allocations of our Company-sponsored pension plans by asset category for both Long Duration and Return-Seeking Assets, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	43	%
International Equities	17	%
Total Equity	60	%
Fixed Income	37	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0	%
Equity Alternative Investments	3	%
Cash Reserves	0	%

The specified target allocation of assets and ranges set forth above are maintained and reviewed on a periodic basis by the pension investment committee. The pension investment committee may direct the transfer of assets between investment managers in order to rebalance the portfolio in accordance with approved asset allocation ranges to accomplish the investment objectives for the pension plan assets.

The New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan

The assets underlying The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan are managed by investment managers selected and monitored by the Board of Trustees of the Newspaper Guild of New York. These investment managers are provided the authority to manage the investment assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, including acquiring and disposing of assets, subject to certain guidelines.

Investment Policy and Strategy

Assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan are to be invested in a manner that is consistent with the fiduciary standards set forth by ERISA, the provisions of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan’s Trust Agreement and all other relevant laws. The long-term objective is to maximize return within a reasonable and prudent risk level, maintain sufficient income and liquidity to fund benefit payments and preserve the principal value of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan.

Asset Allocation Guidelines

The following asset allocations guidelines apply to the assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	50%	-	60	%
International Equities	5%	-	15	%
Total Equity	50%	-	75	%
Fixed Income	25%	-	45	%

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 89

The specified target allocation of assets and ranges set forth above are maintained and reviewed on a regular basis by the Trustees. If any strategic target allocation is outside the specified target asset allocation range, assets shall be shifted, in a prudent manner and over a reasonable time period, to return the strategy to within the target range. The Trustees have the responsibility for taking the necessary actions to rebalance The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan within the established targets.

The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan’s weighted-average asset allocations by asset category, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	56	%
International Equities	8	%
Total Equity	64	%
Fixed Income	29	%
Cash Equivalents	7	%

Fair Value of Plan Assets

The fair value of the assets underlying our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans and The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan by asset category are as follows:

	Fair Value Measurement at December 25, 2011
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	173,988	$	—	$	—	$	173,988
International Equities	74,426		—		—		74,426
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		714,300		—		714,300
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		266,510		—		266,510
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		98,531		—		98,531
Insurance Contracts	—		31,847		—		31,847
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		16,850		—		16,850
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		15,394		—		15,394
Other	—		7,268		—		7,268
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		22,865		—		22,865
Private Equity	—		—		37,393		37,393
Assets at Fair Value	$	248,414	$	1,173,565	$	37,393	$	1,459,372
Other Assets							5,357
Total							$	1,464,729

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

P. 90 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

	Fair Value Measurement at December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	191,559	$	—	$	—	$	191,559
International Equities	95,880		—		—		95,880
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		570,244		—		570,244
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		309,223		—		309,223
Insurance Contracts	—		55,235		—		55,235
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		35,924		—		35,924
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		19,799		—		19,799
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		12,551		—		12,551
Other	—		8,208		—		8,208
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		9,207		—		9,207
Real Estate	—		—		37,471		37,471
Private Equity	—		—		31,187		31,187
Assets at Fair Value	$	287,439	$	1,020,391	$	68,658	$	1,376,488
Other Assets							5,323
Total							$	1,381,811

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

Level 1 and Level 2 Investments

Where quoted prices are available in an active market for identical assets, such as equity securities traded on an exchange, transactions for the asset occur with such frequency that the pricing information is available on an ongoing/daily basis. We, therefore, classify these types of investments as Level 1 where the fair value represents the closing/last trade price for these particular securities.

For our investments where pricing data may not be readily available, fair values are estimated by using quoted prices for similar assets, in both active and not active markets, and observable inputs, other than quoted prices, such as interest rates and credit risk. We classify these types of investments as Level 2 because we are able to reasonably estimate the fair value through inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 Investments

We have investments in private equity funds as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010 and a real estate investment fund as of December 26, 2010 that have been determined to be Level 3 investments, within the fair value hierarchy, because the inputs to determine fair value are considered unobservable.

The general valuation methodology used for the private equity investment funds is the market approach. The market approach utilizes prices and other relevant information such as similar market transactions, type of security, size of the position, degree of liquidity, restrictions on the disposition, latest round of financing data, current financial position and operating results among other factors.

The general valuation methodology used for the real estate investment fund is developed by a third-party appraisal. The appraisal is performed in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Appraisal Institute and take into account projected income and expenses of the property, as well as recent sales of similar properties.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 91

As a result of the inherent limitations related to the valuations of the Level 3 investments, due to the unobservable inputs of the underlying funds, the estimated fair value may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a market for those investments existed.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 25, 2011 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate			Private Equity			Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	37,471		$	31,187		$	68,658
Actual gain on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	—			4,021			4,021
Related to assets sold during the period	541			—			541
Capital contribution	—			5,196			5,196
Sales	(38,012		)	(3,011		)	(41,023		)
Balance at end of year	$	—		$	37,393		$	37,393

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 26, 2010 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate		Private Equity		Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	33,938	$	20,564	$	54,502
Actual loss on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	3,533		4,503		8,036
Related to assets sold during the period	—		—		—
Capital contribution	—		6,120		6,120
Sales	—		—		—
Balance at end of year	$	37,471	$	31,187	$	68,658

Cash Flows

We made contributions of approximately $151 million to certain qualified pension plans in 2011. The majority of these contributions were discretionary. We expect to make mandatory contributions, primarily contractual contributions in connection with The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, of approximately $45 million in 2012. We may make discretionary contributions in 2012 to our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans depending on cash flows, pension asset performance, interest rates and other factors.

The following benefit payments under our pension plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

	Plans
(In thousands)	Qualified		Non- Qualified		Total
2012	$	95,978	$	19,858	$	115,836
2013	97,043		18,860		115,903
2014	98,806		18,917		117,723
2015	103,391		19,583		122,974
2016	106,758		20,407		127,165
2017-2021	594,463		101,577		696,040

P. 92 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Multiemployer Plans

We contribute to a number of multiemployer defined benefit pension plans under the terms of various collective bargaining agreements that cover our union-represented employees. Over the past 3 years, certain events, such as amendments to various collective bargaining agreements, resulted in withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans. These actions, along with a reduction in covered employees, have resulted in us estimating withdrawal liabilities to the respective plans for our proportionate share of any unfunded vested benefits. We recorded an estimated charge for pension plan withdrawal obligations of $4.2 million in 2011, $6.3 million in 2010 and $78.9 million in 2009. Our multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability was approximately $100 million as of December 25, 2011. This liability is the present value of the obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from certain plans as well as an estimate of future partial withdrawals that we considered probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability will not be known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability will be adjusted as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

The risks of participating in multiemployer plans are different from single-employer plans in the following aspects:

• Assets contributed to the multiemployer plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

• If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers.

• If we choose to stop participating in some multiemployer pension plans, we may be required to pay those plans an amount based on the underfunded status of the plan (a withdrawal liability).

Our participation in significant plans for the fiscal period ended December 25, 2011, is outlined in the table below. The “EIN/Pension Plan Number” column provides the Employer Identification Number (“EIN”) and the three digit plan number. The zone status is based on the latest information that we received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than 65 percent funded, plans in the yellow zone are less than 80 percent funded, and plans in the green zone are at least 80 percent funded. The “FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented” column indicates plans for which a financial improvement plan (“FIP”) or a rehabilitation plan (“RP”) is either pending or has been implemented. The “Surcharge Imposed” column includes plans in a red zone status that are required to pay a surcharge in excess of regular contributions. The last column lists the expiration date(s) of the collective bargaining agreement(s) to which the plans are subject.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 93

	EIN/Pension Plan Number	Pension Protection Act Zone Status		FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	(In thousands)Contributions of the Company						Surcharge Imposed	Collective Bargaining Agreement Expiration Date
Pension Fund		2011	2010		2011		2010		2009
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	13-6212879-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	$	776	$	862	$	1,417	Yes	3/30/2011 & 3/30/2016	(1) (2)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6122251-001	Green as of 5/31/12	Yellow as of 5/31/11	No	1,298		1,242		1,475		No	3/30/2020	(3)
GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan	91-6024903-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	116		116		433		No	11/30/2016 & 3/30/2017	(2) (4)
Pressmen's Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6121627-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	1,113		1,132		1,335		No	3/30/2017	(3)
New England Teamsters & Trucking Industry Pension	04-6372430-001	Red as of 9/30/12	Red as of 9/30/11	Yes	46		205		1,380		No	12/31/2015	(2)
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6104795-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	153		151		202		No	3/30/2014	(3)
	Contributions for individually significant plans				$	3,502	$	3,708	$	6,242
	Contributions to other multiemployer plans				2,250		2,127		3,385
	Total Contributions				$	5,752	$	5,835	$	9,627

(1) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 220 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expired on March 30, 2011. A new agreement is currently being negotiated.

(2) In 2009, employees of the Globe represented by various unions ratified amendments to their collective bargaining agreements that allowed us to partially withdraw from these plans. These actions resulted in lower contributions to these plans in years after 2009.

(3) Board of Trustees elected funding relief as allowed under the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010.

(4) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 40 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expires on March 30, 2017.

The rehabilitation plan for the GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan includes minimum annual contributions no less than the total annual contribution made by us from September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009.

The Company was listed in its plans’ Forms 5500 as providing more than 5% of the total contributions for the following plans and plan years:

Pension Fund	Year Contributions to Plan Exceeded More Than 5 Percent of Total Contributions (as of Plan's Year-End)
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	12/31/2010 & 12/31/2009(1)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	5/31/2010 & 5/31/2009(1)
Pressmen's Publisher's Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009

(1) Form 5500 for the plan year 12/31/11 and 5/31/11 was not available as of the date we filed our financial statements.

12. Other Postretirement Benefits

We provide health benefits to retired employees (and their eligible dependents) who meet the definition of an eligible participant and certain age and service requirements, as outlined in the plan document. While we offer pre-age 65 retiree medical coverage to employees who meet certain retiree medical eligibility requirements, we no longer provide post-age 65 retiree medical benefits for employees who retire on or after March 1, 2009. We also contribute to a postretirement plan under the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. We accrue the costs of postretirement benefits during the employees’ active years of service and our policy is to pay our portion of insurance premiums and claims from our assets.

P. 94 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

In October 2011, we amended our retiree medical plan by, among other things, placing a cap (effective January 1, 2012) on our contributions for certain retiree groups. In connection with this plan amendment, we remeasured our postretirement obligation as of the plan amendment date. The plan amendment and remeasurement resulted in a decrease in the postretirement liability and an increase in other comprehensive income (before taxes) of approximately $20 million in October 2011.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was enacted on March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which was enacted on March 30, 2010, eliminated the tax deductibility of certain retiree health care costs, beginning January 1, 2013, to the extent of federal subsidies received by plan sponsors that provide retiree prescription drug benefits equivalent to Medicare Part D. Because the future anticipated retiree health-care liabilities and related subsidies are already reflected in our financial statements, this legislation required us to reduce the related deferred tax asset recognized in our financial statements. As a result, we recorded a tax charge of $11.4 million in 2010 for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health care legislation enacted in 2010. The impact of this legislation was not material and was included in our 2010 year-end measurement of our postretirement benefits obligation.

The components of net periodic postretirement benefit income were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Service cost	$	1,143		$	1,076		$	1,551
Interest cost	6,890			9,340			10,355
Recognized actuarial loss	2,289			3,129			2,014
Amortization of prior service credit	(16,593		)	(15,602		)	(14,902		)
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	$	(6,271	)	$	(2,057	)	$	(982	)

The changes in the benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	13,436		$	(16,865	)	$	15,749
Prior service credit	(35,712		)	—			(9,581		)
Amortization of loss	(2,289		)	(3,129		)	(2,014		)
Amortization of prior service credit	16,593			15,602			14,902
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	(7,972		)	(4,392		)	19,056
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	(6,271		)	(2,057		)	(982		)
Total recognized in net periodic postretirement benefit income and other comprehensive income/loss	$	(14,243	)	$	(6,449	)	$	18,074

The estimated actuarial loss and prior service credit that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year is approximately $3 million and $15 million, respectively.

In connection with collective bargaining agreements, we contribute to several multiemployer welfare plans. These plans provide medical benefits to active and retired employees covered under the respective collective bargaining agreement. Contributions are made in accordance with the formula in the relevant agreement. Postretirement costs related to these plans are not reflected above and were approximately $16 million in 2011 and $18 million in 2010 and 2009.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 95

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	142,417		$	164,811
Service cost	1,143			1,076
Interest cost	6,890			9,340
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Actuarial loss/(gain)	13,436			(16,865		)
Plan amendments	(35,712		)	—
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Benefit obligation at the end of year	113,803			142,417
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	—			—
Employer contributions	14,371			15,945
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	—			—
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	(9,611	)	$	(11,794	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(104,192		)	(130,623		)
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	43,114		$	31,967
Prior service credit	(136,469		)	(117,350		)
Total	$	(93,355	)	$	(85,383	)

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine the postretirement benefit obligations were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.64	%	5.35	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic postretirement cost were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.14	%	5.92	%	6.67	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

P. 96 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The assumed health-care cost trend rates were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Health-care cost trend rate assumed next year	7.33	%	7.75	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.00	%	5.00	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2019		2019

Assumed health-care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the health-care plans. A one-percentage point change in assumed health-care cost trend rates would have the following effects:

	One-Percentage Point
(In thousands)	Increase		Decrease
Effect on total service and interest cost for 2011	$	386	$	336
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of December 25, 2011	$	5,227	$	4,618

The following benefit payments (net of plan participant contributions) under our Company’s postretirement plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	10,601
2013	10,484
2014	10,177
2015	9,875
2016	9,529
2017-2021	41,712

We accrue the cost of certain benefits provided to former or inactive employees after employment, but before retirement, during the employees’ active years of service. Benefits include life insurance, disability benefits and health-care continuation coverage. The accrued cost of these benefits amounted to $20.3 million as of December 25, 2011 and $20.2 million as of December 26, 2010.

13. Other Liabilities

The components of the “Other Liabilities – Other” balance in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Deferred compensation	$	75,394	$	87,102
Other liabilities	102,323		130,373
Total	$	177,717	$	217,475

Deferred compensation consists primarily of deferrals under our deferred executive compensation plan (the “DEC Plan”). The DEC plan enables certain eligible executives to elect to defer a portion of their compensation on a pre-tax basis. While the initial deferral period is for a minimum of 2 years up to a maximum of 15 years (after which time taxable distributions must begin), the executive has the option to extend the deferral period. Employees’ contributions earn income based on the performance of investment funds they select.

We invest deferred compensation in life insurance products designed to closely mirror the performance of the investment funds that the participants select. Our investments in life insurance products are included in “Miscellaneous assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets, and were $75.4 million as of December 25, 2011 and $88.6 million as of December 26, 2010.

Other liabilities in the preceding table primarily included our contingent tax liability as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 97

14. Income Taxes

Reconciliations between the effective tax rate on income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the federal statutory rate are presented below.

	December 25, 2011					December 26, 2010					December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax
Tax at federal statutory rate	$	(1,302	)	35.0	%	$	62,027		35.0	%	$	1,321		35.0	%
State and local taxes, net	15,095			(406.0	)	19,010			10.7		12,418			329.1
Effect of enacted changes in tax laws	(1,520		)	40.9		11,370			6.4		11,743			311.2
Reduction in uncertain tax positions	(12,105		)	325.6		(21,722		)	(12.2	)	(22,338		)	(592.0	)
Loss/(gain) on Company-owned life insurance	36			(1.0	)	(3,319		)	(1.9	)	(4,156		)	(110.1	)
Non-deductible goodwill	34,992			(941.2	)	—			—		852			22.5
Other, net	1,310			(35.2	)	1,150			0.7		2,366			62.7
Income tax expense	$	36,506		*		$	68,516		38.7		$	2,206		58.4

* The effective tax rate in 2011 is not meaningful because a portion of the non-cash charge in the second quarter of 2011 for the impairment of the Regional Media Group's goodwill was non-deductible.

The components of income tax expense as shown in our Consolidated Statements of Operations were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Current tax (benefit)/expense
Federal	$	(19,559	)	$	14,354		$	(23,748	)
Foreign	1,110			682			784
State and local	(5,786		)	(7,791		)	(19,261		)
Total current tax (benefit)/expense	(24,235		)	7,245			(42,225		)
Deferred tax expense/(benefit)
Federal	14,523			52,735			27,320
Foreign	37,471			(1,384		)	(3,546		)
State and local	8,747			9,920			20,657
Total deferred tax expense	60,741			61,271			44,431
Income tax expense	$	36,506		$	68,516		$	2,206

We recognized a net operating loss carryforward (“loss carryforward”) for federal tax purposes of $23.1 million as of December 25, 2011 and $0 as of December 26, 2010. In accordance with federal tax law, the loss carryforward has a life of 20 years.

State tax operating loss carryforwards totaled $15.1 million as of December 25, 2011 and $8.7 million as of December 26, 2010. Such loss carryforwards expire in accordance with provisions of applicable tax laws and have remaining lives generally ranging from 1 to 20 years.

P. 98 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The components of the net deferred tax assets and liabilities recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Deferred tax assets
Retirement, postemployment and deferred compensation plans	$	447,156		$	420,745
Accruals for other employee benefits, compensation, insurance and other	39,572			56,280
Accounts receivable allowances	7,114			9,587
Other	109,946			91,424
Gross deferred tax assets	603,788			578,036
Valuation allowance	(39,824		)	—
Net deferred tax assets	$	563,964		$	578,036
Deferred tax liabilities
Property, plant and equipment	$	143,308		$	141,052
Intangible assets	42,150			44,568
Investments in joint ventures	15,095			11,796
Other	10,073			56,044
Gross deferred tax liabilities	210,626			253,460
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Deferred tax asset – current	$	73,055		$	68,875
Deferred tax asset – long-term	280,283			255,701
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576

We assess whether a valuation allowance should be established against deferred tax assets based on the consideration of both positive and negative evidence using a “more likely than not” standard. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. We evaluated our deferred tax assets for recoverability using a consistent approach that considers our three-year historical cumulative income/(loss), including an assessment of the degree to which any such losses were due to items that are unusual in nature (e.g., impairments of non-deductible goodwill and intangible assets).

In 2011, we recorded a valuation allowance of $39.8 million for deferred tax assets primarily associated with net operating losses of non-U.S. operations as we determined these assets were not realizable on a more-likely-than-not basis. In connection with this assessment, we also reversed a deferred tax liability, included in the “Deferred tax liabilities - other” line in the table above, originally established for the U.S. tax consequences associated with recognizing the net operating losses of the non-U.S. operations. The net impact on 2011 income tax expense was nominal as the valuation allowance was almost completely offset by the reversal of the deferred tax liability.

Income tax benefits related to the exercise or vesting of equity awards reduced current taxes payable by $1.6 million in 2011, $2.1 million in 2010 and $1.0 million in 2009.

As of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, “Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and for the years then ended in our Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity was net of deferred tax assets of approximately $370 million and $280 million, respectively.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 99

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Balance at beginning of year	$	55,636		$	70,578		$	92,582
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the current year	4,094			2,565			3,545
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the current year	—			—			—
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the prior year	460			—			—
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the prior year	(970		)	(13,347		)	(13,484		)
Reductions from settlements with taxing authorities	(1,941		)	—			—
Reductions from lapse of applicable statutes of limitations	(9,308		)	(4,160		)	(12,065		)
Balance at end of year	$	47,971		$	55,636		$	70,578

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would, if recognized, affect the effective income tax rate was approximately $31 million as of December 25, 2011 and $36 million as of December 26, 2010.

We also recognize accrued interest expense and penalties related to the unrecognized tax benefits within income tax expense or benefit. The total amount of accrued interest and penalties was approximately $16 million as of December 25, 2011 and approximately $18 million as of December 26, 2010. The total amount of accrued interest and penalties was a net benefit of $1.4 million in 2011, $6.3 million in 2010 and $4.4 million in 2009.

With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2004. Management believes that our accrual for tax liabilities is adequate for all open audit years. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of complex judgments about future events.

It is reasonably possible that certain income tax examinations may be concluded, or statutes of limitation may lapse, during the next 12 months, which could result in a decrease in unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $19 million that would, if recognized, impact the effective tax rate.

15. Discontinued Operations

Discontinued operations are summarized in the following table.

(In thousands)	December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	—	$	5,062
Total operating costs	—		7,082
Pre-tax loss	—		(2,020		)
Income tax benefit	—		(864		)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—		(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes:
Gain on sale	16		34,914
Income tax expense	3		15,426
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	13		19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$	13	$	18,332

WQXR-FM

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, a New York City classical radio station, which was sold in October 2009, are presented as discontinued operations. We received proceeds related to the sale of approximately $45 million and recorded a pre-tax gain of approximately $35 million (approximately $19 million after tax) in the fourth quarter of 2009. In 2010, we recorded post-closing adjustments to the gain.

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, which were previously consolidated in the results of the News Media Group, are presented as discontinued operations in our Consolidated Financial Statements for all periods presented.

P. 100 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

16. Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

Basic and diluted earnings/(loss) per share were as follows:

(In thousands, except per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(39,669	)	$	107,691	$	1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13		18,332
Net (loss)/income	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704	$	19,891
Average number of common shares outstanding – Basic	147,190			145,636		144,188
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities	—			6,964		2,179
Average number of common shares outstanding – Diluted	147,190			152,600		146,367
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Basic	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.14
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Diluted	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.14

The difference between basic and diluted shares is that diluted shares include the dilutive effect of the assumed exercise of outstanding securities. Our stock options and warrants could have the most significant impact on diluted shares.

Securities that could potentially be dilutive are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share when a loss from continuing operations exists or when the exercise price exceeds the market value of our Class A Common Stock (“Common Stock”), because their inclusion would result in an anti-dilutive effect on per share amounts.

The number of stock options that were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because they were anti-dilutive were approximately 22 million in 2011, 24 million in 2010 and 29 million in 2009, respectively.

A total of 15.9 million warrants were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share in 2011 because they were anti-dilutive.

17. Stock-Based Awards

Under our Company’s 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan (the “1991 Incentive Plan”) and our 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan (together, the “1991 Executive Plans”), the Board of Directors was authorized to grant awards to key employees of cash, restricted and unrestricted shares of our Common Stock, retirement units (stock equivalents) or such other awards as the Board of Directors deemed appropriate. Effective April 27, 2010, our 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2010 Incentive Plan”) was approved by our Company’s stockholders and replaced the 1991 Executive Plans.

Our 2004 Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004 Directors’ Plan”) provides for the issuance of up to 500,000 shares of Common Stock in the form of stock options or restricted stock awards. Under our 2004 Directors’ Plan, each non-employee director of our Company has historically received annual grants of non-qualified stock options with 10-year terms to purchase 4,000 shares of Common Stock from our Company at the average market price of such shares on the date of grant. Restricted stock has not been awarded under the 2004 Directors’ Plan for the purpose of stock-based compensation.

We recognize stock-based compensation expense for outstanding stock options, cash-settled restricted stock units, stock-settled restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, Common Stock under our ESPP and LTIP awards (together, “Stock-Based Awards”). Stock-based compensation expense was $8.5 million in 2011, $8.4 million in 2010 and $20.4 million in 2009.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 101

Stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the period from the date of grant to the date when the award is no longer contingent on the employee providing additional service. Our Company’s 1991 Incentive Plan, 2010 Incentive Plan and 2004 Directors’ Plan provide that awards generally vest over a stated vesting period or upon the retirement of an employee or director, as the case may be.

Our pool of excess tax benefits (“APIC Pool”) available to absorb tax deficiencies was approximately $22 million as of December 25, 2011.

Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

Our Company’s 1991 Incentive Plan provided, and the 2010 Incentive Plan provides, for grants of both incentive and non-qualified stock options at an exercise price equal to the market value of our Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock options have generally been granted with a 3-year vesting period and a 10-year term and vest in equal annual installments.

Our 2004 Directors’ Plan provides for grants of stock options to non-employee Directors at an exercise price equal to the market value of our Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock options are granted with a 1-year vesting period and a 10-year term. Our Company’s Directors are considered employees for this purpose.

During 2009, we discovered that portions of previously awarded stock option grants exceeded that permitted to be granted to a single individual during any calendar year under the terms of our Company’s plans. A total of 250,000 options in 2008 and 200,000 options in 2009 granted in excess of applicable plan limits were determined to be null and void. The independent directors of our Company’s Board of Directors, after consultation with all non-management directors, approved the grant of deferred payment stock appreciation rights equal in number and on the same economic terms comparable to the void options. Stock appreciation rights are classified as liability awards because we incur a liability, payable in cash, based on the fair value of the stock appreciation rights. These rights are measured at their fair value at the end of each reporting period utilizing the Black-Scholes valuation model and, therefore, will fluctuate based on the changes in our stock price.

Changes in our Company’s stock options in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value $(000s)
Options outstanding at beginning of year	21,414		$	33	4	$	10,629
Granted	856		10
Exercised	(100	)	4
Forfeited/Expired	(4,670	)	41
Options outstanding at end of period	17,500		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options expected to vest at end of period	17,478		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options exercisable at end of period	15,207		$	33	3	$	4,262

The total intrinsic value for stock options exercised was $0.6 million in 2011, $1.7 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

P. 102 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The fair value of the stock options granted was estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes valuation model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected life (estimated period of time outstanding) of stock options granted was determined using the average of the vesting period and term, an acceptable method. Expected volatility was based on historical volatility for a period equal to the stock option’s expected life, ending on the date of grant, and calculated on a monthly basis. The fair value for stock options granted with different vesting periods are calculated separately.

	December 25, 2011						December 26, 2010						December 27, 2009
Term (In years)	10			10			10			10			10			10
Vesting (In years)	3			1			3			1			3			1
Risk-free interest rate	2.90		%	2.25		%	3.19		%	2.69		%	2.72		%	2.45		%
Expected life (In years)	6			5			6			5			6			5
Expected volatility	43.79		%	47.93		%	41.60		%	45.93		%	31.01		%	35.00		%
Expected dividend yield	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%
Weighted-average fair value	$	4.81		$	3.78		$	4.99		$	4.68		$	1.29		$	1.71

Restricted Stock Units

Our 1991 Incentive Plan provided, and the 2010 Incentive Plan provides, for grants of other awards, including restricted stock units. Restricted stock units granted in 2010 and 2009 are “cash-settled,” while restricted stock units granted in 2011 are “stock-settled.” For “stock-settled” restricted stock units, each restricted stock unit represents our obligation to deliver to the holder one share of Common Stock upon vesting. For “cash-settled” restricted stock units, each restricted stock unit represents our obligation to deliver to the holder cash, equivalent to the market value of the underlying shares of Common Stock, upon vesting.

In 2011, we granted stock-settled restricted stock units with a 3-year vesting period. The fair value of “stock-settled” restricted stock units is the average market price at date of grant.

Changes in our Company’s stock-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	355		$	22
Granted	677		10
Vested	(345	)	21
Forfeited	(21	)	16
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at end of period	666		$	11
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	607		$	11

The intrinsic value of stock-settled restricted stock units vested was $3.3 million in 2011, $3.3 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

In 2010 and 2009, we granted cash-settled restricted stock units with a 3-year vesting period. The fair value of “cash-settled” restricted stock units is the average market price at date of grant. “Cash-settled” restricted stock units are classified as liability awards because we incur a liability, payable in cash, based on our stock price. The cash-settled restricted stock unit is measured at its fair value at the end of each reporting period and, therefore, will fluctuate based on the fluctuations in our stock price.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 103

Changes in our cash-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	788		$	6
Granted	—		—
Vested	(9	)	7
Forfeited	(21	)	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at end of period	758		$	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	735		$	6

The intrinsic value of restricted stock units vested was $80,000 in 2011, $0.3 million in 2010 and $0.1 million in 2009.

LTIP Awards

Our Company’s 1991 Executive Plans provided for grants of cash awards to key executives payable at the end of a multi-year performance period. The target awards were determined at the beginning of each period and could have increased to a maximum of 175% of the target or decreased to 0%.

For the award granted for the cycle beginning in 2005 paid in 2010, the total payment was based on a key performance measure, Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”), which was calculated as stock appreciation plus reinvested dividends. For the award granted for the cycle beginning in 2006 paid in 2011, 50% of the payment was based on TSR. The payment was subject to approval by the Board’s Compensation Committee. There were payments of approximately $4 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2010. No cycle was payable in 2009.

The LTIP awards based on TSR were classified as liability awards because we incurred a liability, payable in cash, indexed to our stock price. The LTIP award liability was measured at its fair value at the end of each reporting period and, therefore, fluctuated based on the operating results and the performance of our TSR relative to the peer group’s TSR. The fair value of the LTIP awards was calculated by comparing our TSR against a predetermined peer group’s TSR over the performance period. The payout of the LTIP awards was based on relative performance; therefore, correlations in stock price performance among the peer group companies also factored into the valuation.

For awards granted for the cycle beginning in 2007 and subsequent periods, the actual payment, if any, do not have a performance measure based on TSR. Therefore, these awards are not considered stock-based compensation.

As of December 25, 2011, unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of our Stock-Based Awards was approximately $4 million and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.4 years.

We generally issue shares for the exercise of stock options, stock-settled restricted stock units granted in 2011 and shares under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan from unissued reserved shares and issue shares for stock-settled restricted stock units granted prior to 2011 and our Company stock match under a 401(k) plan from treasury shares.

P. 104 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Shares of Class A Common Stock reserved for issuance were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011	December 26, 2010
Stock options, stock–settled restricted stock units, retirement units and other awards
Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Available	6,771	8,252
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Available	6,410	7,013
401(k) Company stock match
Available	3,838	4,619
Total Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Total Available	17,019	19,884

In addition to the shares available in the table above, there were approximately 819,000 shares as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010 of Class B Common Stock available for conversion into shares of Class A Common Stock.

18. Stockholders’ Equity

Shares of our Company’s Class A and Class B Common Stock are entitled to equal participation in the event of liquidation and in dividend declarations. The Class B Common Stock is convertible at the holders’ option on a share-for-share basis into Class A Common Stock. Upon conversion, the previously outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock are automatically and immediately retired, resulting in a reduction of authorized Class B Common Stock. As provided for in our Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, the Class A Common Stock has limited voting rights, including the right to elect 30% of the Board of Directors, and the Class A and Class B Common Stock have the right to vote together on the reservation of our Company shares for stock options and other stock-based plans, on the ratification of the selection of a registered public accounting firm and, in certain circumstances, on acquisitions of the stock or assets of other companies. Otherwise, except as provided by the laws of the State of New York, all voting power is vested solely and exclusively in the holders of the Class B Common Stock.

The Adolph Ochs family trust holds approximately 90% of the Class B Common Stock and, as a result, has the ability to elect 70% of the Board of Directors and to direct the outcome of any matter that does not require a vote of the Class A Common Stock.

We can repurchase Class A Common Stock under our stock repurchase program from time to time either in the open market or through private transactions. These repurchases may be suspended from time to time or discontinued. In 2011 and 2010, we did not repurchase any shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to our stock repurchase program.

We may issue preferred stock in one or more series. The Board of Directors is authorized to set the distinguishing characteristics of each series of preferred stock prior to issuance, including the granting of limited or full voting rights; however, the consideration received must be at least $100 per share. No shares of preferred stock were issued or outstanding as of December 25, 2011.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 105

19. Segment Information

Our Company’s reportable segments consist of the News Media Group and the About Group. These segments are evaluated regularly by key management in assessing performance and allocating resources.

Revenues, operating profit and identifiable assets of foreign operations are not significant. The About Group generated more than 50% of its revenue in 2011 through cost-per-click advertising, which is principally derived from an arrangement with Google.

Below is a description of our Company’s reportable segments:

News Media Group

The News Media Group consists of The New York Times Media Group, which includes The Times, the IHT, NYTimes.com, and related businesses; the New England Media Group, which includes the Globe, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Telegram.com and related businesses; and the Regional Media Group, which includes 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. See Note 21 for information on the sale of the Regional Media Group in the first quarter of 2012.

About Group

The About Group consists of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, CalorieCount.com and related businesses. In February 2011, we sold UCompareHealthCare.com.

Our Statements of Operations by segment and Corporate were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Revenues
News Media Group	$	2,212,575		$	2,257,386		$	2,319,378
About Group	110,826			136,077			121,061
Total	$	2,323,401		$	2,393,463		$	2,440,439
Operating profit/(loss)
News Media Group	$	60,853		$	219,242		$	21,163
About Group	40,674			61,952			50,881
Corporate	(44,820		)	(47,074		)	2,015
Total	$	56,707		$	234,120		$	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128			—
Income from joint ventures	28			19,035			20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062			81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221			3,775
Income tax expense	36,506			68,516			2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705			1,569
Discontinued operations:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			—			(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	—			13			19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332
Net (loss)/income	(40,224		)	108,718			19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555			(1,014		)	(10		)
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891

P. 106 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

The News Media Group’s operating profit included:

• 2011 – a $164.4 million charge for the impairment of assets, primarily related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and a $4.2 million charge for a pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe,

• 2010 – a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe’s printing facility in Billerica, Mass., which was consolidated into the Boston, Mass., printing facility and a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe,

• 2009 – a $78.9 million charge primarily for a pension withdrawal obligation under certain multiemployer pension plans, a $34.6 million charge for loss on leases and the early termination of a third-party printing contract, a $5.2 million gain on sale of assets, a $4.2 million charge for the impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project, and a $2.7 million curtailment loss.

Corporate’s operating loss included:

• 2011 – a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer,

• 2009 – a pension curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

See Notes 5, 9 and 11 for additional information regarding these items.

Advertising, circulation and other revenues, by division of the News Media Group, were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
The New York Times Media Group
Advertising	$	756,148	$	780,424	$	797,298
Circulation	705,163		683,717		683,445
Other	93,263		92,697		101,118
Total	$	1,554,574	$	1,556,838	$	1,581,861
New England Media Group
Advertising	$	198,383	$	213,720	$	230,886
Circulation	157,819		167,360		167,998
Other	41,854		42,809		41,710
Total	$	398,056	$	423,889	$	440,594
Regional Media Group
Advertising	$	161,831	$	177,056	$	192,924
Circulation	78,486		80,416		85,043
Other	19,628		19,187		18,956
Total	$	259,945	$	276,659	$	296,923
Total News Media Group
Advertising	$	1,116,362	$	1,171,200	$	1,221,108
Circulation	941,468		931,493		936,486
Other	154,745		154,693		161,784
Total	$	2,212,575	$	2,257,386	$	2,319,378

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 107

Our Company’s segment depreciation and amortization, capital expenditures and assets and Corporate’s capital expenditures and assets reconciled to consolidated amounts were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Depreciation and Amortization
News Media Group	$	105,934	$	109,341	$	122,609
About Group	10,520		11,609		11,087
Total	$	116,454	$	120,950	$	133,696
Capital Expenditures
News Media Group	$	34,576	$	26,417	$	38,136
About Group	4,809		4,856		4,339
Corporate	5,142		3,423		2,965
Total	$	44,527	$	34,696	$	45,440
Assets
News Media Group	$	1,619,950	$	1,869,798	$	1,993,482
About Group	417,321		429,509		437,597
Corporate	764,160		851,793		526,066
Investments in joint ventures	82,019		134,641		131,357
WQXR-FM – Discontinued Operations	—		—		55
Total	$	2,883,450	$	3,285,741	$	3,088,557

20. Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

Operating Leases

Operating lease commitments are primarily for office space and equipment. Certain office space leases provide for rent adjustments relating to changes in real estate taxes and other operating costs.

Rental expense amounted to approximately $21 million in 2011, $25 million in 2010 and $26 million in 2009. The approximate minimum rental commitments under noncancelable leases, net of subleases, as of December 25, 2011 were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	16,096
2013	11,727
2014	10,163
2015	8,639
2016	5,245
Later years	13,888
Total minimum lease payments	65,758
Less: noncancelable subleases	(16,072		)
Total minimum lease payments, net of noncancelable subleases	$	49,686

P. 108 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Capital Leases

Future minimum lease payments for all capital leases, and the present value of the minimum lease payments as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	573
2013	552
2014	552
2015	552
2016	552
Later years	8,349
Total minimum lease payments	11,130
Less: imputed interest	(4,429		)
Present value of net minimum lease payments including current maturities	$	6,701

Restricted Cash

We were required to maintain $27.6 million of restricted cash as of December 25, 2011, subject to certain collateral requirements primarily for obligations under our workers’ compensation programs. These collateral requirements were previously supported by letters of credit under our revolving credit facility that was replaced in June 2011.

Other

There are various legal actions that have arisen in the ordinary course of business and are now pending against us. These actions are generally for amounts greatly in excess of the payments, if any, that may be required to be made. It is the opinion of management after reviewing these actions with our legal counsel that the ultimate liability that might result from these actions would not have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

21. Subsequent Events

Fenway Sports Group

On February 3, 2012, we sold 100 of our units in Fenway Sports Group for an aggregate price of $30.0 million. We will record a pre-tax gain of approximately $18 million in the first quarter of 2012. Following the sale, we own 210 units, or 4.97%, of Fenway Sports Group. We continue to market our remaining units in Fenway Sports Group for sale, in whole or in parts.

Effective with the sale, given our reduced ownership level and lack of influence on the operations of Fenway Sports Group, we will change the accounting for our investment from the equity method to the cost method. Therefore, we will no longer recognize our proportionate share of the operating results of Fenway Sports Group in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and our investment will be reclassified from “Investments in joint ventures” into “Miscellaneous assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Regional Media Group

On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group, consisting of 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses, to Halifax Media Holdings LLC for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. We will record an after-tax gain estimated to be approximately $30 million on the sale in the first quarter of 2012. We estimate the net after-tax proceeds from the sale, including a tax benefit, will be approximately $150 million, which we plan to use for general corporate purposes.

The requirements to report the net assets of the Regional Media Group as held for sale and its operating results as a discontinued operation were not met as of December 25, 2011. Therefore, the operating results of the Regional Media Group are reported within continuing operations for the 3-year period ending December 25, 2011.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 109

The results of operations for the Regional Media Group and the estimated carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the sale are summarized in the following charts.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	259,945		$	276,659	$	296,923
Production costs and selling, general and administrative costs	223,367			236,699		257,710
Depreciation and amortization	11,665			12,655		14,893
Total operating costs	235,032			249,354		272,603
Impairment of assets	152,093			—		—
Gain on sale of assets	—			—		5,198
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(127,180		)	27,305		29,518
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(10,879		)	10,783		13,122
Net (loss)/income	$	(116,301	)	$	16,522	$	16,396

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Accounts receivable, net	$	26,550	$	27,417
Property, plant and equipment, net	146,287		157,603
Goodwill	—		152,093
Other assets	5,344		7,299
Total assets	178,181		344,412
Total liabilities	19,568		22,016
Net assets	$	158,613	$	322,396

P. 110 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

QUARTERLY INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

	2011 Quarters
	March 27, 2011			June 26, 2011			September 25, 2011			December 25, 2011		Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	566,504		$	576,702		$	537,235		$	642,960	$	2,323,401
Operating costs	535,430			525,233			504,190			528,679		2,093,532
Impairment of assets(1)	—			161,318			—			3,116		164,434
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			4,228			—			—		4,228
Other expense(3)	—			—			—			4,500		4,500
Operating profit/(loss)	31,074			(114,077		)	33,045			106,665		56,707
Gain on sale of investments(4)	5,898			—			65,273			—		71,171
(Loss)/income from joint ventures	(5,749		)	2,791			(1,068		)	4,054		28
Premium on debt redemption(5)	—			—			46,381			—		46,381
Interest expense, net	24,591			25,152			20,039			15,461		85,243
Income/(loss) before income taxes	6,632			(136,438		)	30,830			95,258		(3,718		)
Income tax expense/(benefit)	1,406			(16,615		)	15,362			36,353		36,506
Net income/(loss)	5,226			(119,823		)	15,468			58,905		(40,224		)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	193			105			217			40		555
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	5,419		$	(119,718	)	$	15,685		$	58,945	$	(39,669	)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	146,777			147,176			147,355			147,451		147,190
Diluted	153,760			147,176			151,293			149,887		147,190
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Basic	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.11		$	0.40	$	(0.27	)
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Diluted	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.10		$	0.39	$	(0.27	)

(1) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $161.3 million charge for the impairment of assets at the News Media Group, consisting of $152.1 million related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and $9.2 million related to certain assets held for sale primarily of Baseline. In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $3.1 million charge for the impairment of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc., which is part of the About Group.

(2) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.2 million estimated charge for our pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe.

(3) In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer.

(4) In the first quarter of 2011, we recorded a $5.9 million gain from the sale of a portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator. In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $65.3 million gain from the sale of 390 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(5) In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $46.4 million charge in connection with the prepayment of our $250.0 million14.053% Notes.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 111

As described in Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, WQXR-FM’s results of operations have been presented as discontinued operations.

	2010 Quarters
	March 28, 2010			June 27, 2010		September 26, 2010			December 26, 2010			Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	587,867		$	589,587	$	554,333		$	661,676		$	2,393,463
Operating costs	535,209			528,762		522,924			550,032			2,136,927
Impairment of assets(1)	—			—		16,148			—			16,148
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			—		6,268			—			6,268
Operating profit	52,658			60,825		8,993			111,644			234,120
Gain on sale of investment(3)	—			9,128		—			—			9,128
Income/(loss) from joint ventures(4)	9,111			7,678		5,482			(3,236		)	19,035
Interest expense, net	20,584			20,614		20,627			23,237			85,062
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	41,185			57,017		(6,152		)	85,171			177,221
Income tax expense/(benefit)(5)	27,027			25,435		(2,018		)	18,072			68,516
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	14,158			31,582		(4,134		)	67,099			108,705
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	14,158			31,819		(4,358		)	67,099			108,718
Net (income)/loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(1,365		)	214		97			40			(1,014		)
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	12,793		$	31,796	$	(4,037	)	$	67,139		$	107,691
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	145,195			145,601		145,803			145,947			145,636
Diluted	153,924			152,962		145,803			151,048			152,600
Basic earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71

(1) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe's printing facility in Billerica, Mass.

(2) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe.

(3) In the second quarter of 2010, we recorded a $9.1 million gain from the sale of 50 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(4) In the first quarter of 2010, we recorded a $12.7 million gain from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills in which we have an investment. Our share of the gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million.

(5) In the first and fourth quarters of 2010, we recorded $10.9 million and $0.5 million, respectively, related to tax charges for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health care reform legislation enacted in 2010.

P. 112 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the quarters do not necessarily equal the respective year-end amounts for earnings or loss per share due to the weighted-average number of shares outstanding used in the computations for the respective periods. Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the respective quarters and years have been computed using the average number of common shares outstanding.

Our largest source of revenue is advertising. Our business has historically experienced higher advertising volume in the fourth quarter than the remaining quarters because of holiday advertising.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 113

SCHEDULE II – VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

For the Three Years Ended December 25, 2011

(In thousands) Description	Balance at beginning of period		Additions charged to operating costs and other		Deductions(1)		Balance at end of period
Accounts receivable allowances:
Year ended December 25, 2011	$	30,209	$	10,531	$	22,103	$	18,637
Year ended December 26, 2010	$	36,485	$	20,326	$	26,602	$	30,209
Year ended December 27, 2009	$	33,838	$	59,367	$	56,720	$	36,485
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets:
Year ended December 25, 2011	$	—	$	39,824	$	—	$	39,824
Year ended December 26, 2010	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Year ended December 25, 2009	$	1,156	$	—	$	1,156	$	—

(1) Includes write-offs, net of recoveries.

P. 114 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as of December 25, 2011. Based upon such evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting and the attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm on our internal control over financial reporting are set forth in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated by reference herein.

CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 25, 2011, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

Not applicable.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 115

PART III   

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

In addition to the information set forth under the caption “Executive Officers of the Registrant” in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the sections titled “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance,” “Proposal Number 1 – Election of Directors,” “Interests of Related Persons in Certain Transactions of the Company,” “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance,” beginning with the section titled “Independent Directors,” but only up to and including the section titled “Audit Committee Financial Experts,” and “Board Committees” of our Proxy Statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

The Board has adopted a code of ethics that applies not only to the chief executive officer and senior financial officers, as required by the SEC, but also to our Chairman and Vice Chairman. The current version of such code of ethics can be found on the Corporate Governance section of our Web site, http://www.nytco.com.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the sections titled “Compensation Committee,” “Directors’ Compensation,” “Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance” and “Compensation of Executive Officers” of our Proxy Statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the sections titled “Principal Holders of Common Stock,” “Security Ownership of Management and Directors” and “The 1997 Trust” of our Proxy Statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the sections titled “Interests of Related Persons in Certain Transactions of the Company,” “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance – Independent Directors,” “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance – Board Committees” and “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance – Policy on Transactions with Related Persons” of our Proxy Statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES   

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the section titled “Proposal Number 3 – Selection of Auditors,” beginning with the section titled “Audit Committee’s Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures,” but only up to and not including the section titled “Recommendation and Vote Required” of our Proxy Statement for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

P. 116 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

PART IV        

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(A) DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THIS REPORT

(1) Financial Statements

As listed in the index to financial information in “Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

(2) Supplemental Schedules

The following additional consolidated financial information is filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in “Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” Schedules not included with this additional consolidated financial information have been omitted either because they are not applicable or because the required information is shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

	Page
Consolidated Schedule for the Three Years Ended December 25, 2011
II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	114

Separate financial statements and supplemental schedules of associated companies accounted for by the equity method are omitted in accordance with the provisions of Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X.

(3) Exhibits

An exhibit index has been filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 117

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 23, 2012

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY (Registrant)
BY:	/s/ KENNETH A. RICHIERI
	Kenneth A. Richieri
	Senior Vice President and General Counsel

We, the undersigned directors and officers of The New York Times Company, hereby severally constitute Kenneth A. Richieri and James M. Follo, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them and each of them to sign for us, in our names in the capacities indicated below, any and all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.	Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	February 23, 2012
/s/ Michael Golden	Vice Chairman and Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ James M. Follo	Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)	February 23, 2012
/s/ R. Anthony Benten	Senior Vice President, Finance and Corporate Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)	February 23, 2012
/s/ Raul E. Cesan	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Robert E. Denham	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Lynn G. Dolnick	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Carolyn D. Greenspon	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ James A. Kohlberg	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ David E. Liddle	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Ellen R. Marram	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Thomas Middelhoff	Director	February 23, 2012
/s/ Doreen A. Toben	Director	February 23, 2012

P. 118 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

 INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit numbers 10.17 through 10.34 are management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements.

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
(2.1)	Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 27, 2011, by and among NYT Holdings, Inc., The Houma Courier Newspaper Corporation, Lakeland Ledger Publishing Corporation, The Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Inc., Hendersonville Newspaper Corporation, The Dispatch Publishing Company, Inc., NYT Management Services, Inc., The New York Times Company and Halifax Media Holdings LLC (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated December 27, 2011, and incorporated by reference herein).
(3.1)	Certificate of Incorporation as amended and restated to reflect amendments effective July 1, 2007 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated August 9, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein).
(3.2)	By-laws as amended through November 19, 2009 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 20, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4)	The Company agrees to furnish to the Commission upon request a copy of any instrument with respect to long-term debt of the Company and any subsidiary for which consolidated or unconsolidated financial statements are required to be filed, and for which the amount of securities authorized thereunder does not exceed 10% of the total assets of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
(4.1)	Indenture, dated March 29, 1995, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to Chemical Bank), as trustee (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 File No. 33-57403, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.2)	First Supplemental Indenture, dated August 21, 1998, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to The Chase Manhattan Bank (formerly known as Chemical Bank)), as trustee (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 File No. 333-62023, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.3)	Second Supplemental Indenture, dated July 26, 2002, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank)), as trustee (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 File No. 333-97199, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.4)	Securities Purchase Agreement, dated January 19, 2009, among the Company, Inmobiliaria Carso, S.A. de C.V. and Banco Inbursa S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Inbursa (including forms of notes, warrants and registration rights agreement) (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated January 21, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.5)	Form of Preemptive Rights Certificate (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated January 21, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.6)	Form of Preemptive Rights Warrant Agreement between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated January 21, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.7)	Indenture, dated as of November 4, 2010, by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 4, 2010, and incorporated by reference herein).
(4.8)	Form of 6.625% Senior Notes due 2016 (included as an Exhibit to Exhibit 4.7 above).
(4.9)	Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2010, by and between the Company and Barclays Capital Inc. (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 4, 2010, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.1)	Agreement of Lease, dated as of December 15, 1993, between The City of New York, as landlord, and the Company, as tenant (as successor to New York City Economic Development Corporation (the “EDC”), pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption of Lease With Consent, made as of December 15, 1993, between the EDC, as Assignor, to the Company, as Assignee) (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K dated March 21, 1994, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.2)	Funding Agreement #4, dated as of December 15, 1993, between the EDC and the Company (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K dated March 21, 1994, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.3)	New York City Public Utility Service Power Service Agreement, dated as of May 3, 1993, between The City of New York, acting by and through its Public Utility Service, and The New York Times Newspaper Division of the Company (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K dated March 21, 1994, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.4)	Letter Agreement, dated as of April 8, 2004, amending Agreement of Lease, between the 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and The New York Times Building LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 3, 2006, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.5)	Agreement of Sublease, dated as of December 12, 2001, between The New York Times Building LLC, as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 3, 2006, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.6)	First Amendment to Agreement of Sublease, dated as of August 15, 2006, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 3, 2006, and incorporated by reference herein).

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 119

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
(10.7)	Second Amendment to Agreement of Sublease, dated as of January 29, 2007, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated February 1, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.8)	Third Amendment to Agreement of Sublease (NYT), dated as of March 6, 2009, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.9)	Fourth Amendment to Agreement of Sublease (NYT), dated as of March 6, 2009, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and 620 Eighth NYT (NY) Limited Partnership, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.10)	Fifth Amendment to Agreement of Sublease (NYT), dated as of August 31, 2009, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and 620 Eighth NYT (NY) Limited Partnership, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 4, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.11)	Agreement of Sublease (NYT-2), dated as of March 6, 2009, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.12)	First Amendment to Agreement of Sublease (NYT-2), dated as of March 6, 2009, between 42nd St. Development Project, Inc., as landlord, and NYT Building Leasing Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.13)	Agreement of Purchase and Sale, dated as of March 6, 2009, between NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as seller, and 620 Eighth NYT (NY) Limited Partnership, as buyer (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.14)	Lease Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2009, between 620 Eighth NYT (NY) Limited Partnership, as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 9, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.15)	First Amendment to Lease Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2009, 620 Eighth NYT (NY) Limited Partnership, as landlord, and NYT Real Estate Company LLC, as tenant (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 4, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.16)	Credit Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2011, among the Company and certain of its domestic subsidiaries as borrowers, the financial institutions party thereto as lenders, SunTrust Bank, as issuing bank and administrative agent, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Wells Fargo Capital Finance, LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book runners, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Wells Fargo Capital Finance, LLC, as co-collateral agents, and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as syndication agent (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated June 9, 2011, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.17)	The Company’s 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan (filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated April 28, 2010, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.18)	The Company’s 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan, as amended and restated through October 11, 2007 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated October 12, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.19)	The Company’s 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan, as amended and restated through October 11, 2007 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated October 12, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.20)	The Company’s Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, amended and restated effective December 31, 2009 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 12, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.21)	Amendment to the Company’s Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, amended effective April 27, 2010 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated August 5, 2010, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.22)	The Company’s Deferred Executive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2012.
(10.23)	The Company’s Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Option Plan, as amended through September 21, 2000 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 8, 2000, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.24)	The Company’s 2004 Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Incentive Plan, effective April 13, 2004 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated May 5, 2004, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.25)	The Company’s Non-Employee Directors Deferral Plan, as amended through October 11, 2007 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated October 12, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.26)	The Company’s Savings Restoration Plan, effective as of January 1, 2010 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 12, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.27)	Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Savings Restoration Plan, amended effective March 28, 2011 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company's Form 10-Q dated May 5, 2011, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.28)	The Company’s Supplemental Executive Savings Plan, effective as of January 1, 2010 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 12, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).

P. 120 – THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
(10.29)	Amendment to the Company’s Supplemental Executive Savings Plan, amended effective April 27, 2010 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated August 5, 2010, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.30)	Amendment No. 2 to the Company’s Supplemental Executive Savings Plan, amended effective March 28, 2011 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company's Form 10-Q dated May 5, 2011, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.31)	The New York Times Companies Supplemental Retirement and Investment Plan, amended and restated effective January 1, 2011 (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated November 3, 2011, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.32)	Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2009, between the Company and Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated September 18, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.33)	Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2009, between the Company and Janet L. Robinson (filed as an Exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated September 18, 2009, and incorporated by reference herein).
(10.34)	Retirement and Consulting Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2011, between the Company and Janet L. Robinson.
(12)	Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
(21)	Subsidiaries of the Company.
(23.1)	Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
(24)	Power of Attorney (included as part of signature page).
(31.1)	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification.
(31.2)	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification.
(32.1)	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
(32.2)	Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
(101.INS)*	XBRL Instance Document.
(101.SCH)*	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema.
(101.CAL)*	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase.
(101.DEF)*	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase.
(101.LAB)*	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase.
(101.PRE)*	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase.

* Pursuant to Rule 406 T of Regulation S-T, these interactive data files are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and otherwise are not subject to liability under those sections.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – P. 121

EX-10.22

EXHIBIT 10.22

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY

DEFERRED EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

Effective July 1, 1994

Amended January 1, 1999

Amended December 8, 1999

Amended Effective January 1, 2001

Amended Effective July 1, 2002

Amended Effective January 1, 2005

Amended Effective January 1, 2008

Amended and restated Effective January 1, 2012

ARTICLE I

Introduction

1.1Purpose Of Plan

The Employer has adopted the Plan set forth herein to provide a means by which certain employees may elect to defer receipt of designated percentages or amounts of their Compensation.

1.2Status Of Plan

The Plan is intended to be "a plan which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees" within the meaning of Sections 201(2) and 301(a)(3) of ERISA, and shall be interpreted and administered to the extent possible in a manner consistent with that intent. Effective for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, the Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted and administered to the extent possible in a manner consistent with that intent.

1.3History Of Plan

The Plan was first effective on July 1, 1994.

Thereafter, the Plan was amended effective January 1, 1999, to change the deferral periods under the Plan and the method of distribution thereunder.

Effective December 8, 1999, the Plan was amended to change the eligibility for participation in the Plan and the definition of Compensation thereunder for years following 1999. Effective December 8, 1999, The New York Times Designated Employees Deferred Earnings Plan was merged into the Plan, as amended.

Effective January 1, 2001, the Plan was amended to provide that only 85% of a Participant's bonus may be deferred thereunder.

Effective January 1, 2001, the Plan was amended to further change the deferral periods and methods of benefit distribution thereunder.

Effective January 1, 2001, the Affiliated Publications, Inc. Deferment Plan for Key Executives (the “BG Plan”) was merged into the Plan and each participant account in the BG Plan was transferred into this Plan.

Effective July 1, 2002, the Plan was amended to further change the methods of benefit distribution thereunder.

2

Effective January 1, 2005, the Plan was amended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

Effective January 1, 2008, the Plan was amended to further comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

Effective January 1, 2010, the Plan was amended to change the definition of Eligible Employee to employees who are listed in Band Level 1 or 2, or a comparable level, for the prior calendar year.

Effective April 27, 2010, the Plan was amended to reflect the Company's adoption of The New York Times Company 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan.

Effective November 30, 2010, the Plan was amended to address elections to extend the deferral period for Elective Deferrals.

Effective January 1, 2012, the Plan was restated to incorporate all prior amendments and to clarify that the Pension Investment Committee shall select the hypothetical investment options under the Plan.

3

ARTICLE II

Definitions

Wherever used herein, the following terms have the meanings set forth below, unless a different meaning is clearly required by the context:

2.1 Account means, for each Participant, the account established for his or her benefit under Section 5.1. Such Account shall include both salary and bonus deferrals. Effective January 1, 2001, an Account shall include the amounts, if any, transferred from the BG Plan to this Plan.

2.2 Change Of Control means the occurrence of any of the events described in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) below involving the Company:

(a) Change in ownership of the Company. A change in the ownership of the Company shall be deemed to occur on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (as described in paragraph (d) below), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company (“Company Stock”) that, together with stock already held by such person or group, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value of the outstanding Company Stock or that has the ability to elect more than 50% of the Company's board of directors; except, however, that if any one person or group already holds Company stock that constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value of the outstanding Company Stock or that has the ability to elect more than 50% of the Company's board of directors, the acquisition of additional Company Stock by such person or group shall not be deemed to cause a change in ownership of the Company (or a change in effective control of the Company, within the meaning of paragraph (b) below). For purposes of this paragraph (a), an increase in the percentage of Company Stock owned by any one person or group resulting from a transaction in which the Company acquires its Company Stock in exchange for property shall be deemed to be an acquisition of additional Company Stock.

(b) Change in effective control of the Company. A change in the effective control of the Company shall be deemed to occur on the date that a majority of the members of the Company's board of directors is replaced during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the member's of the Company's board of directors prior to the date of the appointment or election.

(c) Change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company. A change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries (“Company Assets”) shall be deemed to occur on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (as described in paragraph (d) below), acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or group) Company Assets that have a total gross fair market value equal to or exceeding 40% of the total gross fair market

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value of all of the Company Assets immediately preceding such acquisition or acquisitions, where the total fair market value of the Company Assets and the assets being disposed of are determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets; except, however, that, for purposes of the Plan, a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the Company Assets shall not be deemed to have occurred in connection with the transfer of the Company Assets to any following entities:

(i) An entity that was a shareholder of the Company immediately prior to the transfer provided that such transfer is in exchange for, or with respect to, the entity's Company Stock;

(ii) An entity whose total value or voting power immediately after the transfer is at least 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company;

(iii) A person or group that, immediately after the transfer, directly or indirectly owns at least 50% of the total value or voting power of the outstanding Company Stock; or

(iv) An entity whose total value or voting power immediately after the transfer is at least 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by a person described in paragraph (c)(iii) above.

(d) Persons acting as a group. For purposes of this Section 2.2, persons will not be considered to be acting as a group solely because they purchase or own Company Stock or Company Assets at the same time, or as the result of the same public offering. Persons will be considered acting as a group, however, if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of Company Stock or Company Assets, or a similar business transaction with the Company.

(e) Attribution of stock ownership. In determining Company Stock ownership for purposes of this Section 2.2, the attribution rules of Code section 318(a) shall apply. Company Stock underlying a vested stock option shall be deemed to be owned by the individual who holds the vested option; except, however, that a vested option exercisable for Company Stock that is not substantially vested shall not be deemed to be owned by the individual who holds such vested option. Company Stock underlying an unvested option shall not be deemed to be owned by the individual who holds the unvested option.

For purposes of clarification, a Change Of Control shall be deemed to occur only if such transactions or events would give rise to a “change in ownership,” a “change in effective control” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

2.3 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. Reference to any section or subsection of the Code includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation which amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

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2.4 Company means The New York Times Company.

2.5 Compensation means the annual bonus, amounts paid under The Advertising and Circulation Sales Incentive Plan, the Long-Term Performance Awards under The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan, the 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan and the 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan, any Discretionary Bonuses and the base salary (including bonuses in lieu of salary increases) of a Participant. The ERISA Management Committee, in its sole discretion, shall designate from time to time the maximum percentage of each component of Compensation that can be deferred under the Plan. Such designation shall be listed in Appendix A. For purposes of the Plan, Compensation shall be determined before giving effect to Elective Deferrals and other salary reduction amounts which are not included in the Participant's gross income under Code Sections 125, 401(k), 402(h) or 403(b).

2.6 Discretionary Bonus means a bonus that brings a Participant's Compensation over the deductible amount stated in Section 162 (m) of the Code.

2.7 Effective Date means July 1, 1994.

2.8 Election Form means the participation election form as approved and prescribed by the Plan Administrator.

2.9 Elective Deferral means the portion of Compensation that is deferred by a Participant under Article IV.

2.10 Eligible Employee means, each employee of the Employer whose annual base salary on October 1 of the year prior to the year for which such employee defers any Compensation under the Plan is determined by reference to salary Band Level 1 or salary Band Level 2, or a comparable level (as formulated by the Company), who is not covered under a collective bargaining agreement, who is not eligible to participate in any other non-qualified deferred compensation plan sponsored by the Employer and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates while deferring Compensation under this Plan, and who consents to the purchase of Corporate Owned Life Insurance by the Employer. An Employee who participated in this Plan prior to January 1, 2010, and who no longer meets the definition of Eligible Employee, shall continue to be a Participant with respect to existing deferrals, but shall not be permitted to defer any additional Compensation unless he or she again qualifies as an Eligible Employee.

2.11 Employer means The New York Times Company, any successor to all or a major portion of the Employer's assets or business which assumes the obligations of the Employer, and each other entity that is affiliated with the Employer whose employees, with the consent of the Company, are eligible, as provided under Section 2.8, to participate in the Plan.

2.12 ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. Reference to any section or subsection of ERISA includes reference to any

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comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

2.13 ERISA Management Committee means a committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.14 Insolvency means either (i) the Company is unable to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) the Company is subject to a pending proceeding as a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

2.15 Participant means any Eligible Employee who participates in the Plan in accordance with Article III. Effective January 1, 2001, a Participant also means a former participant of the Affiliated Publications, Inc. Deferment Plan for Key Executives whose account under that plan has been transferred into this Plan.

2.16 Pension Investment Committee means a committee appointed by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.17 Plan means The New York Times Company Deferred Executive Compensation Plan and all amendments thereto.

2.18 Plan Administrator means the person, persons or entity designated by the Employer under Article VIII to oversee the administration of the Plan. If no such person or entity is so serving at any time, the Employer shall be the Plan Administrator.

2.19 Plan Year means the 12-month period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31 of each year, except for the first plan year which begins on July 1, 1994, and ends on December 31, 1994.

2.20 Recordkeeper means the person(s) or entity appointed or hired by the ERISA Management Committee under Section 8.1.

2.21 Total and Permanent Disability means the inability of a Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, and the permanence and degree of which shall be supported by medical evidence satisfactory to the Plan Administrator.

2.22 Trust means the trust established by the Employer that identifies the Plan as a plan with respect to which assets are to be held by the Trustee. Plan assets in the trust are subject to the general creditors of the Company in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency.

2.23 Trustee means the trustee or trustees under the Trust.

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2.24 Valuation Option means the performance of the investment funds selected by the Pension Investment Committee as hypothetical options under the Plan.

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ARTICLE III

Participation

3.1 CommencementOf Participation

Any Eligible Employee who elects to defer part of his or her Compensation in accordance with Article IV shall become a Participant in the Plan as of the date such deferrals commence in accordance with such Article.

3.2 Continued Participation

A Participant in the Plan shall continue to be a Participant so long as any amount remains credited to his or her Account. However, future deferrals under the Plan may be made only if such Participant continues to be an Eligible Employee under the Plan.

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ARTICLE IV

Elective Deferrals

4.1 Elective Deferrals

Except as provided in Appendix A, an individual who is an Eligible Employee on the Effective Date may, by completing an Election Form and filing it with the Plan Administrator or his designee by the end of the first month following the Effective Date, elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation for a period of at least three Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit. Thereafter, any Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a percentage or dollar amount of one or more payments of Compensation for a period of a least three Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit, commencing with Compensation paid in the next succeeding Plan Year, by completing an Election Form during the annual enrollment period for the Plan as determined by the Plan Administrator.

Except as provided in Appendix A, effective January 1, 1999, with respect to Elective Deferrals made for the Plan Years 1999 and 2000, deferrals will mature at the end of a three-year cycle. An individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the first year of the deferral cycle for a period of three Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit; an individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the second year of the deferral cycle for a period of two Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit; and an individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the last year of a deferral cycle for a period of one Plan Year and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit. All deferrals made during a three-year cycle will mature at the end of the third Plan Year in that cycle. A new three-year cycle will commence after the expiration of each three-year cycle.

Except as provided in Appendix A, effective January 1, 2001, with respect to Elective Deferrals made for the Plan Years 2001 through 2004, deferrals will mature in a four-year cycle. An individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the first year of the deferral cycle for a period of four Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit; an individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the second year of the deferral cycle for a period of three Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit; and an individual who is an Eligible Employee may elect to defer the receipt of a portion of one or more payments of Compensation during the third year of a deferral cycle for a period of two Plan Years and on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit. All deferrals made during a four-year cycle

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will mature at the end of the second Plan Year that is after the end of the last deferral in that cycle.

Except as provided in Appendix A, effective January 1, 2005, with respect to Elective Deferrals for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, an Eligible Employee may elect to defer, on such terms as the ERISA Management Committee may permit, the receipt of a percentage of Compensation earned during the next succeeding Plan Year for a minimum deferral period of a two Plan Years and a maximum deferral period of 15 Plan Years after the Plan Year in which the Compensation was earned, by completing an Election Form during the annual enrollment period for such Plan Year, as determined by the Plan Administrator. Except as provided in the next sentence, the annual enrollment period for a Plan Year must end no later than December 31 of the prior Plan Year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the annual enrollment period for Plan Year 2005 may end no later than March 15, 2005, (ii) the annual enrollment period for an individual who first becomes an Eligible Employee during a Plan Year may end no later than 30 days after the date the individual became an Eligible Employee, and (iii) the annual enrollment period for deferrals of Long-Term Performance Awards under The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan, the 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan and the 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan may end no later than six months prior to the end of the applicable performance cycle; provided, however, that in the case of (i) and (ii) above, any Elective Deferral made after the start of a Plan Year may pertain only to Compensation that has not already been paid or become payable as of the date the deferral election is made, as determined in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and in the case of (iii) above, as of the date the deferral election is made the Long Term Performance Award being deferred is not substantially certain to be paid and the amount of the Award is not readily ascertainable.

It is expressly understood that accounts transferred from the BG Plan into this Plan shall be treated as if deferred during 2001 and the deferral period for such accounts shall expire at the same time all other deferrals made during 2001 expire.

No Participant may defer more than the portion of his or her Compensation designated by the ERISA Management Committee in Appendix A. A Participant's Compensation shall be reduced in accordance with the Participant's election hereunder and amounts deferred hereunder shall be paid by the Employer to the Trust as soon as administratively feasible and credited to the Participant's Account as of the date the amounts are received by the Trustee.

4.2 Investment Election

An individual who is an Eligible Employee and elects to defer Compensation under this Plan shall elect to have his or her Account valued based on the Valuation Option represented by the performance of one or more of the investment funds selected by the Pension Investment Committee. If a Participant does not elect a Valuation Option for his or her Account, the Account shall be valued based on the Valuation Option represented

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by the performance of the default investment alternative selected by the Pension Investment Committee in its discretion. A Participant may change his or her selection of Valuation Options on any date.

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ARTICLE V

Accounts

5.1 Accounts

The Plan Administrator and/or the Recordkeeper shall establish an Account for each Participant reflecting his or her Elective Deferrals made for the Participant's benefit together with any adjustments for income, gain or loss and any payments from the Account. The Plan Administrator and/or the Recordkeeper shall establish sub-accounts for each Participant that has more than one election in effect under Section 7.1 and such other sub-accounts as are necessary for the proper administration of the Plan. As of the last business day of each calendar quarter, the Plan Administrator shall provide, or cause to be provided, the Participant with a statement of his or her Account reflecting the income, gains and losses (realized and unrealized), amounts of deferrals, fund transfers and distributions of such Account since the prior statement.

Effective January 1, 2001, a Participant's Account shall include the amount transferred from the BG Plan to this Plan.

5.2 Investments

The assets of the Trust shall be invested in such investments as the Trustee shall determine. The Trustee may (but is not required to) consider the Employer's or a Participant's investment preferences when investing the assets attributable to a Participant's Account.

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ARTICLE VI

Vesting

6.1Vesting

A Participant shall be immediately vested in, i.e., shall have a nonforfeitable right to, all Elective Deferrals, and all income and gain attributable thereto, credited to his or her Account.

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ARTICLE VII

Payments

7.1 Election As To Form Of Payment

Except as otherwise provided herein, payments to Participants shall be made in annual installments over a period of 10 years commencing between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of each deferral period. The amount of each installment payment will equal the balance of a Participant's Account immediately prior to the installment payment divided by the number of installment payments remaining to be made. For purposes of clarification, during the applicable annual enrollment period, a Participant may elect to receive his/her Elective Deferrals for such Plan Year in (i) one lump sum payment payable between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year, (ii) in annual installments over a period of five, ten or fifteen years commencing between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year, or (iii) a partial lump sum payable between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year with the balance of such Elective Deferral paid in annual installments over 5, 10 or 15 years commencing between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year.

The above notwithstanding, for Elective Deferrals for Plan Years prior to the 2005 Plan Year, a Participant may elect in writing to receive the value of his or her Account in one lump sum, in annual installments over a period of five years, or in annual installments over a period of fifteen years, so long as such election is made at least 13 months prior to the end of the deferral period. Additionally, effective January 1, 1999, a Participant may elect in writing to receive the value of his or her account in a partial lump sum where the Participant may choose the percent of an expiring deferral to be paid in a lump sum with the balance in annual installments over the remainder of the 5, 10 or 15 year-installment period; provided, however, that such election is made at least 13 months prior to the end of the deferral period.

Effective January 1, 1999, (i) for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Years 1999 through 2004, and (ii) for Elective Deferrals made prior to January 1, 1999 which are subject to a Participant's election after January 1, 1999 to renew the deferral, a Participant's election as to the form of payment as set forth in this Section 7.1 shall apply to the Participant's entire Account. If the Participant begins to receive distributions of his or her Account pursuant to this Section 7.l, a subsequent election to defer additional Compensation shall be subject to a new election under this Section 7.1 and shall not affect the payment stream established by the prior distribution election.

Effective January 1, 2001, (i) for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Years 2001 through 2004, and (ii) for Elective Deferrals made prior to January 1, 2001 which are subject to a Participant's election after January 1, 2001 to renew the deferral, a Participant may elect

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to receive a lump sum payment of a portion of his/her Account and renew the deferral of the rest of such Account. If the Participant begins to receive distributions of his or her Account pursuant to this Section 7.l, a subsequent election to defer additional Compensation shall be subject to a new election under this Section 7.1 and shall not affect the payment stream established by the prior distribution election.

Effective July 1, 2002, (i) for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Years 2002 through 2004, and (ii) for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Years prior to 2002 which are subject to a Participant's election after July 1, 2002 to renew the deferral, a Participant's election as to the form of payment as set forth in this Section 7.1 shall apply to each of the Participant's Elective Deferrals made for a specific Plan Year. Additionally, a Participant may elect to receive a lump sum payment of a portion of his/her Elective Deferral for a specific Plan Year and renew the deferral of the of rest such Elective Deferral. Finally, a Participant may elect to receive a partial lump sum of his/her Elective Deferral for a specific Plan Year with the balance of such Elective Deferral paid in annual installments over 5, 10 or 15 years. Except as provided in the next paragraph, all elections under this Section 7.1 must be made at least 13 months prior to the end of the applicable deferral period.

Effective January 1, 2005, for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, a Participant's election as to form of payment shall be made on a Plan Year to Plan Year basis and must be made during the annual enrollment period for each such Plan Year, as determined by the Plan Administrator in accordance with Section 5.1. During the applicable annual enrollment period, a Participant may to receive his/her Elective Deferrals for such Plan Year in either (i) one lump sum payment payable between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year or (ii) in annual installments over a period of five, ten or fifteen years commencing between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year. If no election as to form of payment is made during the applicable annual enrollment period for a Plan Year, Elective Deferrals for such Plan Year shall be paid in the form of a lump sum payment between January 2 and March 15 immediately following the end of the deferral period for such Plan Year. For Elective Deferrals made for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, a Participant may subsequently elect to change the form of payment from installments to a lump sum or from a lump sum to installments, or increase or decrease the number of installments, subject to the requirements of Section 7.2.

The above notwithstanding, Participants whose accounts in the BG Plan were in pay status and were transferred from the BG Plan into this Plan shall continue to receive the same payments and under the same terms as they had under the BG Plan.

7.2 Extension Of Deferral Periods

A Participant may make an election in writing to extend the deferral period for Elective Deferrals made prior to Plan Year 2005 for three to ten additional Plan Years so long as

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such Participant makes such election at least 13 months prior to the expiration of the deferral period.

Effective January 1, 1999, for Elective Deferrals made prior to Plan Year 2001, elections to extend a deferral period must be made for a three-year cycle. A new three-year cycle will commence at the end of every third Plan Year. An election to extend a deferral period must be made by the Participant in writing at least 13 months prior to the end of a deferral period. If a deferral period will expire during the course of a three-year cycle, the Participant's election is limited to an election to extend the deferral period until the end of such three-year cycle. A Participant may elect to renew deferral periods for additional three-year cycles an unlimited number of times.

Effective January 1, 1999, terminated Participants will not be permitted to renew their deferral elections. Payments to terminated Participants will begin at the expiration of their current deferral period in accordance with the method selected under Section 7.1 (unless the Participant retired under The New York Times Companies Pension Plan, or had attained age 55 and completed at least ten years of service as of his or her date of termination, or has a Total and Permanent Disability, in which case additional elections to defer are permitted).

Effective January 1, 2001, for Elective Deferrals made prior to Plan Year 2005, elections to extend a deferral period must be made for a four year-cycle. A new four-year cycle will commence at the end of every fourth Plan Year. An election to extend a deferral period must be made by the Participant in writing at least 13 months prior to the end of a deferral period. If a deferral period will expire during the course of a four-year cycle, the Participant's election is limited to an election to extend the deferral period until the end of such four-year cycle. A Participant may elect to renew deferral periods for additional four-year cycles an unlimited number of times. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Participant shall not be permitted to extend the deferral period of Elective Deferrals made prior to Plan Year 2005 with a corresponding deferral period ending on December 31, 2011. Payment of such Elective Deferrals otherwise scheduled to be made between January 2, 2012 and March 15, 2012 shall be delayed and made between January 2, 2013 and March 15, 2013. The delay in payment shall not apply to any Participant who does not affirmatively consent to such delay in payment.

Effective January 1, 2005, for Elective Deferrals made for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, elections to extend a deferral period and/or change the form of payment shall be made on a Plan Year to Plan Year basis. An election to extend a deferral period and/or change the form of payment with respect to Elective Deferrals for a Plan Year must (i) be made by the Participant in writing at least 13 months prior to the end of the applicable deferral period for such Plan Year, (ii) shall not take effect until 12 months after the election is made, and (iii) must extend the applicable deferral period for a minimum of five additional years and a maximum of fifteen additional years. Effective November 30, 2010, notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to Elective Deferrals made for Plan Year 2005 and thereafter, elections to extend the deferral period ending December 31,

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2011 and all deferral periods thereafter must (i) be made by the Participant in writing at least 12 months prior to the end of such deferral period, (ii) shall not take effect until 12 months after the election is made, and (iii) must extend the applicable deferral period for a minimum of five additional years and a maximum of fifteen additional years. Elections to change the form of payment cannot be made without also extending the deferral period, as provided in the preceding sentence. For purposes of clarification, Participants who retire under The New York Times Companies Pension Plan, or attain age 55 and complete at least ten years of service as of their date of termination, or have a Total and Permanent Disability shall be permitted to renew their deferral elections. All other terminated Participants shall not be permitted to renew their deferral elections.

7.3 Change Of Control

As soon as administratively feasible following a Change Of Control of the Employer, each Participant shall be paid his or her entire Account balance in a single lump sum.

7.4 Termination Of Employment

Upon termination of a Participant's employment for any reason other than death, the Participant's Account shall be paid to the Participant in the form of payment in effect at the time the termination of employment occurs and after the expiration of the deferral period. The above notwithstanding, with respect to Elective Deferrals for Plan Years prior to Plan Year 2005 only, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may: (a) pay out a Participant's Account balance attributable to such pre-2005 Elective Deferrals in one lump sum at any time prior to the expiration of each deferral period and (b) accelerate the beginning of payments of any pre-2005 Elective Deferrals to any time prior to the expiration of the applicable deferral period.

7.5 Death

If a Participant dies prior to the complete distribution of his or her Account, the balance of the Account shall be paid to the Participant's designated beneficiary or beneficiaries within 90 days after the date of the Participant's death (with the actual payment date within such 90-day period to be determined at the discretion of the Plan Administrator), in the form set out in the Participant's distribution elections that were in effect at the time of his or her death, provided, however, that, with respect to the portion of the Account attributable to Elective Deferrals for Plan Years prior to Plan Year 2005 only, the ERISA Management Committee and/or the Plan Administrator may, in their sole discretion, pay out the balance of such Participant's Account in one lump sum.

Any designation of beneficiary shall be made by the Participant on a Beneficiary Designation Form filed with the Plan Administrator and may be changed by the Participant at any time by filing another Beneficiary Designation Form containing the revised instructions. If no beneficiary is designated or no designated beneficiary survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the Participant's surviving spouse or, if none, to

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his/her issue per stirpes, in a single payment. If no spouse or issue survives the Participant, payment shall be made in a single lump sum to the Participant's estate. The most recent Beneficiary Designation Form executed by the Participant prior to his/her death shall apply to all Election Deferrals credited to the Participant's Account at the date of his/her death.

7.6 Taxes

All federal, state or local taxes that the Plan Administrator determines are required to be withheld from any payments made pursuant to this Article VII shall be withheld.

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ARTICLE VIII

Plan Administration

8.1 Plan Administration And Interpretation.

The ERISA Management Committee (the "Committee") shall oversee the administration of the Plan, shall serve as the agent of the Company with respect to the trust, and shall appoint a Plan Administrator and/or Recordkeeper for the day-to-day operations of the Plan. Such Plan Administrator and/or Recordkeeper shall be listed in Appendix B to this Plan. The Committee shall have complete control and authority to determine the rights and benefits under all claims, demands and actions arising out of the provisions of the Plan of any Participant, beneficiary, deceased Participant, or other person having or claiming to have any interest under the Plan. The Committee shall have complete discretion to interpret the Plan and to decide all matters under the Plan. Such interpretation and decision shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Participants and any person claiming under or through any Participant. Any individual(s) serving on the Committee who is a Participant will not vote or act on any matter relating solely to himself or herself.

8.2 Committee Powers, Duties, Procedures, Etc.

The Committee shall have such powers and duties, may adopt such rules and regulations, may act in accordance with such procedures, may appoint such agents, may delegate such powers and duties, may receive such reimbursements and compensation, and shall follow such claims and appeal procedures with respect to the Plan as it may establish.

8.3 Plan Administrator's Duties

The Plan Administrator shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Plan. His or her duties shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Keeping track of employees eligible to participate in the Plan and the date each employee becomes eligible to participate.

(b) Maintaining, or causing to be maintained by the Recordkeeper, Participants' Accounts, including all sub-accounts required for different contribution types and payment elections made by Participants under the Plan and any other relevant information.

(c) Transmitting, or causing to be transmitted by the Recordkeeper, various communications to Participants and obtaining information from Participants such as changes in investment selections.

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(d) Filing reports required by various governmental agencies. When making a determination or calculation, the Plan Administrator and the Recordkeeper shall be entitled to rely on information furnished by a Participant, a beneficiary, the Employer or the Trustee. The Plan Administrator shall have the responsibility for complying with any reporting and disclosure requirements of ERISA.

8.4 Information

To enable the Plan Administrator and/or Recordkeeper to perform their functions, the Employer shall supply full and timely information to the Plan Administrator and/or Recordkeeper on all matters relating to the compensation of Participants, their employment, retirement, death, termination of employment, and such other pertinent facts as the Plan Administrator and/or Recordkeeper may require.

8.5 Indemnification Of Committee And Plan Administrator

The Employer agrees to indemnify and to defend to the fullest extent permitted by law any officer(s) or employee(s) who serve on the Committee or as Plan Administrator (including any such individual who formerly served on the Committee or as Plan Administrator) against all liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees and amounts paid in settlement of any claims approved by the Employer) occasioned by any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan, if such act or omission is in good faith.

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ARTICLE IX

Amendment And Termination

9.1 Amendments

The Employer shall have the right to amend the Plan from time to time, subject to Section 9.3, by an action of the ERISA Management Committee.

9.2 Termination Of Plan

This Plan is strictly a voluntary undertaking on the part of the Employer and shall not be deemed to constitute a contract between the Employer and any Eligible Employee (or any other employee) or a consideration for, or an inducement or condition of employment for, the performance of the services by any Eligible Employee (or other employee). The Employer reserves the right to terminate the Plan at any time, subject to Section 9.3, by an action of the ERISA Management Committee. Upon termination, no new Elective Deferrals or elections to extend deferral periods may be made under the Plan and the Employer shall continue to maintain the Trust to pay benefits hereunder as they become due as if the Plan had not terminated.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at the time the Plan is terminated either (i) the Employer maintains no other account balance deferred compensations plans or arrangements that would be required to be aggregated with the Plan pursuant to Section 409A of the Code or (ii) any such plans or arrangements that are maintained by the Employer are terminated at the same time as the Plan, then the Employer may, in its discretion, continue to maintain the Trust to pay benefits hereunder as they become due for a period of at least 12 months after the Plan is terminated and thereafter direct the Trustee to pay the Participants (or their beneficiaries) the balance of their Accounts no later than 24 months after the date the Plan is terminated. In the event the Employer elects the alternative described in this paragraph, then for a period of five years after the date the Plan is terminated, the Employer shall be prohibited from adopting or establishing a new account balance deferred compensation plan or arrangement that would have been required to be aggregated with the Plan pursuant to Code Section 409A had the Plan not been terminated.

9.3 Existing Rights

No amendment or termination of the Plan shall adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to amounts that have been credited to his or her Account prior to the date of such amendment or termination.

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ARTICLE X

Miscellaneous

10.1 No Funding

The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Employer to make payments in accordance with the terms of the Plan and Participants and beneficiaries shall have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Employer. Nothing in the Plan will be construed to give any employee or any other person rights to any specific assets of the Employer or of any other person. In all events, it is the intent of the Employer that the Plan be treated as unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of ERISA.

10.2 Non-Assignability

None of the benefits, payments, proceeds or claims of any Participant or beneficiary shall be subject to any claim of any creditor of any Participant or beneficiary and, in particular, the same shall not be subject to attachment or garnishment or other legal process by any creditor of such Participant or beneficiary, nor shall any Participant or beneficiary have any right to alienate, anticipate, commute, pledge, encumber or assign any of the benefits or payments or proceeds which he or she may expect to receive, contingently or otherwise, under the Plan.

10.3 Limitation Of Participants' Rights

Nothing contained in the Plan shall confer upon any person a right to be employed or to continue in the employ of the Employer, or interfere in any way with the right of the Employer to terminate the employment of a Participant in the Plan at any time, with or without cause.

10.4 Participants Bound

Any action with respect to the Plan taken by the Plan Administrator or the Employer or the Trustee or any action authorized by or taken at the direction of the Plan Administrator, the Employer or the Trustee shall be conclusive upon all Participants and beneficiaries entitled to benefits under the Plan.

10.5 Receipt And Release

Any payment to any Participant or beneficiary in accordance with the provisions of the Plan shall, to the extent thereof, be in full satisfaction of all claims against the Employer, the Plan Administrator and the Trustee under the Plan, and the Plan Administrator may require such Participant or beneficiary, as a condition precedent to such payment, to execute a receipt and release to such effect. If any Participant or beneficiary is determined by the Plan Administrator to be incompetent by reason of physical or mental disability

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(including minority) to give a valid receipt and release, the Plan Administrator may cause the payment or payments becoming due to such person to be made to another person for his or her benefit without responsibility on the part of the Plan Administrator, the Employer or the Trustee to follow the application of such funds.

10.6 Governing Law

The Plan shall be construed, administered, and governed in all respects under and by the laws of the State of New York. If any provision shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be fully effective.

10.7 Headings And Subheadings

Heading and subheadings in this Plan are inserted for convenience only and are not to be considered in the construction of the provisions hereof.

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APPENDIX A

Limit on Elective Deferrals

For the 1994 and 1995 Plan Years, a Participant may defer up to 100% of his/her annual bonus and no portion of his/her salary.

For the 1996 Plan Year and until changed by the Committee, a Participant may defer up to 100% of his/her annual bonus and up to 33% of his/her base salary.

For the 2000 Plan Year and until changed by the Committee, a Participant may defer up to 100% of his/her annual bonus, up to 100% of amounts paid under The Advertising and Circulation Sales Incentive Plan, up to 100% of his/her Long-Term Performance Awards under The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan and up to 33% of his/her base salary. In addition, a Participant who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) (a “Covered Employee”) may defer his/her entire Discretionary Bonus, if any, payable in a Plan Year. Deferral of such Discretionary Bonus shall continue without further action by the Participant until such time as the ERISA Management Committee determines that the Participant is no longer a Covered Employee. The Participant shall be permitted to extend the deferral period beyond the time he/she ceases to be a Covered Employee for a three-year cycle (and for subsequent three-year cycles) in the manner provided in Section 7.2 of the Plan.

For the 2001 Plan Year and until changed by the Committee, a Participant may defer up to 85% of his/her annual bonus, up to 100% of amounts paid under The Advertising and Circulation Sales Incentive Plan, up to 100% of his/her Long-Term Performance Awards under The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan or under the 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan and up to 33% of his/her base salary. In addition, a Participant who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) (a “Covered Employee”) may defer his/her entire Discretionary Bonus, if any, payable in a Plan Year. Deferral of such Discretionary Bonus shall continue without further action by the Participant until such time as the ERISA Management Committee determines that the Participant is no longer a Covered Employee; except, however, that the deferral period for Discretionary Bonuses deferred in the 2005 Plan Year and thereafter shall end on the date that the Participant terminates employment with the Company, with payments commencing between January 2 and March 15 of the calendar year immediately following such termination date or, if later, on the first business day of the month immediately following the six-month anniversary of such termination date. A Participant shall be permitted to extend the deferral period for Discretionary Bonuses in the manner provided in Section 7.2 of the Plan.

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APPENDIX B

Plan Administrator And Record Keeper

1.1Plan Administrator

For the Plan Year 1995, and until removed, the Plan Administrator shall be Phil Ryan. For the Plan Year 1997, and until removed, the Plan Administrator shall be Diane Zubalsky. For the Plan Year 2000, and until removed, the Plan Administrator shall be Robert Nusspickel. For the Plan Year 2008, and until removed, the Plan Administrator shall be Susan Murphy.

1.2Recordkeeper

For the Plan Year 1994, and until removed, the Recordkeeper shall be Actuarial Information Management Systems. From June 1, 1996, and thereafter until removed, the Recordkeeper shall be Merrill Lynch.

Effective December 28, 1998, and until removed by the ERISA Management Committee, the Recordkeeper shall be The Vanguard Group.

Effective July 17, 1999, and until removed by the ERISA Management Committee, in addition to The Vanguard Group, TBG Financial shall be a Recordkeeper for the Plan.

Effective January 1, 2001, The Vanguard Group shall be the only Recordkeeper of Plan.

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EX-10.34

EXHIBIT 10.34

The New York Times

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

December 15, 2011

Ms. Janet L. Robinson

The New York Times Company

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Re: Retirement and Consulting Agreement

Dear Janet:

This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) sets forth the complete terms under which you will retire as a director, officer and employee of The New York Times Company (the “Company”) and any and all of its subsidiaries and Affiliates (as defined below) for whom you are a director, officer or employee as of the date hereof.

1. Retirement Date. The Company and you agree that you shall retire from your position as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company as of December 31, 2011 (your “Retirement Date”). Effective as of your Retirement Date, you shall also resign from the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) and from all other positions that you hold as a director, officer or employee of the Company and any and all of its subsidiaries and Affiliates. Between the date hereof and your Retirement Date, you will assist in the transition of your responsibilities as may be requested by the Chairman of the Board.

2. Consulting Services. You agree that, for a period of one year after your Retirement Date (the “Consulting Period”), other than in the event of death or disability, you shall provide consulting services as reasonably requested by the Company concerning Company matters with which you have been involved or have knowledge; provided that, in each case, (a) the Company shall provide you with reasonable advance notice when requesting such services or assistance, (b) the Company shall exercise reasonable efforts to schedule any services or assistance requested so as to not unreasonably disrupt your business and personal affairs and you shall exercise reasonable efforts to fulfill the Company's consulting requests in a timely manner, notwithstanding your personal and other business commitments, and (c) you shall not be required to provide more than 15 hours of such services or assistance in any month. The Company shall promptly reimburse you, upon receipt of reasonable documentation and in accordance with the expense reimbursement policy of the Company and Section 18, for all out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred by you (including reasonable expenses for travel and accommodations consistent with the travel and accommodations for which you are entitled to be reimbursed as of the date hereof, but only to the extent that you have been requested to engage in such travel in relation to your consulting responsibilities) for the purpose of

providing any consulting services required under this Section 2. You acknowledge that you will perform the consulting services described in this Section 2 as an independent contractor, and you will not be treated as an employee of the Company for any purpose with respect to such services, including for purposes of any of the Company's benefit plans.

3. Accrued Obligations. At and after your Retirement Date, the Company will pay or provide to you the payments and benefits described in this Section 3.

(a) Accrued Salary, Vacation and Expenses. The Company will pay to you all salary accrued by you but not yet paid as of your Retirement Date, as well as all accrued and unused vacation accrued through your Retirement Date (but no less than the days accrued through December 10, 2011), in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable Company vacation policy. Such amounts shall be paid within 30 days following your Retirement Date. Any applicable unpaid expenses incurred by you shall be paid consistent with the Company's expense reimbursement policy and Section 18.

(b) Plans and Programs. This Agreement does not affect your rights and entitlements (including the timing, form and amount of payments) under the following Company plans and programs (as amended or restated from time to time), except as otherwise provided in Section 4 with respect to The New York Times Company 2011 Annual Bonus Program (the “2011 Annual Bonus Program”) and The New York Times Company Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”) (for avoidance of doubt, your termination of employment from the Company shall be treated as “retirement” under all of the following plans):

• The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan and The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan, and all equity, stock appreciation rights and cash-based performance awards made thereunder (for avoidance of doubt, all equity awards made thereunder shall vest either on the Retirement Date or within 30 days thereafter (the timing of which is as set forth in the applicable plan or award agreement) and all option and stock appreciation awards shall remain exercisable for the remainder of their original terms)

• The New York Times Company 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan and all equity and cash-based performance awards made thereunder (for avoidance of doubt, all equity awards made thereunder shall vest on the Retirement Date and all option and stock appreciation awards shall remain exercisable for the remainder of their original terms)

• The New York Times Companies Pension Plan

• The New York Times Company Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the “SERP”)

• The New York Times Company Supplemental Executive Savings Plan

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• The New York Times Company Savings Restoration Plan

• The New York Times Companies Supplemental Retirement and Investment Plan

• The New York Times Company Retiree Medical Plan

• The New York Times Company Deferred Executive Compensation Plan

• Any other Company plans or programs in which you participated prior to the date hereof (for avoidance of doubt, you are not entitled to any payments or benefits under The New York Times Company Severance Pay Plan)

In addition, the timing of your payments under the 2011 Annual Bonus Program and the LTIP will be consistent with the timing of payments made with respect to the applicable period to active senior executive officers of the Company; provided that such payments will be made in accordance with any timing requirements set forth in the applicable plan or award agreement. Determinations of the Company with respect to, and any amendments to, any of the foregoing plans and programs shall be made with respect to you on a basis no less favorable to you than are made with respect to other current and former executive officers of the Company generally.

4. Post-Employment Benefits. In consideration for the consulting services described in Section 2, the covenants described in Section 7, the Executive Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Executive Release”) and the other consideration described herein, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, and provided that the Executive Release has been executed and delivered by you on or before 5:00 p.m. on January 4, 2012, but not prior to January 1, 2012 (provided the Company has executed and delivered to you on or prior to 4:59 p.m. on January 4, 2012, but not prior to January 1, 2012, the Company Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement attached as Exhibit B hereto (the “Company Release”) (and if the Company does not so deliver the Company Release, your requirement to execute and deliver the Executive Release shall be waived)) and has not been revoked by you within the seven-day period following your execution thereof (the “Revocation Period”), and further provided that you have not breached this Agreement or the Executive Release in any material respect, the Company shall pay or provide to you the payments and benefits described in this Section 4 (the “Post-Employment Benefits”). You agree that (i) but for your acceptance of this Agreement and the Executive Release, you would not be eligible to receive the Post-Employment Benefits and (ii) if you do not timely sign this Agreement and the Executive Release, or if you revoke or breach the Executive Release, you will have no right to receive any of the Post-Employment Benefits.

(a) Cash Payment. The Company shall pay you $4,500,000 in cash, less all applicable federal, state and local taxes and all other authorized payroll deductions (the “Cash Payment”). Fifty percent of the Cash Payment shall be payable in equal installments during the period between January 1, 2012 and March 15, 2012, and the other 50% of the Cash

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Payment shall be payable in equal installments during the period between July 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, in each case in accordance with the Company's normal payroll practices; provided that any installment that would otherwise have been paid prior to the first normal payroll payment date occurring after the last day of the Revocation Period (such payroll date, the “First Payment Date”) shall instead be paid on the First Payment Date. In the event of your death prior to December 31, 2012, all remaining unpaid installments of the Cash Payment shall be made within 30 days following your death to any beneficiary designated by you prior to your death.

(b) 2011 Annual Bonus Program. Your annual bonus award under the 2011 Annual Bonus Program (to be paid in 2012) will be a cash amount equal to the sum of (i) the product of (A) 75% of your annual bonus target and (B) the percentage calculated under the 2011 Annual Bonus Program based on the Company's 2011 adjusted EBITDA (the Compensation Committee shall not exercise its negative discretion with respect to this portion of your 2011 annual bonus) and (ii) 25% of your annual bonus target (representing 100% of target for such portion of the annual bonus award, based on individual performance).

(c) Long-Term Incentive Plan. Notwithstanding the terms of the LTIP, (i) with respect to your outstanding award under the LTIP for the 2009-2011 cycle, the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) shall not exercise any negative discretion (for avoidance of doubt, your outstanding award under the LTIP for the 2009-2011 cycle shall not be subject to pro-ration for your time of employment); (ii) with respect to your outstanding award under the LTIP for the 2010-2012 cycle, the Compensation Committee shall not exercise any negative discretion unless the Compensation Committee exercises negative discretion for executive officers generally with respect to the LTIP for the 2010-2012 cycle; and (iii) with respect to your outstanding award under the LTIP for the 2011-2013 cycle, the Compensation Committee shall not exercise any negative discretion unless the Compensation Committee exercises negative discretion for executive officers generally with respect to the LTIP for the 2011-2013 cycle.

(d) Continued Benefits. For 12 months following your Retirement Date (the “Benefits Period”), the Company shall provide you and your eligible dependents with health care benefits coverages (including medical, vision and dental benefit coverages) equivalent to those generally provided to senior executives in active employment with the Company from time to time during the Benefits Period. The health care benefit coverages to be provided pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be conditioned upon your timely payment of the standard contribution that the Company's active employees are required to make toward the cost of such coverages and making a timely election of continuation coverage under COBRA. The Company shall pay for that portion of the full actuarial cost of such coverages as exceeds the portion to be paid for by you, and the Company shall impute as taxable income to you an amount equal to the portion of the full actuarial cost of such coverages that is paid by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you become eligible for health care insurance benefits under any other employer's group health care insurance benefit plan before the expiration of the Benefits Period, you shall promptly notify the Company of such eligibility and the Company's obligation pursuant to this Section 4(d) shall cease as of the first date on which you are eligible for health care insurance benefits under such other employer's group health care insurance benefit plan. The period during which such coverages under the Company's health benefit plans

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are provided shall run concurrent with first 12 months of the period for continuation coverage under COBRA. Any coverage you are entitled to under The New York Times Company Retiree Medical Plan shall commence following the period during which you participate in the Company's medical plans through COBRA.

5. No Other Separation Payments or Benefits. You acknowledge and agree that, except as otherwise provided herein, (a) you will not be entitled to any compensation or benefits from the Company on account of your retirement; (b) the Post-Employment Benefits are in lieu of any severance payments or benefits under any Company severance plan, policy, program or arrangement whatsoever, whether written or unwritten, formal or informal, and (c) your active participation in all Company plans, policies, programs and arrangements whatsoever, whether written or unwritten, formal or informal, shall cease as of your Retirement Date.

6. Company Release. The Company shall execute and deliver to you the Company Release in exchange for your execution and delivery of the Executive Release.

7. Restrictive Covenants. You acknowledge that your employment as a senior officer of the Company has created a relationship of confidence and trust between you and the Company with respect to confidential and proprietary information applicable to the business of the Company and its clients. You further acknowledge the highly competitive nature of the business of the Company. Accordingly, it is agreed that the restrictions contained in this Section 7 are reasonable and necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and that any violation of these restrictions would cause substantial and irreparable injury to the Company. Except as set forth in Section 24, the covenants set forth in this Agreement shall set forth the entirety of your restrictive covenants to the Company and shall supersede and override all covenants and similar restrictions contained in any Company plan or agreement, whether executed by you or not.

(a)Protection of Confidential Information.

(i)Definition of Confidential Information. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” shall mean all nonpublic information (whether in paper or electronic form, or contained in your memory, or otherwise stored or recorded) relating to or arising from Company's business, including, without limitation, trade secrets used, developed or acquired by the Company in connection with its business. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, “Confidential Information” shall specifically include all information concerning the manner and details of the Company's operation, organization and management; financial information and/or documents and nonpublic policies, procedures and other printed, written or electronic material generated or used in connection with the Company's business; the Company's business plans and strategies; the identities of the Company's customers and the specific individual customer representatives with whom the Company works; the details of the Company's relationship with such customers and customer representatives; the identities of distributors, contractors and vendors utilized in the Company's business; the details of the Company's relationships with such distributors, contractors and vendors; the nature of fees and charges made to the Company's customers; nonpublic forms, contracts and other documents used

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in the Company's business; all confidential information concerning the Company's employees, agents and contractors, including without limitation such persons' compensation and benefits; the nature and content of computer software used in the Company's business, whether proprietary to the Company or used by the Company under license from a third party; and all other confidential information concerning the Company's concepts, prospects, customers, employees, agents, contractors, earnings, products, services, equipment, systems and/or prospective and executed contracts and other business arrangements. “Confidential Information” does not include information that is in the public domain through no wrongful act on your part.

(ii)Your Use of Confidential Information. During the period of your employment with the Company, the Consulting Period and at all times thereafter, except in connection with your performance of your duties for the Company (either as an employee or consultant), you shall not, without the Company's prior written consent, at any time, directly or indirectly: (i) use any Confidential Information for any purpose; or (ii) disclose or otherwise communicate any Confidential Information to any Person (as defined below).

(iii)Records Containing Confidential Information. “Confidential Records” means all documents and other records, whether in paper, electronic or other form, that contain or reflect any Confidential Information. All Confidential Records prepared by or provided to you are and shall remain the Company's property. Except in connection with and in furtherance of your work on the Company's behalf or with the Company's prior written consent, you shall not, at any time, directly or indirectly: (A) copy or use any Confidential Record for any purpose; or (B) show, give, sell, disclose or otherwise communicate any Confidential Record or the contents of any Confidential Record to any Person. On or prior to your Retirement Date, you shall deliver to the Company or its designee (and shall not keep in your possession or deliver to any other Person) all Confidential Records in your possession or control. If any Confidential Information and/or Confidential Records are shared with or disclosed to you during the Consulting Period, then such Confidential Information and/or Confidential Records shall be governed by the terms of this Section 7(a), and at the conclusion of the Consulting Period or upon the Company's earlier request you shall immediately deliver to the Company or its designee (and shall not keep in your possession or deliver to any other Person) all Confidential Records then in your possession or control.

(b)Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Covenants. For purposes of this Agreement, “Competitive Business” shall mean any news or information business that operates in any local or regional market in which the Company currently operates, nationally (in the United States) or internationally, without regard to whether the product of such business is distributed in hard-copy or digital form; “Affiliate”, with respect to any entity, shall mean any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such entity; and “Person” shall mean any individual, natural person, corporation (including any non-profit corporation), general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, estate, trust, company (including any company limited by shares, limited liability company or joint stock company), incorporated or unincorporated association, governmental authority, firm, society or other enterprise, organization or other entity of any nature. During the period commencing on the date hereof and continuing through the second anniversary of your Retirement Date (the “Restricted Period”), you shall not (nor shall you cause, encourage or provide assistance to, anyone else to):

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(i)Engage in, have any interest in (including, without limitation, through the investment of capital or the lending of money or property), or manage, operate or otherwise render any services to any Person that engages in (either directly or through any subsidiary or Affiliate thereof), any Competitive Business (whether on your own or in association with others, as a principal, director, officer, employee, agent, representative, partner, member, security holder, consultant, owner, advisor, independent contractor, investor, participant or in any other capacity); provided that (A) this Section 7(b)(i) shall not prohibit you from rendering services in connection with any Affiliate, subsidiary or division of any Person if such Affiliate, subsidiary or division does not engage directly in such Competitive Business and (B) you shall be permitted to acquire a passive stock or equity interest (or debt interest) in such a Person if such stock or equity interest (or debt interest) acquired is not more than one percent of the outstanding interests in such Person; or

(ii)(A) Employ, hire or otherwise engage, or recruit, solicit or attempt to employ or otherwise engage, on behalf of yourself or any other Person, any person who is employed or engaged as an employee, consultant, agent or representative of the Company or any Affiliate (provided that consultants, agents or representatives who do not primarily provide services to the Company or its Affiliates shall not be included in this prohibition) as of your Retirement Date (each such person, a “Restricted Person”), or (B) solicit, induce or encourage any Restricted Person to terminate his or her employment or other relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates (whether or not for the purpose of obtaining such individual's services); provided that it shall not be a violation of the foregoing for (1) you or your subsequent employers to make general advertisements that are not targeted at Restricted Persons, (2) you to serve, upon unsolicited request, as an employment reference for any Restricted Person, with regard to any Person with which you are not employed or providing services, (3) you to respond to an unsolicited request from any Restricted Person for advice on employment matters, so long as such advice does not encourage the Restricted Person to voluntarily separate from employment with the Company or (4) you to provide services to a Person that engages in any conduct prohibited by this Section 7(b)(ii) if you are not directly or indirectly involved in such conduct.

(c)If any court shall determine that the duration, geographic limitations, subject or scope of any restriction contained in this Section 7 is unenforceable, it is the intention of the parties that this Section 7 shall not thereby be terminated but shall be deemed amended to the extent required to make it valid and enforceable, such amendment to apply only with respect to the operation of this Section 7 in the jurisdiction of the court that has made such adjudication.

(d)You acknowledge that the restrictive covenants of this Section 7 are reasonable and that irreparable injury will result to the Company and to its business and properties in the event of any breach by you of any of such covenants. You agree that you shall not, and hereby agree to waive and release any right or claim to, challenge the reasonableness, validity or enforceability of any such provision. You further acknowledge that complying with such covenants will not preclude you from participating in a lawful profession, trade or business, or from becoming gainfully employed. In the event any of the covenants of this Section 7 are breached, the Company shall be entitled, in addition to any other remedies and damages available, to injunctive relief to restrain the violation of such covenants by you or by any Person

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acting for or with you in any capacity whatsoever. In addition, any breach or violation of the provisions of such covenants shall toll the running of any time periods set forth with respect to such covenants for the duration of any such breach or violation.    

8. Non-Disparagement by You.    You agree not to, during the Restricted Period, publish or disseminate, directly or indirectly, any statements, whether written or oral, or other verbal or non-verbal communications, that are or would reasonably be expected to be disparaging of any of the Executive Released Parties (as defined in Exhibit A) and/or their businesses; provided that (a) this Section 8 shall not be violated by your rebutting factually inaccurate statements made about you by making a truthful statement, but only to the extent reasonably necessary to correct or refute such inaccurate statements and (b) this Section 8 shall not be interpreted to limit your rights to confer in confidence with your counsel, accountant or other professional advisors, or to respond truthfully to any lawful request for information or to make truthful statements in connection with any proceedings relating to this Agreement or any other actions involving the Company or its Affiliates.

9. Non-Disparagement by the Company. The Company agrees not to, during the Restricted Period, publish or disseminate, directly or indirectly, any statements, whether written or oral, or other verbal or non-verbal communications, that are or would reasonably be expected to be disparaging of you, or any of your past or present practices, decision-making, conduct, professionalism or compliance with standards; provided that (a) this Section 9 shall not be violated by the Company's refuting factually inaccurate statements made about any of the Executive Released Parties by making a truthful statement, but only to the extent necessary to correct or refute such inaccurate statements and (b) this Section 9 shall not be interpreted to limit the Company's rights to confer in confidence with the Company's counsel, accountant or other professional advisors, or to respond truthfully to any lawful request for information or to make truthful statements in connection with any proceedings relating to this Agreement or any other actions involving the Company or its Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be in breach of this Section 9 unless such prohibited statements or communications are contained in a press release of the Company or any Affiliate thereof or are made by a member of the Board or a person who is a member of the Executive Committee as of the date hereof.

10. Cooperation.    From the date hereof through the third anniversary thereof, you agree to cooperate fully with the Company and its subsidiaries and Affiliates (a) in response to reasonable requests for information by the Company about the business of the Company or its subsidiaries or Affiliates or your involvement and participation therein, (b) in connection with the defense or prosecution of any claims or actions now in existence or that may be brought in the future against or on behalf of the Company or its subsidiaries or Affiliates that relate to events or occurrences that transpired while you were employed by the Company; and (c) in connection with any investigation or review by any federal, state or local regulatory, quasi-regulatory or self-governing authority (including, without limitation, the Securities and Exchange Commission) to the extent that any such investigation or review relates to events or occurrences that transpired while you were employed by the Company. Your full cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, being available to meet and speak with officers or employees of the Company and/or its

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counsel at reasonable times and locations, executing accurate and truthful documents, appearing at the Company's request as a witness at depositions, trials or other proceedings without the necessity of a subpoena, and taking such other actions as may reasonably be requested by the Company and/or its counsel to effectuate the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 10 shall not require you to cooperate with the Company in any action, claim or controversy in which your interests and the Company's interests are actually adverse. In requesting such services, the Company shall exercise reasonable efforts (including providing you with reasonable prior notice) to schedule any assistance requested so as to not unreasonably disrupt your business and personal affairs and you shall exercise reasonable efforts to fulfill the Company's cooperation requests in a timely manner, notwithstanding your personal and other business commitments. The Company shall promptly reimburse you, upon receipt of reasonable documentation and in accordance with the expense reimbursement policy of the Company in effect on the date hereof and Section 18, for all out-of-pocket expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by you for the purpose of providing any cooperation required under this Section 10, including (i) expenses for necessary travel and accommodations consistent with the travel and accommodations to which you are entitled as of the date hereof and (ii) upon the prior approval of Kenneth Richieri or his successor general counsel, reasonable legal expenses incurred by you if you and Kenneth Richieri (or his successor) reasonably agree that it is appropriate for you to engage separate counsel in connection with such cooperation.

11. Truthful Testimony; Notice of Request for Testimony. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall preclude either party from providing testimony that such party reasonably and in good faith believes to be truthful (including providing Confidential Information or Confidential Records) in response to or in connection with a valid subpoena, court order, regulatory request or other judicial, administrative or legal process or otherwise as required by law (including if disclosure becomes necessary in connection with the defense of any claim brought against you or any of the Executive Released Parties or if disclosure is made to enforce any rights or defend any claims hereunder or under any other agreement to which you are a party, provided that such disclosure is relevant to the enforcement of such rights or defense of such claims and is only made to the extent necessary in the formal proceedings related thereto). To the extent legally permissible (and except in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement or any other agreement between you and the Company or any of its Affiliates), you shall notify the Company in writing as promptly as practicable after receiving any such request of the anticipated testimony and at least ten days prior to providing such testimony (or, if such notice is not possible under the circumstances, with as much prior notice as is possible) to afford the Company a reasonable opportunity to challenge the subpoena, court order or similar legal process. Moreover, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or applied so as to limit any person from providing candid statements that such party reasonably and in good faith believes to be truthful to any governmental or regulatory body or any self-regulatory organization.

12. No Admission.Youand the Company each understand that none of this Agreement, the payments and consideration provided for herein, the Executive Release or the Company Release are to be construed as an admission on the part of any of the

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Executive Released Parties or the Company Released Parties (as defined in Exhibit B) of any wrongdoing or liability, or are to be admissible as evidence in any proceeding, other than for enforcement of the provisions of this Agreement.

13. No Materially Harmful or Detrimental Actions or Omissions.You represent and warrant that you are not aware of any bad faith actions or omissions by any current or former officer, director, employee, agent, consultant or representative of the Company (including you) through the date hereof that you know were or have been alleged to be (individually or in the aggregate) materially harmful or detrimental to the Company, its business or its shareholders, including, without limitation, violations of any laws or accounting policies or principles, the taking of improper tax positions or the furnishing of inaccurate statements, invoices or other reports to any Person.

14. Confidentiality of Agreement. You and the Company recognize that the Company will file this Agreement and the exhibits hereto as exhibits to public securities filings, and may also disclose this Agreement and the exhibits hereto as may be required by law or legal proceedings. The parties mutually agree that they, and each of them, will keep the circumstances underlying the negotiation and/or drafting of this Agreement (collectively, the “Confidential Settlement Information”) strictly confidential, will not disclose any Confidential Settlement Information in any way other than as provided herein, and will not make any representation or other communication (orally or in writing) regarding any Confidential Settlement Information to anyone, for any reason whatsoever, without the express written consent of the other, unless the disclosure, representation or communication: (a) is to counsel or financial or other professional advisors for yourself or the Company, as applicable, and is necessary for the rendition of professional advice to you or the Company, as applicable (the restrictions stated in this Section 14 shall automatically apply to the applicable counsel, financial and/or professional advisor, and you or the Company, as applicable, shall so advise such attorney, financial and/or professional advisor); (b) if by you, is to a member of your immediate family (the restrictions stated in this Section 14 shall automatically apply to such immediate family member and you shall so advise such immediate family member); (c) if by the Company, is to its employees who have a business need to know such information, to any insurer or, consistent with business necessity, to any other Person (the restrictions stated in this Section 14 shall automatically apply to such employees, insurer or any other such Person and the Company shall so advise such individuals or Persons); or (d) is for the purpose of enforcing this Agreement or any other agreement between you and the Company or any of its Affiliates.

15. Return of Property.You covenant and agree that you shall return to the Company, on or before your Retirement Date, all Company property in your possession, custody or control, including, but not limited to, your Company identification card, keys, parking and building access cards, credit cards and any cellular phone, computer or electronic devices owned or provided to you (for use while employed with the Company) by the Company and allocated to or otherwise in your possession, custody or control. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 15 or Section 7(a)(iii), you shall be entitled to retain (a) papers and other materials and correspondence of a personal nature, including, but not limited to, photographs, personal correspondence,

10

personal diaries, personal calendars and rolodexes, (b) information showing your equity awards or other compensation, or relating to expense reimbursements, (c) compensation information that you reasonably believe may be needed for your own tax purposes and (d) copies of employee benefit and compensation plans, programs, agreements and other arrangements of the Company or any of its Affiliates in which you were a participant or covered.

16. Indemnification. You shall be entitled to the protection of the Company's By-Laws and Certificate of Incorporation and any insurance and corporate indemnification policies the Company shall elect to maintain generally for the benefit of its directors and officers against or with respect to all costs, charges and expenses incurred or sustained by you in connection with any action, suit or proceeding to which you may be made a party by reason of your having been a director or officer of the Company or any of its Affiliates. With respect to your actions during the Consulting Period, the Company shall indemnify you to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (other than in connection with your gross negligence or willful misconduct) and shall pay, or reimburse you for, reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by you in connection with your defense in any related proceedings as such fees and expenses are incurred, subject to the provision of documentation thereof (subject to the undertaking from you to repay such advances if it shall be finally determined by a judicial decision that is not subject to further appeal that you were not entitled to the reimbursement of such fees and expenses); provided that this sentence shall not apply with respect to any action, claim or controversy in which you and the Company are adverse parties.

17. Arbitration.    Any dispute or controversy based on, arising under or relating to this Agreement shall be settled exclusively by final and binding arbitration, conducted before a single neutral arbitrator in New York, New York in accordance with the Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) then in effect. Arbitration may be compelled, and judgment may be entered on the arbitration award in any court having jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to seek a restraining order or injunction in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent any violation of or continuation of any violation of the provisions of Section 7, and you hereby consent that such restraining order or injunction may be granted without requiring the Company to post a bond. Only individuals who are (a) lawyers engaged full-time in the practice of law and (b) on the AAA roster of arbitrators shall be selected as an arbitrator. Within 20 days following the conclusion of the arbitration hearing, the arbitrator shall prepare written findings of fact and conclusions of law. Each party shall bear its own costs and attorneys' fees in connection with an arbitration, and the costs of the arbitrator and the AAA's administrative fees shall be split evenly between the parties.

18. Section 409A. The payments to be made pursuant to this Agreement are intended to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Department of Treasury Regulations thereunder (“Section 409A”), and the provisions of this Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and construed in accordance with and to implement such intent. In furtherance of the foregoing, the following provisions shall apply notwithstanding any

11

other provision to the contrary in this Agreement: (a) to the extent that any installment payments under this Agreement are deemed to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A, for purposes of Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Department of Treasury Regulations), each such payment to be made to you under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate and distinct payment; (b) to the extent that the reimbursement of any expenses or the provision of any in-kind benefits under any provision of this Agreement is subject to Section 409A, (i) the amount of such expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, during any calendar year shall not affect the amount of such expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year, provided,however, that an arrangement providing for reimbursement of expenses referred to in Section 105(b) of the Code shall not be deemed to fail to meet the foregoing requirement solely because the arrangement provides for a limit on the amount of expenses that may be reimbursed thereunder over some or all of the period in which such reimbursement arrangement remains in effect; (ii) reimbursement of any such expense shall be made by no later than December 31 of the year next following the calendar year in which such expense is incurred; and (iii) your right to receive such reimbursements or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit; (c) the portion of the Cash Payment to be made to you on or prior to March 15, 2012 pursuant to Section 4(a) shall be treated as exempt from the requirements from Section 409A under Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(4) and therefore not subject to the six-month delay requirement under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i); and (d) any SERP benefits delayed in part as a result of the six-month delay provision of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) shall be treated as commenced to be received as of your Retirement Date for purposes of Section 7.2 of the SERP. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability for failure to comply with the requirements of Section 409A from you or any other individual to the Company or any of its Affiliates, employees or agents.

19. Notices.All notices, requests, demands and other communications that are required or may be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when received if personally delivered or, if not personally delivered shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) the day transmitted if transmitted by telecopy, electronic or digital transmission method with electronic confirmation of receipt; (b) the day after being sent, if sent for next-day delivery to a domestic address by recognized overnight delivery service (e.g., FedEx); and (c) on the third day after it is sent, if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. In each case, notice shall be sent to:

If to the Company: The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, New York 10018 Attention: Kenneth A. Richieri Facsimile: (212) 556-4634

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with a copy to:	Latham & Watkins LLP 885 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022-4834 Attention: John D. Shyer Facsimile: 212-751-4864
If to Employee:	Janet L. Robinson, at the last address reflected in the Company's books and records
with a copy to:	Bachelder Law Offices 437 Madison Avenue, 36th Floor New York, NY 10022 Attention: Michael S. Katzke Facsimile: 212-319-3070

Either party may change the address for notice by sending written notice of a change of address to the other party in accordance with this Section 19.

20. No Presumption Against Drafter.You and the Company understand that this Agreement is deemed to have been drafted jointly by the parties. Any uncertainty or ambiguity shall not be construed for or against any party based on attribution of drafting to any party.

21. Headings.The Section headings in this Agreement are for the convenience of the parties only, and shall not limit or modify, in any way, the contents of this Agreement or any Section of this Agreement.

22. Counterparts.This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. The parties may execute more than one copy of this Agreement, each of which copies shall constitute an original. A facsimile signature shall be deemed to be the same as an original signature.

23. Taxes. The Company may withhold from any amount payable to you under this Agreement such Federal, state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. You shall be responsible for any tax consequences of any payments made pursuant to this Agreement. You acknowledge and agree that the Company is not undertaking to advise you with respect to any tax consequences of this Agreement, and that you are solely responsible for determining those consequences and satisfying all of your applicable tax obligations resulting from any payments described herein.

24. Entire Agreement.You and the Company understand that this Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as expressly stated in this Agreement,

13

supersedes any prior agreement, term sheet, understanding or negotiations respecting such subject matter; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not supersede any of the plans or programs referred to in Section 3 (except as specifically provided herein) or your obligations under Article VI of the SERP. No change to or modification of this Agreement shall be valid or binding unless it is in writing and signed by you and a duly authorized representative of the Company.

25. No Reliance.    You and the Company understand and acknowledge that reliance is placed wholly upon your and the Company's own judgment, belief and knowledge as to the propriety of entering into this Agreement. You and the Company further acknowledge that you and the Company are relying solely upon the contents of this Agreement, that there have been no other representations or statements made by any of the Executive Released Parties or you, and that you and the Company are not relying on any other representations or statements whatsoever of any of the Executive Released Parties or you as an inducement to enter into this Agreement, and if any of the facts upon which you or the Company now relies in making this Agreement shall hereafter prove to be otherwise, this Agreement shall nonetheless remain in full force and effect.

26. No Waiver.    No waiver of any breach of any term or provision of this Agreement shall be construed to be, nor shall be, a waiver of any other breach of this Agreement. No waiver shall be binding unless in writing and signed by the party waiving the breach.

27. Severability. It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Agreement shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. In the event that any one or more of the provisions or parts thereof of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, except that, to the extent permitted by law, you agree that if the Executive Release shall be deemed unenforceable as a result of any complaint, charge or action commenced or filed by you, you shall waive the right to receive, or to the extent already received by you, you shall return to the Company, any Post-Employment Benefits. Moreover, if any one or more of the provisions or parts thereof contained in this Agreement is held to be excessively broad as to duration, scope, activity or subject, such provisions shall be construed by limiting and reducing them so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent allowed by applicable law.

28. Successors and Assigns.This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the heirs, representatives, successors and assigns of each of the parties to it; provided, that the Company shall not assign this Agreement other than in connection with a corporate transaction (e.g., merger, consolidation or sale of substantially all of the Company's assets) pursuant to which the assignee specifically agrees to assume the Company's liabilities, duties and obligations hereunder.

29. Choice of Law.This Agreement shall be governed and construed under the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of laws rules.

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30. Acknowledgement by You. You acknowledge that you have personally read this Agreement and that you have reviewed, or have had the opportunity to review, this Agreement with legal counsel of your own choosing. You further acknowledge that you have been provided a full and ample opportunity to study this Agreement, and that it fully and accurately reflects the content of any and all understandings and agreements between the parties concerning the matters referenced herein.

[Signature page follows]

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Please sign and date in the space below to accept the terms of this Agreement and return the executed letter to Kenneth Richieri. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

Chairman of the Board,

The New York Times Company

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and executed this Agreement on the date set forth below as an expression of her intent to be bound by the foregoing terms of this Agreement.

/s/ Janet L. Robinson

Janet L. Robinson

Date: December 15, 2011

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EXHIBIT A

EXECUTIVEWAIVER AND RELEASE OF CLAIMS AGREEMENT

In exchange for the Post-Employment Benefits (as defined in that certain letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”), dated as of December 15, 2011, by and between myself and The New York Times Company (the “Company”), regarding my retirement and consulting arrangement) and the Company Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement (attached as Exhibit B to the Letter Agreement) (the “Company Release”),I freely and voluntarily agree to enter into and be bound by this Executive Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement (this “Executive Release”).

1.Executive General Release.Subject to Section 2 of this Executive Release, I, on my own behalf and on behalf of my heirs, personal representative, executors, administrators, assigns and anyone else claiming through me (the “Executive Releasors”), hereby release and discharge forever the Company, each of its divisions, Affiliates (as defined in the Letter Agreement) and subsidiaries and, except for directors and executive officers of the Company, only in connection with their affiliation with the Company or any of its Affiliates, each of their respective present and former directors, officers, employees, trustees, agents, attorneys, administrators, plans, plan administrators, insurers, related and affiliated companies and entities, shareholders, members, representatives, predecessors, successors and assigns, and all Persons (as defined in the Letter Agreement) acting by, through, under or in concert with them (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Executive Released Parties”), from and against all liabilities, claims, demands, liens, causes of action, charges, suits, complaints, grievances, contracts, agreements, promises, obligations, costs, losses, damages, injuries, attorneys' fees and other legal responsibilities (collectively referred to as “Claims”), of any form whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any claims in law, equity, contract or tort, claims under any policy, agreement, understanding or promise, written or oral, formal or informal, between me and the Company or any of the Executive Released Parties, and any claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ADEA”), as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 and the Human Rights laws of the State and City of New York, as each may have been amended from time to time, or any other federal, state or local statute, regulation, law, rule, ordinance or constitution, or common law, whether known or unknown, unforeseen, unanticipated, unsuspected or latent, that I or my heirs, executors, administrators, assigns or anyone else claiming through me now own or hold, or have at any time heretofore owned or held, or may at any time own or hold by reason of any matter or thing arising from any cause whatsoever prior to the date of execution of this Executive Release, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, from all claims, demands and causes of action based upon, relating to, or arising out of: (a) my employment relationship with the Company and/or any of the Executive Released Parties and the termination of that relationship; (b) my relationship with any of the Executive Released Parties as a member of

17

any boards of directors; and (c) any other type of relationship (business or otherwise) between me and any of the Executive Released Parties. This release (the “Executive Release”) includes, but is not limited to, all wrongful termination and “constructive discharge” claims, all discrimination claims, all claims relating to any contracts of employment, whether express or implied, any covenant of good faith and fair dealing, whether express or implied, and any tort of any nature. This Executive Release is for any relief, no matter how denominated, including but not limited to wages, back pay, front pay, benefits, compensatory, liquidated or punitive damages, and attorneys' fees.

2.Exclusions from Executive Release. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 1 of this Executive Release, I do not release the following claims and rights:

(a) my rights under this Executive Release, the Letter Agreement or the Company Release;

(b) my rights as a shareholder or equity award holder in the Company;

(c) any claims for unemployment compensation or any state disability insurance benefits pursuant to the terms of applicable state law;

(d) claims to continued participation in certain of the Company's group health plans pursuant to the terms and conditions of COBRA;

(e) any rights vested or accrued prior to my Retirement Date to benefits or entitlements under any Company-sponsored retirement or welfare benefit plan (or any other plans listed or referenced in Section 3 of the Letter Agreement);

(f) my rights, if any, to indemnification, advancement of expenses and the protections of any director' and officers' liability policies of the Company or any of its Affiliates, as set forth in Section 16 of the Letter Agreement or otherwise;

(g) any rights or claims that arise after my execution of this Executive Release;

(h) any rights any of the Executive Releasors may have to obtain contribution as permitted by law in the event of entry of judgment against them as a result of any act or failure to act for which any of the Executive Releasors, on the one hand, and any of the Executive Released Parties, on the other hand, are jointly liable; and

(i) any other right that may not be released by private agreement.

3.Rights Under the ADEA.Without limiting the scope of this Executive Release in any way, I certify that this Executive Release constitutes a knowing

18

and voluntary waiver of any and all rights or claims that exist or that I have or may claim to have under the ADEA. This Executive Release does not restrict any rights or claims that might arise under the ADEA after the date I sign this Executive Release. I acknowledge that: (a) the consideration provided pursuant to the Letter Agreement is in addition to any consideration that I would otherwise be entitled to receive; (b) I have been and am hereby advised in writing to consult with an attorney prior to signing this Executive Release; (c) I have been provided a full and ample opportunity to review this Executive Release, including a period of at least 21 days within which to consider it; (d) to the extent that I take less than 21 days to consider this Executive Release prior to execution, I acknowledge that I had sufficient time to consider this Executive Release with counsel and that I expressly, voluntarily and knowingly waive any additional time; (e) changes to the initial draft of this Executive Release presented to me made during the consideration period will not extend the length of the consideration period; and (f) I am aware of my right to revoke this Executive Release at any time within the seven-day period following the date on which I execute this Executive Release and that this Executive Release and the Letter Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable until the calendar day immediately following the expiration of the seven-day revocation period (for the avoidance of doubt, during the revocation period, the Company cannot amend or revoke the Letter Agreement). I further understand that I shall relinquish any right I have to the Post-Employment Benefits if I exercise my right to revoke this Executive Release and, in such case, I shall instead receive only the payments and benefits described in Section 3 of the Letter Agreement. Notice of revocation must be made in writing and must be received by Kenneth Richieri, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh calendar day immediately following the date on which I execute this Executive Release.

4.Covenant Not To Sue. I represent and covenant that I have not filed, initiated or caused to be filed or initiated any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding against the Company or any of the Executive Released Parties. Except to the extent that such waiver is precluded by law, I further promise and agree that I will not file, initiate or cause to be filed or initiated any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding based upon, arising out of or relating to any Claim released hereunder, nor shall I participate, assist or cooperate in any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding regarding any of the Executive Released Parties relating to any Claims released hereunder, whether before a court or administrative agency or otherwise, unless required to do so by law. This Executive Release will not prevent me from filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (or similar state agency) or participating in any investigation conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (or similar state agency); provided, however, that I acknowledge and agree that any Claim by me, or brought on my behalf, for personal relief in connection with such a charge or investigation (such as reinstatement or monetary damages) would be and hereby is barred. In the event that any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding is filed on my behalf in connection with any Claim released hereunder, I agree that I shall not accept or be entitled to receive any financial recovery therefrom.

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5. No Assignment.I represent and warrant that I have made no assignment or other transfer, and covenant that I will make no assignment or other transfer, of any interest in any Claim that I may have against any of the Executive Released Parties.

6.Indemnification of Executive Released Parties.I agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Executive Released Parties, and each of them, against any loss, claim, demand, damage, expenses or any other liability whatsoever, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, resulting from: (a) any breach of this Executive Release by me or my successors in interest; (b) any assignment or transfer, or attempted assignment or transfer, of any Claims released hereunder; or (c) any action or proceeding brought by me or my successors in interest, if such action or proceeding arises out of, is based upon, or is related to any Claims released hereunder; provided, however, that this indemnification provision shall not restrict any challenge by me of the release of claims under the ADEA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or similar discrimination laws. This indemnity does not require payment as a condition precedent to recovery by any of the Executive Released Parties under this indemnity.

7.Choice of Law. This Executive Release shall be governed and construed under the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of laws rules.

8.Acknowledgment. I acknowledge that the Company delivered this Executive Release to me on December 12, 2011, and that this Executive Release shall be effective, and I shall receive the Post-Employment Benefits and other consideration provided in the Letter Agreement, only if I abide by the first paragraph in Section 4 of the Letter Agreement.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and executed this Executive Release on the date set forth below as an expression of her intent to be bound by the foregoing terms of this Executive Release.

Janet L. Robinson

Date:

21

EXHIBIT B

COMPANYWAIVER AND RELEASE OF CLAIMS AGREEMENT

In exchange for the Executive Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement (attached as Exhibit A to that certain letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”), dated as of December 15, 2011, by and between The New York Times Company (the “Company”) and Janet L. Robinson (the “Executive”), regarding the Executive's retirement and consulting arrangement) (the “Executive Release”), the Company freely and voluntarily agrees to enter into and be bound by this Company Waiver and Release of Claims Agreement (this “Company Release”).

1. Company General Release.Subject to Section 2 of this Company Release, the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its current and past parents, subsidiaries and Affiliates (as defined in the Letter Agreement) and each of their predecessors, successors and assigns (the “Company Releasors”), hereby releases and discharges forever the Executive and her heirs, estate, successors and assigns, attorneys, and all Persons (as defined in the Letter Agreement) acting by, through, under or in concert with them (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Company Released Parties”), from and against all liabilities, claims, demands, liens, causes of action, charges, suits, complaints, grievances, contracts, agreements, promises, obligations, costs, losses, damages, injuries, attorneys' fees and other legal responsibilities (collectively referred to as “Claims”), of any form whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any claims in law, equity, contract or tort, claims under any policy, agreement, understanding or promise, written or oral, formal or informal, between the Executive and the Company or any of the Executive Released Parties, and claims under any federal, state or local statute, regulation, law, rule, ordinance or constitution, or common law, whether known or unknown, unforeseen, unanticipated, unsuspected or latent, which the Company or the Company's successors ininterest now own or hold, or have at any time heretofore owned or held, or may at any time own or hold by reason of any matter or thing arising from any cause whatsoever prior to the date of execution of this Company Release, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, from all claims, demands and causes of action based upon, relating to, or arising out of: (a) the Executive's employment relationship with the Company and/or any of the Executive Released Parties and the termination of that relationship; (b) the Executive's relationship with any of the Executive Released Parties as a member of any boards of directors; and (c) any other type of relationship (business or otherwise) between the Executive and any of the Executive Released Parties. This Company Release includes, but is not limited to, all claims relating to any contracts of employment, whether express or implied, any covenant of good faith and fair dealing, whether express or implied, and any tort of any nature. This Company Release is for any relief, no matter how denominated, including but not limited to compensatory, liquidated or punitive damages and attorneys' fees.

2. Exclusions from General Release by Company.Notwithstanding the generality of Section 1 of this Company Release, the Company does not release the following claims and rights:

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(a) the Company's rights under the Letter Agreement, the Executive Release or this Company Release;

(b) any unknown liabilities, claims or demands (whether asserted directly, derivatively or otherwise) that directly or indirectly result from any illegal conduct, act of fraud, theft, embezzlement, violation of regulation or law or other willful gross misconduct committed by the Executive;

(c) any claim or claims that the Company may have against the Executive as of the date of execution of this Company Release of which it is not aware as of such date because of willful concealment by the Executive;

(d) any rights or claims that arise after the Company's execution of this Company Release;

(e) any rights any of the Company Releasors may have to obtain contribution as permitted by law in the event of entry of judgment against them as a result of any act or failure to act for which any of the Company Releasors, on the one hand, and any of the Executive Released Parties, on the other hand, are jointly liable; and

(f) any other right that may not be released by private agreement.

3. Covenant Not To Sue.     The Company represents and covenants that it has not filed, initiated or caused to be filed or initiated, any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding against the Executive or any of the Company Released Parties. Except to the extent that such waiver is precluded by law, the Company further promises and agrees that it will not file, initiate, or cause to be filed or initiated any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding based upon, arising out of, or relating to any Claim released hereunder, nor shall the Company participate, assist or cooperate in any Claim, charge, suit, complaint, grievance, action, cause of action or proceeding regarding any of the Company Released Parties relating to any Claims released hereunder, whether before a court or administrative agency or otherwise, unless required to do so by law.

4. No Assignment.The Company represents and warrants that it has made no assignment or other transfer, and covenants that it will make no assignment or other transfer, of any interest in any Claim that it may have against the Company Released Parties, or any of them.

5. Indemnification of Company Released Parties.The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company Released Parties, and each of them, against any loss, claim, demand, damage, expenses or any other liability whatsoever, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, resulting from: (a) any breach of this Company Release by the Company or the Company's successors in interest; (b) any assignment or transfer, or attempted assignment or transfer, of any Claims released hereunder; or (c) any action or proceeding brought by the Company or the Company's successors in interest, if such action or proceeding arises out of, is based upon or is related to any Claims released

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hereunder. This indemnity does not require payment as a condition precedent to recovery by any of the Company Released Parties under this indemnity.

6. Acknowledgment. The Company agrees that it will execute and deliver its signature page to this Company Release in exchange for the Executive's execution and delivery of her signature page to the Executive Release.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed and executed this Company Release on the date set forth below as an expression of its intent to be bound by the foregoing terms of this Company Release.

	Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. Chairman of the Board, The New York Times Company
Date:

25

EX-12

EXHIBIT 12

The New York Times Company Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except ratio)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009			December 28, 2008			December 30, 2007
(Loss)/earnings from continuing operations before fixed charges
(Loss)/earnings from continuing operations before income taxes, noncontrolling interest and income/(loss) from joint ventures	$	(3,746	)	$	158,186	$	(16,892	)	$	(88,981	)	$	146,728
Distributed earning from less than fifty-percent owned affiliates	3,463			8,325		2,775			35,733			7,979
Adjusted pre-tax (loss)/earnings from continuing operations	(283		)	166,511		(14,117		)	(53,248		)	154,707
Fixed charges less capitalized interest	90,457			92,888		88,608			55,038			49,228
Earnings/(loss) from continuing operations before fixed charges	$	90,174		$	259,399	$	74,491		$	1,790		$	203,935
Fixed charges
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest(1)	$	85,693		$	86,301	$	83,124		$	48,191		$	43,228
Capitalized interest	427			299		1,566			2,639			15,821
Portion of rentals representative of interest factor	4,764			6,587		5,484			6,847			6,000
Total fixed charges	$	90,884		$	93,187	$	90,174		$	57,677		$	65,049
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(2)	—			2.78		—			—			3.14

Note: The Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011.

(1) The Company's policy is to classify interest expense recognized on uncertain tax positions as income tax expense. The Company has excluded interest expense recognized on uncertain tax positions from the Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

(2) In 2011, 2009 and 2008, earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by approximately $1 million, $16 million and $56 million, respectively, due to certain charges in each year.

EX-21

EXHIBIT 21

Our Subsidiaries*

Name of Subsidiary	Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization
The New York Times Company	New York
About, Inc.	Delaware
About International	Cayman Islands
About Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.	Peoples Republic of China
ConsumerSearch, Inc.	Delaware
Epsilen, LLC (57%)	Indiana
IHT, LLC	Delaware
International Herald Tribune S.A.S.	France
IHT Kathimerini S.A. (50%)	Greece
International Business Development (IBD)	France
International Herald Tribune (Hong Kong) LTD.	Hong Kong
International Herald Tribune (Singapore) Pte LTD.	Singapore
International Herald Tribune (Thailand) LTD.	Thailand
IHT (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd	Malaysia
International Herald Tribune B.V.	Netherlands
IHT Publishing (India) Private Limited	India
International Herald Tribune GMBH	Germany
International Herald Tribune (Zurich) GmbH	Switzerland
International Herald Tribune Japan GK	Japan
International Herald Tribune Ltd. (U.K.)	UK
International Herald Tribune U.S. Inc.	New York
The Herald Tribune - Ha’aretz Partnership (50%)	Israel
London Bureau Limited	United Kingdom
Madison Paper Industries (partnership) (40%)	Maine
Media Consortium, LLC (25%)	Delaware
N.E.S.V. I, LLC (d/b/a Fenway Sports Group) (4.97%)	Delaware
New York Times Digital, LLC	Delaware
Northern SC Paper Corporation (80%)	Delaware
NYT Administradora de Bens e Servicos Ltda.	Brazil
NYT Building Leasing Company LLC	New York
NYT Group Services, LLC	Delaware
NYT News Bureau (India) Private Limited	India
NYT Real Estate Company LLC	New York
The New York Times Building LLC (58%)	New York
Rome Bureau S.r.l.	Italy
NYT Capital, LLC	Delaware
Donohue Malbaie Inc. (49%)	Canada
Globe Newspaper Company, Inc.	Massachusetts
Boston Globe Electronic Publishing LLC	Delaware
Boston Globe Marketing, LLC	Delaware
Community Newsdealers, LLC	Delaware
Community Newsdealers Holdings, Inc.	Delaware
GlobeDirect, LLC	Delaware
New England Direct, LLC (50%)	Delaware
Metro Boston LLC (49%)	Delaware
quadrantONE LLC (25%)	Delaware
Retail Sales, LLC	Delaware

Name of Subsidiary	Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization
Hendersonville Newspaper Corporation**	North Carolina
Hendersonville Newspaper Holdings, Inc.**	Delaware
Lakeland Ledger Publishing Corporation**	Florida
Lakeland Ledger Holdings, Inc.**	Delaware
Midtown Insurance Company	New York
NYT Holdings, Inc.**	Alabama
NYT Management Services, Inc.	Delaware
NYT Shared Service Center, Inc.	Delaware
International Media Concepts, Inc.	Delaware
The Dispatch Publishing Company, Inc.**	North Carolina
The Dispatch Publishing Holdings, Inc.**	Delaware
The Houma Courier Newspaper Corporation**	Delaware
The Houma Courier Newspaper Holdings, Inc.**	Delaware
The New York Times Distribution Corporation	Delaware
The New York Times Sales Company	Massachusetts
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation	Delaware
The Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Inc.**	Delaware
Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corporation	Massachusetts
Worcester Telegram & Gazette Holdings, Inc.	Delaware

* 100% owned unless otherwise indicated.

** On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group.

EX-23.1

EXHIBIT 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statements No. 333-43369, No. 333-43371, No. 333-37331, No. 333-09447, No. 33-31538, No. 33-43210, No. 33-43211, No. 33-50465, No. 33-50467, No. 33-56219, No. 333-49722, No. 333-70280, No. 333-102041, No. 333-114767, No. 333-156475 and No. 333-166426 on Form S-8, Registration Statements No. 333-97199, No. 333-156477 and No. 333-172389 and Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-123012 on Form S-3, and Registration Statement No. 333-172390 on Form S-4 of The New York Times Company of our reports dated February 23, 2012 with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of The New York Times Company and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of The New York Times Company, included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York

February 23, 2012

EX-31.1

EXHIBIT 31.1

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification
I, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., certify that:
1.	I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of The New York Times Company;
2.	Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.	The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
	(a)	Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
	(b)	Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
	(c)	Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
	(d)	Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.	The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
	(a)	All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
	(b)	Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 23, 2012

/s/ ARTHUR SULZBERGER, JR.

Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

EX-31.2

EXHIBIT 31.2

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification
I, James M. Follo, certify that:
1.	I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of The New York Times Company;
2.	Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.	The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
	(a)	Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
	(b)	Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
	(c)	Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
	(d)	Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.	The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
	(a)	All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
	(b)	Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 23, 2012

/s/ JAMES M. FOLLO

James M. Follo

Chief Financial Officer

EX-32.1

EXHIBIT 32.1

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report on Form 10-K of The New York Times Company (the “Company”) for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, based on my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

February 23, 2012

/s/ ARTHUR SULZBERGER, JR.

Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

EX-32.2

EXHIBIT 32.2

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report on Form 10-K of The New York Times Company (the “Company”) for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, James M. Follo, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, based on my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

February 23, 2012

/s/ JAMES M. FOLLO

James M. Follo

Chief Financial Officer

XML

Other Liabilities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Other Liabilities [Abstract]

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The components of the “Other Liabilities – Other” balance in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Deferred compensation	$	75,394	$	87,102
Other liabilities	102,323		130,373
Total	$	177,717	$	217,475

XML

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired - Amortization Expense (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Amortization expense
Amortization expense related to other intangibles acquired	$ 7,100	$ 8,100	$ 8,200
Amortization expense for the next five years
2012	4,800
2013	1,600
2014	600
2015	350
2016	$ 270

XML

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011 Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Equipment [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Minimum			10	3
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Maximum			40	30
Self Insurance Reserve	$ 52	$ 63

XML

Pension Benefits - Reconciliation of Significant Observable Inputs (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011 Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 27, 2009 Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Assets Sold [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Assets Sold [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Real Estate Funds [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Real Estate Funds [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Real Estate Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Real Estate Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 27, 2009 Real Estate Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Real Estate Funds [Member] Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Real Estate Funds [Member] Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Real Estate Funds [Member] Assets Sold [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Real Estate Funds [Member] Assets Sold [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Private Equity Funds [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Private Equity Funds [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Private Equity Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Private Equity Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 27, 2009 Private Equity Funds [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Private Equity Funds [Member] Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Private Equity Funds [Member] Assets Still Held [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Private Equity Funds [Member] Assets Sold [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Private Equity Funds [Member] Assets Sold [Member]
Pension Benefits
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	$ 1,459,372	$ 1,376,488	$ 37,393	$ 68,658	$ 54,502						$ 37,471	$ 0	$ 37,471	$ 33,938					$ 37,393	$ 31,187	$ 37,393	$ 31,187	$ 20,564
Actual gain on plan assets still held and sold during the period						4,021	8,036	541	0						0	3,533	541	0						4,021	4,503	0	0
Capital contribution	5,196	6,120								0	0								5,196	6,120
Sales of assets	$ (41,023)	$ 0								$ (38,012)	$ 0								$ (3,011)	$ 0

XML

Investments in Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Current assets	$ 262,203				$ 272,672				$ 262,203	$ 272,672
Non-current assets	1,405,110				1,421,083				1,405,110	1,421,083
Total assets	1,667,313				1,693,755				1,667,313	1,693,755
Current liabilities	551,105				426,020				551,105	426,020
Non-current liabilities	518,723				613,971				518,723	613,971
Total liabilities	1,069,828				1,039,991				1,069,828	1,039,991
Noncontrolling interest	74,555				73,161				74,555	73,161
Equity	522,930				580,603				522,930	580,603
Total liabilities & equity	1,667,313				1,693,755				1,667,313	1,693,755
Revenue	1,203,537									936,223	844,950
Cost and expenses	1,203,181									850,950	739,289
Operating (loss)/profit	356									85,273	105,661
Other income/(loss)	(10,014)									14,724	5,418
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(9,658)									99,997	111,079
Income tax expense/(benefit)	(25,004)									(111)	932
Net (loss)/income	15,346									100,108	110,147
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23,517)									(23,725)	(20,631)
Net (loss)/income less noncontrolling interest	(8,171)									76,383	89,516
Proceeds from sale of investments		117,000							(117,966)	(9,254)	1,338
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party									34,000	33,000	39,000
Income from joint ventures	4,054	(1,068)	2,791	(5,749)	(3,236)	5,482	7,678	9,111	28	19,035	20,667
Gain on sale of investments	0	65,273	0	5,898	0	0	9,128	0	71,171	9,128	0
Units sold in Fenway Sports Group		390					50
Units owned in Fenway Sports Group after sale		310
Metro Boston LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	49.00%								49.00%
Donohue Malbaie Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	49.00%								49.00%
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions									0	0	2,800
Madison Paper Industries [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	40.00%								40.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	10.00%								10.00%
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions									0	5,300	0
Income from joint ventures								12,700
Gain on Sale at Madison Paper Industries Net of Non Controlling Interest [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Income from joint ventures								$ 10,200
Madison Paper Industries Owned Consolidated Subsidiary [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	80.00%								80.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	20.00%								20.00%
quadrantONE LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	25.00%								25.00%
Fenway Sports Group [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	7.30%								7.30%
Fenway Sports Group Ownership In New England Sports Network [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	80.00%								80.00%
Fenway Sports Group Ownership In Roush Fenway Racing [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%								50.00%

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Effect of One Percentage-Point Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011
Other Postretirement Benefits
Effect on total service and interest cost (increase)	$ 386
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (decrease)	4,618
Effect on total service and interest cost (decrease)	336
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation ( increase)	$ 5,227

XML

Subsequent Events (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Schedule of Subsequent Events [Table Text Block]

The results of operations for the Regional Media Group and the estimated carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the sale are summarized in the following charts.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	259,945		$	276,659	$	296,923
Production costs and selling, general and administrative costs	223,367			236,699		257,710
Depreciation and amortization	11,665			12,655		14,893
Total operating costs	235,032			249,354		272,603
Impairment of assets	152,093			—		—
Gain on sale of assets	—			—		5,198
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(127,180		)	27,305		29,518
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(10,879		)	10,783		13,122
Net (loss)/income	$	(116,301	)	$	16,522	$	16,396

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Accounts receivable, net	$	26,550	$	27,417
Property, plant and equipment, net	146,287		157,603
Goodwill	—		152,093
Other assets	5,344		7,299
Total assets	178,181		344,412
Total liabilities	19,568		22,016
Net assets	$	158,613	$	322,396

XML

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of goodwill balances and changes by reportable segment

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill in 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

(In thousands)	News Media Group			About Group			Total
Balance as of December 27, 2009
Goodwill	$	1,087,436		$	369,978		$	1,457,414
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 27, 2009	282,218			369,978			652,196
Foreign currency translation	(7,732		)	—			(7,732		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010
Goodwill	1,079,704			369,978			1,449,682
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010	274,486			369,978			644,464
Goodwill impaired during year	(152,093		)	—			(152,093		)
Goodwill disposed during year	(300		)	(2,702		)	(3,002		)
Foreign currency translation	(475		)	—			(475		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011
Goodwill	1,078,929			367,276			1,446,205
Accumulated impairment losses	(957,311		)	—			(957,311		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011	$	121,618		$	367,276		$	488,894

The table above includes goodwill impaired during 2011 (see Note 5). Goodwill disposed of during 2011 was related to the sales of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group, and Baseline, which was part of the News Media Group. The foreign currency translation line item reflects changes in goodwill resulting from fluctuating exchange rates related to the consolidation of the International Herald Tribune (“IHT”).

Schedule of intangible assets acquired

Other intangible assets acquired were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010
(In thousands, except years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)
Amortized other intangible assets:
Content	$	21,384	$	(18,133	)	$	3,251	1	$	25,712	$	(16,510	)	$	9,202	7
Customer lists	24,495		(21,842		)	2,653		2	28,316		(21,281		)	7,035		6
Other	33,074		(31,248		)	1,826		4	36,390		(31,592		)	4,798		3
Total	78,953		(71,223		)	7,730			90,418		(69,383		)	21,035
Unamortized other intangible assets:
Trade names						9,885								14,380
Total other intangible assets acquired						$	17,615							$	35,415

The table above includes the foreign currency translation adjustment related to the consolidation of the IHT. In addition, the table above includes other intangible assets impaired during the second and fourth quarters of 2011 (see Note 5) and disposed of during the first quarter of 2011 related to the sale of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group.

Schedule of intangible assets, future amortization expense

Amortization expense for the next five years related to these intangible assets is expected to be as follows:

(In thousands)
Year	Amount
2012	$	4,800
2013	1,600
2014	600
2015	350
2016	270

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments (Details) (Postretirement Plans [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011
Postretirement Plans [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
2012	$ 10,601
2013	10,484
2014	10,177
2015	9,875
2016	9,529
2017-2020	$ 41,712

XML

Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Components of Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Other Postretirement Benefits
Service cost	$ 13,739	$ 13,941
Interest cost	113,284	116,125
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
Service cost	1,143	1,076	1,551
Interest cost	6,890	9,340	10,355
Recognized actuarial loss	2,289	3,129	2,014
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	(16,593)	(15,602)	(14,902)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	$ (6,271)	$ (2,057)	$ (982)

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Stock-Based Awards - Stock Options (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011 Years	Dec. 26, 2010 Years	Dec. 27, 2009
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Options outstanding, beginning of period	21,414,000
Outstanding weighted average exercise price, beginning of period	$ 33
Outstanding weighted average remaining contractual term, beginning of period	4
Outstanding aggregate intrinsic value, beginning of period	$ 10,629
Options granted	856,000
Options granted weighted average exercise price	$ 10
Options exercised	(100,200)	(257,600)	(118,400)
Options exercised weighted average exercise price	$ 4
Options forfeited or expired	(4,670,000)
Options forfeited or expired weighted average exercise price	$ 41
Options outstanding, end of period	17,500,000	21,414,000
Outstanding weighted average exercise price, end of period	$ 30	$ 33
Outstanding weighted average remaining contractual term, end of period	4	4
Outstanding aggregate intrinsic value, end of period	6,522	10,629
Options expected to vest	17,478,000
Options expected to vest weighted average exercise price	$ 30
Options expected to vest weighted average remaining contractual term	4
Options expected to vest aggregate intrinsic value	6,522
Options exercisable	15,207,000
Options exercisable weighted average exercise price	$ 33
Options exercisable weighted average remaining contractual term	3
Optiones exercisable aggregate intrinsic value	4,262
Total intrinsic value excercised	$ 600	$ 1,700	$ 500
Employee Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum term of stock options	10 years	10 years	10 years
Vesting period	3 years	3 years	3 years
Non-Employee Director Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum term of stock options	10 years	10 years	10 years
Vesting period	1 year	1 year	1 year

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Debt Obligations - Interest Expense, Net (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Cash interest expense	$ 79,187	$ 79,349	$ 78,606
Non-cash amortization of discount on debt	6,933	7,251	6,084
Capitalized interest	(427)	(299)	(1,566)
Interest income	(450)	(1,239)	(1,423)
Total interest expense, net	$ 85,243	$ 85,062	$ 81,701

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Assumptions Used (Details) (Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member])	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
Discount rate used to calculate net periodic benefit cost	5.14%	5.92%	6.67%
Discount rate used to calculate benefit obligation	4.64%	5.35%
Estimated increase in compensation level used to calculate benefit obligation	3.50%	3.50%
Estimated increase in compensation level use to calculate net periodic benefit cost	3.50%	3.50%	3.50%

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Income Taxes - Other Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax benefits related to exercise or vesting of equity awards	$ 1,600	$ 2,100	$ 1,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	370,000	280,000
Total amount of unrecognized tax benefit	31,000	36,000
Total amount of accrued interest and penalties	16,000	18,000
Net benefit of accrued interest and penalties	1,400	6,300	4,400
Total amount of unrecognized tax benefit which may be recognized in the next twelve months that would impact the effective tax rate	$ 19,000

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Other Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Other Liabilities [Abstract]
Deferred compensation	$ 75,394	$ 87,102
Other liabilities, noncurrent	102,323	130,373
Total other liabilities	177,717	217,475
Deferred compensation plan assets	$ 75,400	$ 88,600

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Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 27, 2009 WQXR-FM [Member]
Discontinued operations
Revenues						$ 0	$ 5,062
Production cost and selling, general and administrative costs						0	7,082
Pre-tax (loss)/income						0	(2,020)
Income tax (benefit)/expense						0	(864)
Discontinued operations						0	(1,156)
Pre-tax gain from sale of WQXR-FM					0	16	34,914
Income tax expense/(benefit)						3	15,426
Gain on sale, net of income taxes					0	13	19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	(224)	237	0	0	13	18,332
Proceeds from the sale of Radio Operations					$ 0	$ 0	$ 45,424	$ 45,000

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Schedule of Health Care Cost Trend Rates (Details) (Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member])	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
Health care cost trend rate assumed next year	7.33%	7.75%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.00%	5.00%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2019	2019

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Pension Benefits - Contributions and Expected Benefit Payments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011
Pension Benefits
Pension contributions in current year	$ 151,000
Contributions to New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
Estimated future employer contributions in next fiscal year	45,000
Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
2012	95,978
2013	97,043
2014	98,806
2015	103,391
2016	106,758
2017-2021	594,463
Non-Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
2012	19,858
2013	18,860
2014	18,917
2015	19,583
2016	20,407
2017-2021	101,577
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
2012	115,836
2013	115,903
2014	117,723
2015	122,974
2016	127,165
2017-2021	$ 696,040

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Stockholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

Stockholders’ Equity

Shares of our Company’s Class A and Class B Common Stock are entitled to equal participation in the event of liquidation and in dividend declarations. The Class B Common Stock is convertible at the holders’ option on a share-for-share basis into Class A Common Stock. Upon conversion, the previously outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock are automatically and immediately retired, resulting in a reduction of authorized Class B Common Stock. As provided for in our Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, the Class A Common Stock has limited voting rights, including the right to elect 30% of the Board of Directors, and the Class A and Class B Common Stock have the right to vote together on the reservation of our Company shares for stock options and other stock-based plans, on the ratification of the selection of a registered public accounting firm and, in certain circumstances, on acquisitions of the stock or assets of other companies. Otherwise, except as provided by the laws of the State of New York, all voting power is vested solely and exclusively in the holders of the Class B Common Stock.

The Adolph Ochs family trust holds approximately 90% of the Class B Common Stock and, as a result, has the ability to elect 70% of the Board of Directors and to direct the outcome of any matter that does not require a vote of the Class A Common Stock.

We can repurchase Class A Common Stock under our stock repurchase program from time to time either in the open market or through private transactions. These repurchases may be suspended from time to time or discontinued. In 2011 and 2010, we did not repurchase any shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to our stock repurchase program.

We may issue preferred stock in one or more series. The Board of Directors is authorized to set the distinguishing characteristics of each series of preferred stock prior to issuance, including the granting of limited or full voting rights; however, the consideration received must be at least $100 per share. No shares of preferred stock were issued or outstanding as of December 25, 2011.

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Inventories (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Newsprint and magazine paper	$ 16,927	$ 12,596
Other inventory	4,160	3,536
Inventories	21,087	16,132
Percentage of LIFO Inventory	71.00%	66.00%
Excess of Replacement or Current Costs over Stated LIFO Value	$ 5,000	$ 5,000

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Earnings/(Loss) Per Share (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]

Basic and diluted earnings/(loss) per share were as follows:

(In thousands, except per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(39,669	)	$	107,691	$	1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13		18,332
Net (loss)/income	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704	$	19,891
Average number of common shares outstanding – Basic	147,190			145,636		144,188
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities	—			6,964		2,179
Average number of common shares outstanding – Diluted	147,190			152,600		146,367
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Basic	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.14
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Diluted	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.14

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Changes in the Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets and Other Amounts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Other Postretirement Benefits
Benefit obligation	$ 2,263,562	$ 2,077,368	$ 1,901,846
Employer contributions	167,809	193,289
Service cost	13,739	13,941
Interest cost	113,284	116,125
Plan participants’ contributions	34	32
Actuarial loss	165,807	157,092
Benefits paid	(106,637)	(110,262)
Fair value of plan assets	1,464,729	1,381,811	1,150,915
Current liabilities	18,784	16,436
Noncurrent liabilities	780,049	679,121
Net amount recognized	(798,833)	(695,557)
Actuarial loss	(1,003,344)	(776,432)
Prior service cost	(1,959)	(2,762)
Total amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss	1,005,303	779,194
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
Benefit obligation	113,803	142,417	164,811
Employer contributions	14,371	15,945
Service cost	1,143	1,076	1,551
Interest cost	6,890	9,340	10,355
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659	4,569
Actuarial loss	13,436	(16,865)
Plan amendments	(35,712)	0
Benefits paid	(20,247)	(21,438)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217	924
Fair value of plan assets	0	0	0
Current liabilities	(9,611)	(11,794)
Noncurrent liabilities	(104,192)	(130,623)
Net amount recognized	(113,803)	(142,417)
Actuarial loss	43,114	31,967
Prior service cost	(136,469)	(117,350)
Total amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ (93,355)	$ (85,383)

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Segment Information - Disclosure (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of daily newspapers at regional media group	16
Depreciation and amortization	$ 116,454	$ 120,950	$ 133,696
Capital expenditures	44,527	34,696	45,440
Assets	2,883,450	3,285,741	3,088,557
Investments in joint ventures	82,019	134,641	131,357
News Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	105,934	109,341	122,609
Capital expenditures	34,576	26,417	38,136
Assets	1,619,950	1,869,798	1,993,482
About Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	10,520	11,609	11,087
Capital expenditures	4,809	4,856	4,339
Assets	417,321	429,509	437,597
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	5,142	3,423	2,965
Assets	764,160	851,793	526,066
WQXR-FM [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
WQXR-FM - Discontinued Operation	$ 0	$ 0	$ 55

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Pension Benefits (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]

Pension Benefits

Schedule of Components of Net Periodic Pension Benefit Cost

The components of net periodic pension cost/(income) were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010								December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans
Service cost	$	12,079		$	1,660	$	13,739		$	12,045		$	1,896	$	13,941		$	28,266		$	1,687	$	29,953
Interest cost	99,991			13,293		113,284			102,523			13,602		116,125			102,757			14,431		117,188
Expected return on plan assets	(111,813		)	—		(111,813		)	(113,625		)	—		(113,625		)	(113,359		)	—		(113,359		)
Recognized actuarial loss	25,781			3,214		28,995			16,496			4,103		20,599			21,901			4,061		25,962
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	803			—		803			803			—		803			(4,728		)	562		(4,166		)
Curtailment (gain)/loss	—			—		—			—			—		—			(58,283		)	4,318		(53,965		)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	$	26,841		$	18,167	$	45,008		$	18,242		$	19,601	$	37,843		$	(23,446	)	$	25,059	$	1,613

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plan Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	255,907		$	122,879		$	(69,416	)
Prior service cost	—			—			2,115
Amortization of loss	(28,995		)	(20,599		)	(25,962		)
Amortization of prior service (cost)/credit	(803		)	(803		)	4,166
Effect of curtailment	—			(1,083		)	(2,375		)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	226,109			100,394			(91,472		)
Net periodic pension cost	45,008			37,843			1,613
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income/loss	$	271,117		$	138,237		$	(89,859	)

Schedule of Changes in Projected Benefit Obligations and Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

	December 25, 2011									December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	1,823,625		$	253,743		$	2,077,368		$	1,671,244		$	230,602		$	1,901,846
Service cost	12,079			1,660			13,739			12,045			1,896			13,941
Interest cost	99,991			13,293			113,284			102,523			13,602			116,125
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Actuarial loss	140,186			25,621			165,807			131,759			25,333			157,092
Curtailments	—			—			—			(1,083		)	—			(1,083		)
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Effects of change in currency conversion	—			(33		)	(33		)	—			(323		)	(323		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	1,986,502			277,060			2,263,562			1,823,625			253,743			2,077,368
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	1,381,811			—			1,381,811			1,150,915			—			1,150,915
Actual return on plan assets	21,712			—			21,712			147,837			—			147,837
Employer contributions	150,585			17,224			167,809			175,922			17,367			193,289
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,464,729			—			1,464,729			1,381,811			—			1,381,811
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	—		$	(18,784	)	$	(18,784	)	$	—		$	(16,436	)	$	(16,436	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(521,773		)	(258,276		)	(780,049		)	(441,814		)	(237,307		)	(679,121		)
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	904,214		$	99,130		$	1,003,344		$	699,709		$	76,723		$	776,432
Prior service cost	1,959			—			1,959			2,762			—			2,762
Total	$	906,173		$	99,130		$	1,005,303		$	702,471		$	76,723		$	779,194

The accumulated benefit obligation for all pension plans was $2.22 billion and $2.04 billion as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, respectively.

Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Projected benefit obligation	$	2,263,562	$	2,077,368
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	2,223,755	$	2,035,644
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,464,729	$	1,381,811

Schedule of Assumptions Used [Table Text Block]

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for qualified pension plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	5.05	%	5.60	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.00	%	4.00	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.60	%	6.30	%	6.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	4.00	%	4.00	%	3.50	%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets	8.25	%	8.75	%	8.75	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.80	%	5.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for the non-qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.45	%	6.00	%	6.55	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

We determined our discount rate using a Ryan ALM, Inc. Curve (the “Ryan Curve”). The Ryan Curve provides the bonds included in the curve and allows adjustments for certain outliers (e.g., bonds on “watch”). We believe the Ryan Curve allows us to calculate an appropriate discount rate.

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Table Text Block]

The fair value of the assets underlying our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans and The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan by asset category are as follows:

	Fair Value Measurement at December 25, 2011
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	173,988	$	—	$	—	$	173,988
International Equities	74,426		—		—		74,426
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		714,300		—		714,300
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		266,510		—		266,510
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		98,531		—		98,531
Insurance Contracts	—		31,847		—		31,847
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		16,850		—		16,850
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		15,394		—		15,394
Other	—		7,268		—		7,268
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		22,865		—		22,865
Private Equity	—		—		37,393		37,393
Assets at Fair Value	$	248,414	$	1,173,565	$	37,393	$	1,459,372
Other Assets							5,357
Total							$	1,464,729

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

	Fair Value Measurement at December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	191,559	$	—	$	—	$	191,559
International Equities	95,880		—		—		95,880
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		570,244		—		570,244
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		309,223		—		309,223
Insurance Contracts	—		55,235		—		55,235
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		35,924		—		35,924
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		19,799		—		19,799
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		12,551		—		12,551
Other	—		8,208		—		8,208
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		9,207		—		9,207
Real Estate	—		—		37,471		37,471
Private Equity	—		—		31,187		31,187
Assets at Fair Value	$	287,439	$	1,020,391	$	68,658	$	1,376,488
Other Assets							5,323
Total							$	1,381,811

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 25, 2011 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate			Private Equity			Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	37,471		$	31,187		$	68,658
Actual gain on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	—			4,021			4,021
Related to assets sold during the period	541			—			541
Capital contribution	—			5,196			5,196
Sales	(38,012		)	(3,011		)	(41,023		)
Balance at end of year	$	—		$	37,393		$	37,393

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 26, 2010 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate		Private Equity		Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	33,938	$	20,564	$	54,502
Actual loss on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	3,533		4,503		8,036
Related to assets sold during the period	—		—		—
Capital contribution	—		6,120		6,120
Sales	—		—		—
Balance at end of year	$	37,471	$	31,187	$	68,658

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]

The following benefit payments under our pension plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

	Plans
(In thousands)	Qualified		Non- Qualified		Total
2012	$	95,978	$	19,858	$	115,836
2013	97,043		18,860		115,903
2014	98,806		18,917		117,723
2015	103,391		19,583		122,974
2016	106,758		20,407		127,165
2017-2021	594,463		101,577		696,040

Schedule of Multi Employer Plans [Table Text Block]

Our participation in significant plans for the fiscal period ended December 25, 2011, is outlined in the table below. The “EIN/Pension Plan Number” column provides the Employer Identification Number (“EIN”) and the three digit plan number. The zone status is based on the latest information that we received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than 65 percent funded, plans in the yellow zone are less than 80 percent funded, and plans in the green zone are at least 80 percent funded. The “FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented” column indicates plans for which a financial improvement plan (“FIP”) or a rehabilitation plan (“RP”) is either pending or has been implemented. The “Surcharge Imposed” column includes plans in a red zone status that are required to pay a surcharge in excess of regular contributions. The last column lists the expiration date(s) of the collective bargaining agreement(s) to which the plans are subject.

	EIN/Pension Plan Number	Pension Protection Act Zone Status		FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	(In thousands)Contributions of the Company						Surcharge Imposed	Collective Bargaining Agreement Expiration Date
Pension Fund		2011	2010		2011		2010		2009
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	13-6212879-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	$	776	$	862	$	1,417	Yes	3/30/2011 & 3/30/2016	(1) (2)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6122251-001	Green as of 5/31/12	Yellow as of 5/31/11	No	1,298		1,242		1,475		No	3/30/2020	(3)
GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan	91-6024903-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	116		116		433		No	11/30/2016 & 3/30/2017	(2) (4)
Pressmen's Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6121627-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	1,113		1,132		1,335		No	3/30/2017	(3)
New England Teamsters & Trucking Industry Pension	04-6372430-001	Red as of 9/30/12	Red as of 9/30/11	Yes	46		205		1,380		No	12/31/2015	(2)
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6104795-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	153		151		202		No	3/30/2014	(3)
	Contributions for individually significant plans				$	3,502	$	3,708	$	6,242
	Contributions to other multiemployer plans				2,250		2,127		3,385
	Total Contributions				$	5,752	$	5,835	$	9,627

(1) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 220 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expired on March 30, 2011. A new agreement is currently being negotiated.

(2) In 2009, employees of the Globe represented by various unions ratified amendments to their collective bargaining agreements that allowed us to partially withdraw from these plans. These actions resulted in lower contributions to these plans in years after 2009.

(3) Board of Trustees elected funding relief as allowed under the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010.

(4) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 40 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expires on March 30, 2017.

The rehabilitation plan for the GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan includes minimum annual contributions no less than the total annual contribution made by us from September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009.

The Company was listed in its plans’ Forms 5500 as providing more than 5% of the total contributions for the following plans and plan years:

Pension Fund	Year Contributions to Plan Exceeded More Than 5 Percent of Total Contributions (as of Plan's Year-End)
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	12/31/2010 & 12/31/2009(1)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	5/31/2010 & 5/31/2009(1)
Pressmen's Publisher's Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009

(1) Form 5500 for the plan year 12/31/11 and 5/31/11 was not available as of the date we filed our financial statements.

New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member]

Pension Benefits

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

The following asset allocations guidelines apply to the assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	50%	-	60	%
International Equities	5%	-	15	%
Total Equity	50%	-	75	%
Fixed Income	25%	-	45	%

The specified target allocation of assets and ranges set forth above are maintained and reviewed on a regular basis by the Trustees. If any strategic target allocation is outside the specified target asset allocation range, assets shall be shifted, in a prudent manner and over a reasonable time period, to return the strategy to within the target range. The Trustees have the responsibility for taking the necessary actions to rebalance The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan within the established targets.

The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan’s weighted-average asset allocations by asset category, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	56	%
International Equities	8	%
Total Equity	64	%
Fixed Income	29	%
Cash Equivalents	7	%

Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member]

Pension Benefits

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

The following asset allocation guidelines apply to the Return-Seeking Assets:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	55%	-	70	%
International Equities	20%	-	30	%
Total Equity	75%	-	95	%
Fixed Income	0%	-	5	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Equity Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Cash Reserves	0%	-	5	%

The weighted-average asset allocations of our Company-sponsored pension plans by asset category for both Long Duration and Return-Seeking Assets, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	43	%
International Equities	17	%
Total Equity	60	%
Fixed Income	37	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0	%
Equity Alternative Investments	3	%
Cash Reserves	0	%

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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired - Goodwill (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		$ 1,449,682	$ 1,457,414
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		(805,218)	(805,218)
Goodwill, beginning balance		644,464	652,196
Foreign currency translation		(475)	(7,732)
Goodwill disposed of during year		(3,002)
Impairment of assets, goodwill	(152,093)	(152,093)
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		1,446,205	1,449,682
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		(957,311)	(805,218)
Goodwill, ending balance		488,894	644,464
News Media Group [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		1,079,704	1,087,436
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		(805,218)	(805,218)
Goodwill, beginning balance		274,486	282,218
Foreign currency translation		(475)	(7,732)
Goodwill disposed of during year		(300)
Impairment of assets, goodwill		152,093
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		1,078,929	1,079,704
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		(957,311)	(805,218)
Goodwill, ending balance		121,618	274,486
About Group [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		369,978	369,978
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		0	0
Goodwill, beginning balance		369,978	369,978
Foreign currency translation		0	0
Goodwill disposed of during year		(2,702)
Impairment of assets, goodwill		0
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		367,276	369,978
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		0	0
Goodwill, ending balance		$ 367,276	$ 369,978

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Pension Benefits - Schedule of Assumptions Used (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Discount rate used to calculate net periodic benefit cost	5.60%	6.30%	6.45%
Discount rate used to calculate benefit obligation	5.05%	5.60%
Estimated increase in compensation level used to calculate benefit obligation	3.00%	4.00%
Estimated increase in compensation level use to calculate net periodic benefit cost	4.00%	4.00%	3.50%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets	8.25%	8.75%	8.75%
Non-Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Discount rate used to calculate net periodic benefit cost	5.50%	6.00%	6.60%
Discount rate used to calculate benefit obligation	4.80%	5.45%
Estimated increase in compensation level used to calculate benefit obligation	3.50%	3.50%
Estimated increase in compensation level use to calculate net periodic benefit cost	3.50%	3.50%	3.50%

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Other (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Component of Operating Other Cost and Expense [Line Items]
Severance costs										$ 13,600	$ 6,800	$ 53,900
Severance liability	13,100				11,100					13,100	11,100
Gain on sale of investments	0	65,273	0	5,898	0	0	9,128	0		71,171	9,128	0
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500	0	0	0					3,500	4,500	0	34,633
Gain/(loss) on sale of properties												5,198
City and Suburban Closure [Member]
Component of Operating Other Cost and Expense [Line Items]
Loss on leases and other expenses												22,800
New York Times Media Group [Member]
Component of Operating Other Cost and Expense [Line Items]
Loss on leases and other expenses												$ 8,300

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Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block]

	2011 Quarters
	March 27, 2011			June 26, 2011			September 25, 2011			December 25, 2011		Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	566,504		$	576,702		$	537,235		$	642,960	$	2,323,401
Operating costs	535,430			525,233			504,190			528,679		2,093,532
Impairment of assets(1)	—			161,318			—			3,116		164,434
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			4,228			—			—		4,228
Other expense(3)	—			—			—			4,500		4,500
Operating profit/(loss)	31,074			(114,077		)	33,045			106,665		56,707
Gain on sale of investments(4)	5,898			—			65,273			—		71,171
(Loss)/income from joint ventures	(5,749		)	2,791			(1,068		)	4,054		28
Premium on debt redemption(5)	—			—			46,381			—		46,381
Interest expense, net	24,591			25,152			20,039			15,461		85,243
Income/(loss) before income taxes	6,632			(136,438		)	30,830			95,258		(3,718		)
Income tax expense/(benefit)	1,406			(16,615		)	15,362			36,353		36,506
Net income/(loss)	5,226			(119,823		)	15,468			58,905		(40,224		)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	193			105			217			40		555
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	5,419		$	(119,718	)	$	15,685		$	58,945	$	(39,669	)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	146,777			147,176			147,355			147,451		147,190
Diluted	153,760			147,176			151,293			149,887		147,190
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Basic	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.11		$	0.40	$	(0.27	)
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Diluted	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.10		$	0.39	$	(0.27	)

(1) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $161.3 million charge for the impairment of assets at the News Media Group, consisting of $152.1 million related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and $9.2 million related to certain assets held for sale primarily of Baseline. In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $3.1 million charge for the impairment of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc., which is part of the About Group.

(2) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.2 million estimated charge for our pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe.

(3) In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer.

(4) In the first quarter of 2011, we recorded a $5.9 million gain from the sale of a portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator. In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $65.3 million gain from the sale of 390 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(5) In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $46.4 million charge in connection with the prepayment of our $250.0 million14.053% Notes.

As described in Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, WQXR-FM’s results of operations have been presented as discontinued operations.

	2010 Quarters
	March 28, 2010			June 27, 2010		September 26, 2010			December 26, 2010			Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	587,867		$	589,587	$	554,333		$	661,676		$	2,393,463
Operating costs	535,209			528,762		522,924			550,032			2,136,927
Impairment of assets(1)	—			—		16,148			—			16,148
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			—		6,268			—			6,268
Operating profit	52,658			60,825		8,993			111,644			234,120
Gain on sale of investment(3)	—			9,128		—			—			9,128
Income/(loss) from joint ventures(4)	9,111			7,678		5,482			(3,236		)	19,035
Interest expense, net	20,584			20,614		20,627			23,237			85,062
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	41,185			57,017		(6,152		)	85,171			177,221
Income tax expense/(benefit)(5)	27,027			25,435		(2,018		)	18,072			68,516
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	14,158			31,582		(4,134		)	67,099			108,705
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	14,158			31,819		(4,358		)	67,099			108,718
Net (income)/loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(1,365		)	214		97			40			(1,014		)
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	12,793		$	31,796	$	(4,037	)	$	67,139		$	107,691
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	145,195			145,601		145,803			145,947			145,636
Diluted	153,924			152,962		145,803			151,048			152,600
Basic earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71

(1) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe's printing facility in Billerica, Mass.

(2) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe.

(3) In the second quarter of 2010, we recorded a $9.1 million gain from the sale of 50 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(4) In the first quarter of 2010, we recorded a $12.7 million gain from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills in which we have an investment. Our share of the gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million.

(5) In the first and fourth quarters of 2010, we recorded $10.9 million and $0.5 million, respectively, related to tax charges for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health care reform legislation enacted in 2010.

Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the quarters do not necessarily equal the respective year-end amounts for earnings or loss per share due to the weighted-average number of shares outstanding used in the computations for the respective periods. Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the respective quarters and years have been computed using the average number of common shares outstanding.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of 3 months or less to be cash equivalents.

Short-Term Investments

We have the intention and ability to hold our short-term investments to maturity. These investments are classified as held-to-maturity and are reported at amortized cost. The changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounts Receivable

Credit is extended to our advertisers and our subscribers based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, and collateral is not required from such customers. Allowances for estimated credit losses, rebates, returns, rate adjustments and discounts are generally established based on historical experience.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or current market value. Inventory cost is generally based on the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for newsprint and the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method for other inventories.

Investments

Investments in which we have at least a 20%, but not more than a 50%, interest are generally accounted for under the equity method. Investment interests below 20% are generally accounted for under the cost method, except if we could exercise significant influence, the investment would be accounted for under the equity method. We have an investment interest below 20% in Fenway Sports Group, which is accounted for under the equity method (see Notes 7 and 21).

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed by the straight-line method over the shorter of estimated asset service lives or lease terms as follows: buildings, building equipment and improvements – 10 to 40 years; equipment – 3 to 30 years. We capitalize interest costs and certain staffing costs as part of the cost of major projects.

We evaluate whether there has been an impairment of long-lived assets, primarily property, plant and equipment, if certain circumstances indicate that a possible impairment may exist. These assets are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Acquired

Goodwill is the excess of cost over the fair value of tangible and other intangible net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our annual impairment testing date is the first day of our fiscal fourth quarter.

Other intangible assets acquired consist primarily of trade names on various acquired properties, content, customer lists and other assets. Other intangible assets acquired that have indefinite lives (trade names) are not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Certain other intangible assets acquired (content, customer lists and other assets) are amortized over their estimated useful lives and tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate an impairment may exist.

We test for goodwill impairment at the reporting unit level, which are our operating segments. Separate financial information about these segments is regularly evaluated by our chief operating decision-maker in deciding how to allocate resources. We first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment two-step test.

If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, in the first step, we compare the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Fair value is calculated by a combination of a discounted cash flow model and a market approach model. In calculating fair value for each reporting unit, we generally weigh the results of the discounted cash flow model more heavily than the market approach because the discounted cash flow model is specific to our business and long-term projections. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step must be performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. In the second step, we compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. An impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill.

The discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgments, estimates and assumptions, many of which are interdependent, about future revenues, operating margins, growth rates, capital expenditures, working capital and discount rates. The starting point for the assumptions used in our discounted cash flow analysis is the annual long-range financial forecast. The annual planning process that we undertake to prepare the long-range financial forecast takes into consideration a multitude of factors, including historical growth rates and operating performance, related industry trends, macroeconomic conditions, and marketplace data, among others. Assumptions are also made for perpetual growth rates for periods beyond the long-range financial forecast period. Our estimates of fair value are sensitive to changes in all of these variables, certain of which relate to broader macroeconomic conditions outside our control.

The market approach analysis includes applying a multiple, based on comparable market transactions, to certain operating metrics of the reporting unit.

We compare the sum of the fair values of our reporting units to our market capitalization to determine whether our estimates of reporting unit fair value are reasonable.

Intangible assets that are not amortized (trade names) are tested for impairment at the asset level by comparing the fair value of the asset with its carrying amount. Fair value is calculated as the discounted cash flows utilizing the relief-from-royalty method. This method is based on applying a royalty rate, which would be obtained through a lease, to the cash flows derived from the asset being tested. The royalty rate is derived from market data. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the asset is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over the fair value of the asset.

All other long-lived assets (intangible assets that are amortized, such as content and customer lists) are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of goodwill, other intangible assets acquired and other long-lived assets are estimated future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, as well as other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated results of the impairment tests can vary within a range of outcomes.

In addition to annual testing, management uses certain indicators to evaluate whether the carrying values of its long-lived assets may not be recoverable and an interim impairment test may be required. These indicators include (1) current-period operating or cash flow declines combined with a history of operating or cash flow declines or a projection/forecast that demonstrates continuing declines in the cash flow or the inability to improve our operations to forecasted levels, (2) a significant adverse change in the business climate, whether structural or technological and (3) a decline in our stock price and market capitalization.    

Management has applied what it believes to be the most appropriate valuation methodology for its impairment testing. See Note 5.

Self-Insurance

We self-insure for workers’ compensation costs, automobile and general liability claims, up to certain deductible limits, as well as for certain employee medical and disability benefits. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks are primarily calculated using actuarial methods. The liabilities include amounts for actual claims, claim growth and claims incurred but not yet reported. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks were approximately $52 million as of December 25, 2011 and $63 million as of December 26, 2010.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Our single-employer pension and other postretirement benefit costs are accounted for using actuarial valuations. We recognize the funded status of these plans – measured as the difference between plan assets, if funded, and the benefit obligation – on the balance sheet and recognize changes in the funded status that arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic pension cost, within other comprehensive income, net of income taxes. The assets related to our funded pension plans are measured at fair value.

We make significant subjective judgments about a number of actuarial assumptions, which include discount rates, health-care cost trend rates, long-term return on plan assets and mortality rates. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the impact from our pension and other postretirement benefits could vary within a range of outcomes and could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We also recognize the present value of pension liabilities associated with the withdrawal from multiemployer pension plans. We assess a liability for obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans as well as estimate obligations for future partial withdrawals that we consider probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability is not known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, we adjust the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

See Notes 11 and 12 for additional information regarding pension and other postretirement benefits.

Revenue Recognition

Advertising revenues are recognized when advertisements are published in newspapers or placed on digital platforms or, with respect to certain digital advertising, each time a user clicks on certain ads, net of provisions for estimated rebates, rate adjustments and discounts.

• We recognize a rebate obligation as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rebates that will be earned and claimed, related to the underlying revenue transactions during the period. Measurement of the rebate obligation is estimated based on the historical experience of the number of customers that ultimately earn and use the rebate.

• Rate adjustments primarily represent credits given to customers related to billing or production errors and discounts represent credits given to customers who pay an invoice prior to its due date. Rate adjustments and discounts are accounted for as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rate adjustments or discounts related to the underlying revenues during the period. Measurement of rate adjustments and discount obligations are estimated based on historical experience of credits actually issued.

Circulation revenues include single-copy and subscription revenues. Circulation revenues are based on the number of copies of the printed newspaper (through home-delivery subscriptions and single-copy sales) and digital subscriptions sold and the rates charged to the respective customers. Single-copy revenue is recognized based on date of publication, net of provisions for related returns. Proceeds from subscription revenues are deferred at the time of sale and are recognized in earnings on a pro rata basis over the terms of the subscriptions.

Other revenues are recognized when the related service or product has been delivered.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recognized for the following: (1) amount of taxes payable for the current year and (2) deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequence of events that have been recognized differently in the financial statements than for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established using statutory tax rates and are adjusted for tax rate changes in the period of enactment.

We assess whether our deferred tax assets should be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our process includes collecting positive (e.g., sources of taxable income) and negative (e.g., recent historical losses) evidence and assessing, based on the evidence, whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We recognize in our financial statements the impact of a tax position if that tax position is more likely than not of being sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the tax position. This involves the identification of potential uncertain tax positions, the evaluation of tax law and an assessment of whether a liability for uncertain tax positions is necessary. Different conclusions reached in this assessment can have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We operate within multiple taxing jurisdictions and are subject to audit in these jurisdictions. These audits can involve complex issues, which could require an extended period of time to resolve. Until formal resolutions are reached between us and the tax authorities, the timing and amount of a possible audit settlement for uncertain tax benefits is difficult to predict.

Stock-Based Compensation

We establish fair value for our stock-based awards to determine our cost and recognize the related expense over the appropriate vesting period. We recognize compensation expense for outstanding stock options, stock-settled restricted stock units, cash-settled restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, Common Stock under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and awards under a Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) (together, the “Stock-Based Awards”). See Note 17 for additional information related to stock-based compensation expense.

Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing net earnings/(loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings/(loss) per share is calculated similarly, except that it includes the dilutive effect of the assumed exercise of securities, including outstanding warrants and the effect of shares issuable under our Company’s stock-based incentive plans if such effect is dilutive.

Foreign Currency Translation

The assets and liabilities of foreign companies are translated at year-end exchange rates. Results of operations are translated at average rates of exchange in effect during the year. The resulting translation adjustment is included as a separate component in the Stockholders’ Equity section of our Consolidated Balance Sheets, in the caption “Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes.”

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) amended its guidance on goodwill impairment testing to reduce the cost and complexity of testing goodwill for impairment by providing the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test. The provisions of this new guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new guidance early when we conducted our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB amended its guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements to improve the comparability, consistency and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items that are recorded in other comprehensive income. The new accounting guidance requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. The provisions of this guidance are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB amended its guidance related to fair value measurements in order to align the definition of fair value measurements and the related disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. These amendments, which are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, also change certain existing fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

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Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, goodwill			$ 152,093						$ 152,093
Impairment of assets, other intangible assets									10,574
Impairment of assets, property, plant and equipment									1,767	16,148	4,179
Impairment of assets	3,116	0	161,318	0	0	16,148	0	0	164,434	16,148	4,179
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Goodwill, fair value disclosure	0								0
Other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), fair value disclosure	0								0
Property, plant, and equipment	0				0				0	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Goodwill, fair value disclosure	0								0
Other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), fair value disclosure	0								0
Property, plant, and equipment	0				0				0	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Goodwill, fair value disclosure	0								0
Other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), fair value disclosure	2,864								2,864
Property, plant, and equipment	0				4,838				0	4,838	0
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Goodwill, fair value disclosure	0								0
Other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), fair value disclosure	2,864								2,864
Property, plant, and equipment	$ 0				$ 4,838				$ 0	$ 4,838	$ 0

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Stock-Based Awards (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]

Changes in our Company’s stock options in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value $(000s)
Options outstanding at beginning of year	21,414		$	33	4	$	10,629
Granted	856		10
Exercised	(100	)	4
Forfeited/Expired	(4,670	)	41
Options outstanding at end of period	17,500		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options expected to vest at end of period	17,478		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options exercisable at end of period	15,207		$	33	3	$	4,262

The total intrinsic value for stock options exercised was $0.6 million in 2011, $1.7 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

The fair value of the stock options granted was estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes valuation model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected life (estimated period of time outstanding) of stock options granted was determined using the average of the vesting period and term, an acceptable method. Expected volatility was based on historical volatility for a period equal to the stock option’s expected life, ending on the date of grant, and calculated on a monthly basis. The fair value for stock options granted with different vesting periods are calculated separately.

	December 25, 2011						December 26, 2010						December 27, 2009
Term (In years)	10			10			10			10			10			10
Vesting (In years)	3			1			3			1			3			1
Risk-free interest rate	2.90		%	2.25		%	3.19		%	2.69		%	2.72		%	2.45		%
Expected life (In years)	6			5			6			5			6			5
Expected volatility	43.79		%	47.93		%	41.60		%	45.93		%	31.01		%	35.00		%
Expected dividend yield	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%
Weighted-average fair value	$	4.81		$	3.78		$	4.99		$	4.68		$	1.29		$	1.71

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock Units Award Activity [Table Text Block]

Changes in our Company’s stock-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	355		$	22
Granted	677		10
Vested	(345	)	21
Forfeited	(21	)	16
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at end of period	666		$	11
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	607		$	11

The intrinsic value of stock-settled restricted stock units vested was $3.3 million in 2011, $3.3 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

Schedule of Nonvested Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]

.

Changes in our cash-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	788		$	6
Granted	—		—
Vested	(9	)	7
Forfeited	(21	)	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at end of period	758		$	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	735		$	6

The intrinsic value of restricted stock units vested was $80,000 in 2011, $0.3 million in 2010 and $0.1 million in 2009.

Schedule of Common Stock Reserved For Issuance [Table Text Block]

Shares of Class A Common Stock reserved for issuance were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011	December 26, 2010
Stock options, stock–settled restricted stock units, retirement units and other awards
Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Available	6,771	8,252
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Available	6,410	7,013
401(k) Company stock match
Available	3,838	4,619
Total Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Total Available	17,019	19,884

In addition to the shares available in the table above, there were approximately 819,000 shares as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010 of Class B Common Stock available for conversion into shares of Class A Common Stock.

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Quarterly Information (Unaudited)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block]

QUARTERLY INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

	2011 Quarters
	March 27, 2011			June 26, 2011			September 25, 2011			December 25, 2011		Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	566,504		$	576,702		$	537,235		$	642,960	$	2,323,401
Operating costs	535,430			525,233			504,190			528,679		2,093,532
Impairment of assets(1)	—			161,318			—			3,116		164,434
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			4,228			—			—		4,228
Other expense(3)	—			—			—			4,500		4,500
Operating profit/(loss)	31,074			(114,077		)	33,045			106,665		56,707
Gain on sale of investments(4)	5,898			—			65,273			—		71,171
(Loss)/income from joint ventures	(5,749		)	2,791			(1,068		)	4,054		28
Premium on debt redemption(5)	—			—			46,381			—		46,381
Interest expense, net	24,591			25,152			20,039			15,461		85,243
Income/(loss) before income taxes	6,632			(136,438		)	30,830			95,258		(3,718		)
Income tax expense/(benefit)	1,406			(16,615		)	15,362			36,353		36,506
Net income/(loss)	5,226			(119,823		)	15,468			58,905		(40,224		)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	193			105			217			40		555
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	5,419		$	(119,718	)	$	15,685		$	58,945	$	(39,669	)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	146,777			147,176			147,355			147,451		147,190
Diluted	153,760			147,176			151,293			149,887		147,190
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Basic	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.11		$	0.40	$	(0.27	)
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders – Diluted	$	0.04		$	(0.81	)	$	0.10		$	0.39	$	(0.27	)

(1) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $161.3 million charge for the impairment of assets at the News Media Group, consisting of $152.1 million related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and $9.2 million related to certain assets held for sale primarily of Baseline. In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $3.1 million charge for the impairment of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc., which is part of the About Group.

(2) In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.2 million estimated charge for our pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe.

(3) In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer.

(4) In the first quarter of 2011, we recorded a $5.9 million gain from the sale of a portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator. In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $65.3 million gain from the sale of 390 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(5) In the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $46.4 million charge in connection with the prepayment of our $250.0 million14.053% Notes.

As described in Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, WQXR-FM’s results of operations have been presented as discontinued operations.

	2010 Quarters
	March 28, 2010			June 27, 2010		September 26, 2010			December 26, 2010			Full Year
(In thousands, except per share data)	(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)		(13 weeks)			(13 weeks)			(52 weeks)
Revenues	$	587,867		$	589,587	$	554,333		$	661,676		$	2,393,463
Operating costs	535,209			528,762		522,924			550,032			2,136,927
Impairment of assets(1)	—			—		16,148			—			16,148
Pension withdrawal expense(2)	—			—		6,268			—			6,268
Operating profit	52,658			60,825		8,993			111,644			234,120
Gain on sale of investment(3)	—			9,128		—			—			9,128
Income/(loss) from joint ventures(4)	9,111			7,678		5,482			(3,236		)	19,035
Interest expense, net	20,584			20,614		20,627			23,237			85,062
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	41,185			57,017		(6,152		)	85,171			177,221
Income tax expense/(benefit)(5)	27,027			25,435		(2,018		)	18,072			68,516
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	14,158			31,582		(4,134		)	67,099			108,705
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	14,158			31,819		(4,358		)	67,099			108,718
Net (income)/loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(1,365		)	214		97			40			(1,014		)
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	12,793		$	31,796	$	(4,037	)	$	67,139		$	107,691
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			237		(224		)	—			13
Net income/(loss)	$	12,793		$	32,033	$	(4,261	)	$	67,139		$	107,704
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	145,195			145,601		145,803			145,947			145,636
Diluted	153,924			152,962		145,803			151,048			152,600
Basic earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.09		$	0.22	$	(0.03	)	$	0.46		$	0.74
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.00			0.00			0.00
Net income/(loss)	$	0.08		$	0.21	$	(0.03	)	$	0.44		$	0.71

(1) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe's printing facility in Billerica, Mass.

(2) In the third quarter of 2010, we recorded a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe.

(3) In the second quarter of 2010, we recorded a $9.1 million gain from the sale of 50 units in Fenway Sports Group.

(4) In the first quarter of 2010, we recorded a $12.7 million gain from the sale of an asset at one of the paper mills in which we have an investment. Our share of the gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million.

(5) In the first and fourth quarters of 2010, we recorded $10.9 million and $0.5 million, respectively, related to tax charges for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health care reform legislation enacted in 2010.

Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the quarters do not necessarily equal the respective year-end amounts for earnings or loss per share due to the weighted-average number of shares outstanding used in the computations for the respective periods. Earnings/(loss) per share amounts for the respective quarters and years have been computed using the average number of common shares outstanding.

Our largest source of revenue is advertising. Our business has historically experienced higher advertising volume in the fourth quarter than the remaining quarters because of holiday advertising.

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Subsequent Events

3 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events

Fenway Sports Group

On February 3, 2012, we sold 100 of our units in Fenway Sports Group for an aggregate price of $30.0 million. We will record a pre-tax gain of approximately $18 million in the first quarter of 2012. Following the sale, we own 210 units, or 4.97%, of Fenway Sports Group. We continue to market our remaining units in Fenway Sports Group for sale, in whole or in parts.

Effective with the sale, given our reduced ownership level and lack of influence on the operations of Fenway Sports Group, we will change the accounting for our investment from the equity method to the cost method. Therefore, we will no longer recognize our proportionate share of the operating results of Fenway Sports Group in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and our investment will be reclassified from “Investments in joint ventures” into “Miscellaneous assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Regional Media Group

On January 6, 2012, we completed the sale of the Regional Media Group, consisting of 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses, to Halifax Media Holdings LLC for $143.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. We will record an after-tax gain estimated to be approximately $30 million on the sale in the first quarter of 2012. We estimate the net after-tax proceeds from the sale, including a tax benefit, will be approximately $150 million, which we plan to use for general corporate purposes.

The requirements to report the net assets of the Regional Media Group as held for sale and its operating results as a discontinued operation were not met as of December 25, 2011. Therefore, the operating results of the Regional Media Group are reported within continuing operations for the 3-year period ending December 25, 2011.

The results of operations for the Regional Media Group and the estimated carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the sale are summarized in the following charts.

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	259,945		$	276,659	$	296,923
Production costs and selling, general and administrative costs	223,367			236,699		257,710
Depreciation and amortization	11,665			12,655		14,893
Total operating costs	235,032			249,354		272,603
Impairment of assets	152,093			—		—
Gain on sale of assets	—			—		5,198
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(127,180		)	27,305		29,518
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(10,879		)	10,783		13,122
Net (loss)/income	$	(116,301	)	$	16,522	$	16,396

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Accounts receivable, net	$	26,550	$	27,417
Property, plant and equipment, net	146,287		157,603
Goodwill	—		152,093
Other assets	5,344		7,299
Total assets	178,181		344,412
Total liabilities	19,568		22,016
Net assets	$	158,613	$	322,396

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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities - Restricted Cash (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Restricted cash	$ 27,628	$ 0

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Debt Obligations - Debt & Capital Leases (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Aug. 15, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term and short-term debt	$ 766,439		$ 989,719
Capital lease obligations	6,701		6,724
Total debt and capital lease obligations	773,140		996,443
Long-term debt, fair value	800,000		1,100,000
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal in next twelve months	75,000
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal in year two	0
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal in year three	0
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal in year four	250,000
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal in year five	225,000
Long-term debt, maturities, repayments of principal after year five	250,000
Total face amount of maturities	800,000
Unamortized debt costs	(33,561)
Carrying value of debt	766,439		989,719
Notes Due 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term debt	74,900
Long-term debt			74,771
Interest rate on debt	4.61%
Unamortized debt costs	(100)		(229)
Notes Due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	249,891		249,860
Interest rate on debt	5.00%
Unamortized debt costs	(109)		(140)
Notes Due 2015 Called 2011 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	0		227,680
Interest rate on debt		14.053%
Unamortized debt costs	0		(22,320)
Notes Due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	220,787		220,102
Interest rate on debt	6.625%
Unamortized debt costs	(4,213)		(4,898)
Option To Repurchase Headquarters Building 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	220,861		217,306
Unamortized debt costs	$ (29,139)		$ (32,694)

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Segment Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of segment reporting information

Our Statements of Operations by segment and Corporate were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Revenues
News Media Group	$	2,212,575		$	2,257,386		$	2,319,378
About Group	110,826			136,077			121,061
Total	$	2,323,401		$	2,393,463		$	2,440,439
Operating profit/(loss)
News Media Group	$	60,853		$	219,242		$	21,163
About Group	40,674			61,952			50,881
Corporate	(44,820		)	(47,074		)	2,015
Total	$	56,707		$	234,120		$	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128			—
Income from joint ventures	28			19,035			20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062			81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221			3,775
Income tax expense	36,506			68,516			2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705			1,569
Discontinued operations:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			—			(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	—			13			19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332
Net (loss)/income	(40,224		)	108,718			19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555			(1,014		)	(10		)
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891

The News Media Group’s operating profit included:

• 2011 – a $164.4 million charge for the impairment of assets, primarily related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and a $4.2 million charge for a pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe,

• 2010 – a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe’s printing facility in Billerica, Mass., which was consolidated into the Boston, Mass., printing facility and a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe,

• 2009 – a $78.9 million charge primarily for a pension withdrawal obligation under certain multiemployer pension plans, a $34.6 million charge for loss on leases and the early termination of a third-party printing contract, a $5.2 million gain on sale of assets, a $4.2 million charge for the impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project, and a $2.7 million curtailment loss.

Corporate’s operating loss included:

• 2011 – a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer,

• 2009 – a pension curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

See Notes 5, 9 and 11 for additional information regarding these items.

Advertising, circulation and other revenues, by division of the News Media Group, were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
The New York Times Media Group
Advertising	$	756,148	$	780,424	$	797,298
Circulation	705,163		683,717		683,445
Other	93,263		92,697		101,118
Total	$	1,554,574	$	1,556,838	$	1,581,861
New England Media Group
Advertising	$	198,383	$	213,720	$	230,886
Circulation	157,819		167,360		167,998
Other	41,854		42,809		41,710
Total	$	398,056	$	423,889	$	440,594
Regional Media Group
Advertising	$	161,831	$	177,056	$	192,924
Circulation	78,486		80,416		85,043
Other	19,628		19,187		18,956
Total	$	259,945	$	276,659	$	296,923
Total News Media Group
Advertising	$	1,116,362	$	1,171,200	$	1,221,108
Circulation	941,468		931,493		936,486
Other	154,745		154,693		161,784
Total	$	2,212,575	$	2,257,386	$	2,319,378

Our Company’s segment depreciation and amortization, capital expenditures and assets and Corporate’s capital expenditures and assets reconciled to consolidated amounts were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Depreciation and Amortization
News Media Group	$	105,934	$	109,341	$	122,609
About Group	10,520		11,609		11,087
Total	$	116,454	$	120,950	$	133,696
Capital Expenditures
News Media Group	$	34,576	$	26,417	$	38,136
About Group	4,809		4,856		4,339
Corporate	5,142		3,423		2,965
Total	$	44,527	$	34,696	$	45,440
Assets
News Media Group	$	1,619,950	$	1,869,798	$	1,993,482
About Group	417,321		429,509		437,597
Corporate	764,160		851,793		526,066
Investments in joint ventures	82,019		134,641		131,357
WQXR-FM – Discontinued Operations	—		—		55
Total	$	2,883,450	$	3,285,741	$	3,088,557

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Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

3 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]

Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block]

SCHEDULE II – VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

For the Three Years Ended December 25, 2011

(In thousands) Description	Balance at beginning of period		Additions charged to operating costs and other		Deductions(1)		Balance at end of period
Accounts receivable allowances:
Year ended December 25, 2011	$	30,209	$	10,531	$	22,103	$	18,637
Year ended December 26, 2010	$	36,485	$	20,326	$	26,602	$	30,209
Year ended December 27, 2009	$	33,838	$	59,367	$	56,720	$	36,485
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets:
Year ended December 25, 2011	$	—	$	39,824	$	—	$	39,824
Year ended December 26, 2010	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Year ended December 25, 2009	$	1,156	$	—	$	1,156	$	—

(1) Includes write-offs, net of recoveries.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Our fiscal year end is the last Sunday in December. Fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 each comprise 52 weeks. Our fiscal years ended as of December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of 3 months or less to be cash equivalents.

Short-Term Investments

We have the intention and ability to hold our short-term investments to maturity. These investments are classified as held-to-maturity and are reported at amortized cost. The changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Trade and Other Accounts Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

Credit is extended to our advertisers and our subscribers based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, and collateral is not required from such customers. Allowances for estimated credit losses, rebates, returns, rate adjustments and discounts are generally established based on historical experience.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or current market value. Inventory cost is generally based on the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for newsprint and the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method for other inventories.

Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investments

Investments in which we have at least a 20%, but not more than a 50%, interest are generally accounted for under the equity method. Investment interests below 20% are generally accounted for under the cost method, except if we could exercise significant influence, the investment would be accounted for under the equity method. We have an investment interest below 20% in Fenway Sports Group, which is accounted for under the equity method (see Notes 7 and 21).

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed by the straight-line method over the shorter of estimated asset service lives or lease terms as follows: buildings, building equipment and improvements – 10 to 40 years; equipment – 3 to 30 years. We capitalize interest costs and certain staffing costs as part of the cost of major projects.

We evaluate whether there has been an impairment of long-lived assets, primarily property, plant and equipment, if certain circumstances indicate that a possible impairment may exist. These assets are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Acquired

Goodwill is the excess of cost over the fair value of tangible and other intangible net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our annual impairment testing date is the first day of our fiscal fourth quarter.

Other intangible assets acquired consist primarily of trade names on various acquired properties, content, customer lists and other assets. Other intangible assets acquired that have indefinite lives (trade names) are not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Certain other intangible assets acquired (content, customer lists and other assets) are amortized over their estimated useful lives and tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate an impairment may exist.

We test for goodwill impairment at the reporting unit level, which are our operating segments. Separate financial information about these segments is regularly evaluated by our chief operating decision-maker in deciding how to allocate resources. We first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the goodwill impairment two-step test.

If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, in the first step, we compare the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Fair value is calculated by a combination of a discounted cash flow model and a market approach model. In calculating fair value for each reporting unit, we generally weigh the results of the discounted cash flow model more heavily than the market approach because the discounted cash flow model is specific to our business and long-term projections. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step must be performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. In the second step, we compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. An impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill.

The discounted cash flow analysis requires us to make various judgments, estimates and assumptions, many of which are interdependent, about future revenues, operating margins, growth rates, capital expenditures, working capital and discount rates. The starting point for the assumptions used in our discounted cash flow analysis is the annual long-range financial forecast. The annual planning process that we undertake to prepare the long-range financial forecast takes into consideration a multitude of factors, including historical growth rates and operating performance, related industry trends, macroeconomic conditions, and marketplace data, among others. Assumptions are also made for perpetual growth rates for periods beyond the long-range financial forecast period. Our estimates of fair value are sensitive to changes in all of these variables, certain of which relate to broader macroeconomic conditions outside our control.

The market approach analysis includes applying a multiple, based on comparable market transactions, to certain operating metrics of the reporting unit.

We compare the sum of the fair values of our reporting units to our market capitalization to determine whether our estimates of reporting unit fair value are reasonable.

Intangible assets that are not amortized (trade names) are tested for impairment at the asset level by comparing the fair value of the asset with its carrying amount. Fair value is calculated as the discounted cash flows utilizing the relief-from-royalty method. This method is based on applying a royalty rate, which would be obtained through a lease, to the cash flows derived from the asset being tested. The royalty rate is derived from market data. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the asset is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over the fair value of the asset.

All other long-lived assets (intangible assets that are amortized, such as content and customer lists) are tested for impairment at the asset group level associated with the lowest level of cash flows. An impairment exists if the carrying value of the asset (1) is not recoverable (the carrying value of the asset is greater than the sum of undiscounted cash flows) and (2) is greater than its fair value.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of goodwill, other intangible assets acquired and other long-lived assets are estimated future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, as well as other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated results of the impairment tests can vary within a range of outcomes.

In addition to annual testing, management uses certain indicators to evaluate whether the carrying values of its long-lived assets may not be recoverable and an interim impairment test may be required. These indicators include (1) current-period operating or cash flow declines combined with a history of operating or cash flow declines or a projection/forecast that demonstrates continuing declines in the cash flow or the inability to improve our operations to forecasted levels, (2) a significant adverse change in the business climate, whether structural or technological and (3) a decline in our stock price and market capitalization.    

Management has applied what it believes to be the most appropriate valuation methodology for its impairment testing. See Note 5.

Self Insurance [Policy Text Block]

Self-Insurance

We self-insure for workers’ compensation costs, automobile and general liability claims, up to certain deductible limits, as well as for certain employee medical and disability benefits. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks are primarily calculated using actuarial methods. The liabilities include amounts for actual claims, claim growth and claims incurred but not yet reported. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks were approximately $52 million as of December 25, 2011 and $63 million as of December 26, 2010.

Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Our single-employer pension and other postretirement benefit costs are accounted for using actuarial valuations. We recognize the funded status of these plans – measured as the difference between plan assets, if funded, and the benefit obligation – on the balance sheet and recognize changes in the funded status that arise during the period but are not recognized as components of net periodic pension cost, within other comprehensive income, net of income taxes. The assets related to our funded pension plans are measured at fair value.

We make significant subjective judgments about a number of actuarial assumptions, which include discount rates, health-care cost trend rates, long-term return on plan assets and mortality rates. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the impact from our pension and other postretirement benefits could vary within a range of outcomes and could have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We also recognize the present value of pension liabilities associated with the withdrawal from multiemployer pension plans. We assess a liability for obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans as well as estimate obligations for future partial withdrawals that we consider probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability is not known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, we adjust the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

See Notes 11 and 12 for additional information regarding pension and other postretirement benefits.

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition

Advertising revenues are recognized when advertisements are published in newspapers or placed on digital platforms or, with respect to certain digital advertising, each time a user clicks on certain ads, net of provisions for estimated rebates, rate adjustments and discounts.

• We recognize a rebate obligation as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rebates that will be earned and claimed, related to the underlying revenue transactions during the period. Measurement of the rebate obligation is estimated based on the historical experience of the number of customers that ultimately earn and use the rebate.

• Rate adjustments primarily represent credits given to customers related to billing or production errors and discounts represent credits given to customers who pay an invoice prior to its due date. Rate adjustments and discounts are accounted for as a reduction of revenues, based on the amount of estimated rate adjustments or discounts related to the underlying revenues during the period. Measurement of rate adjustments and discount obligations are estimated based on historical experience of credits actually issued.

Circulation revenues include single-copy and subscription revenues. Circulation revenues are based on the number of copies of the printed newspaper (through home-delivery subscriptions and single-copy sales) and digital subscriptions sold and the rates charged to the respective customers. Single-copy revenue is recognized based on date of publication, net of provisions for related returns. Proceeds from subscription revenues are deferred at the time of sale and are recognized in earnings on a pro rata basis over the terms of the subscriptions.

Other revenues are recognized when the related service or product has been delivered.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recognized for the following: (1) amount of taxes payable for the current year and (2) deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequence of events that have been recognized differently in the financial statements than for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established using statutory tax rates and are adjusted for tax rate changes in the period of enactment.

We assess whether our deferred tax assets should be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our process includes collecting positive (e.g., sources of taxable income) and negative (e.g., recent historical losses) evidence and assessing, based on the evidence, whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We recognize in our financial statements the impact of a tax position if that tax position is more likely than not of being sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the tax position. This involves the identification of potential uncertain tax positions, the evaluation of tax law and an assessment of whether a liability for uncertain tax positions is necessary. Different conclusions reached in this assessment can have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

We operate within multiple taxing jurisdictions and are subject to audit in these jurisdictions. These audits can involve complex issues, which could require an extended period of time to resolve. Until formal resolutions are reached between us and the tax authorities, the timing and amount of a possible audit settlement for uncertain tax benefits is difficult to predict.

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

Stock-Based Compensation

We establish fair value for our stock-based awards to determine our cost and recognize the related expense over the appropriate vesting period. We recognize compensation expense for outstanding stock options, stock-settled restricted stock units, cash-settled restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, Common Stock under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) and awards under a Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) (together, the “Stock-Based Awards”). See Note 17 for additional information related to stock-based compensation expense.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing net earnings/(loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings/(loss) per share is calculated similarly, except that it includes the dilutive effect of the assumed exercise of securities, including outstanding warrants and the effect of shares issuable under our Company’s stock-based incentive plans if such effect is dilutive.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency Translation

The assets and liabilities of foreign companies are translated at year-end exchange rates. Results of operations are translated at average rates of exchange in effect during the year. The resulting translation adjustment is included as a separate component in the Stockholders’ Equity section of our Consolidated Balance Sheets, in the caption “Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes.”

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) amended its guidance on goodwill impairment testing to reduce the cost and complexity of testing goodwill for impairment by providing the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The result of this assessment will determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test. The provisions of this new guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new guidance early when we conducted our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB amended its guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements to improve the comparability, consistency and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items that are recorded in other comprehensive income. The new accounting guidance requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. The provisions of this guidance are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB amended its guidance related to fair value measurements in order to align the definition of fair value measurements and the related disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. These amendments, which are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, also change certain existing fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. We do not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

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Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

Nature of Operations

The New York Times Company is a leading global, multimedia news and information company that currently includes newspapers, digital businesses, investments in paper mills and other investments (see Note 7). The New York Times Company and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to collectively as the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our.” Our major source of revenue is advertising, predominantly from our newspaper business. The newspapers primarily operate in the Northeast markets in the United States.

Principles of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of our Company and our wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of all significant intercompany transactions.

The portion of the net income or loss and equity of a subsidiary attributable to the owners of a subsidiary other than the Company (a noncontrolling interest) is included within net income or loss in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and as a component of consolidated stockholders’ equity in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year end is the last Sunday in December. Fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 each comprise 52 weeks. Our fiscal years ended as of December 25, 2011, December 26, 2010 and December 27, 2009.

Reclassifications

For comparability, certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the 2011 presentation.

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Inventories (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Newsprint and magazine paper	$	16,927	$	12,596
Other inventory	4,160		3,536
Total	$	21,087	$	16,132

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Income Taxes - Income Tax Expense (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Income Tax Disclosure
Federal									$ (19,559)	$ 14,354	$ (23,748)
Foreign									1,110	682	784
State and local									(5,786)	(7,791)	(19,261)
Total current tax (benefit)/expense									(24,235)	7,245	(42,225)
Federal									14,523	52,735	27,320
Foreign									37,471	(1,384)	(3,546)
State and local									8,747	9,920	20,657
Total deferred tax expense									60,741	61,271	44,431
Income tax expense	36,353	15,362	(16,615)	1,406	18,072	(2,018)	25,435	27,027	36,506	68,516	2,206
Operating loss carryforward, Federal	23,100				0				23,100	0
Operating loss carryforward, State and local	$ 15,100				$ 8,700				$ 15,100	$ 8,700
Federal [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure
Operating loss carryforwards, remaining life									20 years
State and Local [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure
Operating loss carryforwards, remaining life									1 year
State and Local [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure
Operating loss carryforwards, remaining life									20 years

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Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

Reconciliations between the effective tax rate on income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the federal statutory rate are presented below.

	December 25, 2011					December 26, 2010					December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax
Tax at federal statutory rate	$	(1,302	)	35.0	%	$	62,027		35.0	%	$	1,321		35.0	%
State and local taxes, net	15,095			(406.0	)	19,010			10.7		12,418			329.1
Effect of enacted changes in tax laws	(1,520		)	40.9		11,370			6.4		11,743			311.2
Reduction in uncertain tax positions	(12,105		)	325.6		(21,722		)	(12.2	)	(22,338		)	(592.0	)
Loss/(gain) on Company-owned life insurance	36			(1.0	)	(3,319		)	(1.9	)	(4,156		)	(110.1	)
Non-deductible goodwill	34,992			(941.2	)	—			—		852			22.5
Other, net	1,310			(35.2	)	1,150			0.7		2,366			62.7
Income tax expense	$	36,506		*		$	68,516		38.7		$	2,206		58.4

* The effective tax rate in 2011 is not meaningful because a portion of the non-cash charge in the second quarter of 2011 for the impairment of the Regional Media Group's goodwill was non-deductible.

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The components of income tax expense as shown in our Consolidated Statements of Operations were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Current tax (benefit)/expense
Federal	$	(19,559	)	$	14,354		$	(23,748	)
Foreign	1,110			682			784
State and local	(5,786		)	(7,791		)	(19,261		)
Total current tax (benefit)/expense	(24,235		)	7,245			(42,225		)
Deferred tax expense/(benefit)
Federal	14,523			52,735			27,320
Foreign	37,471			(1,384		)	(3,546		)
State and local	8,747			9,920			20,657
Total deferred tax expense	60,741			61,271			44,431
Income tax expense	$	36,506		$	68,516		$	2,206

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The components of the net deferred tax assets and liabilities recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Deferred tax assets
Retirement, postemployment and deferred compensation plans	$	447,156		$	420,745
Accruals for other employee benefits, compensation, insurance and other	39,572			56,280
Accounts receivable allowances	7,114			9,587
Other	109,946			91,424
Gross deferred tax assets	603,788			578,036
Valuation allowance	(39,824		)	—
Net deferred tax assets	$	563,964		$	578,036
Deferred tax liabilities
Property, plant and equipment	$	143,308		$	141,052
Intangible assets	42,150			44,568
Investments in joint ventures	15,095			11,796
Other	10,073			56,044
Gross deferred tax liabilities	210,626			253,460
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Deferred tax asset – current	$	73,055		$	68,875
Deferred tax asset – long-term	280,283			255,701
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Balance at beginning of year	$	55,636		$	70,578		$	92,582
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the current year	4,094			2,565			3,545
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the current year	—			—			—
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the prior year	460			—			—
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the prior year	(970		)	(13,347		)	(13,484		)
Reductions from settlements with taxing authorities	(1,941		)	—			—
Reductions from lapse of applicable statutes of limitations	(9,308		)	(4,160		)	(12,065		)
Balance at end of year	$	47,971		$	55,636		$	70,578

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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired - Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	$ 78,953	$ 90,418
Accumulated amortization	(71,223)	(69,383)
Amortized other intangible assets, net	7,730	21,035
Trade names	9,885	14,380
Other intangible assets acquired (less accumulated amortization of $71,223 in 2011 and $69,383 in 2010)	17,615	35,415
Content [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	21,384	25,712
Accumulated amortization	(18,133)	(16,510)
Amortized other intangible assets, net	3,251	9,202
Weighted average useful life (years)	1	7
Customer Lists [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	24,495	28,316
Accumulated amortization	(21,842)	(21,281)
Amortized other intangible assets, net	2,653	7,035
Weighted average useful life (years)	2	6
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	33,074	36,390
Accumulated amortization	(31,248)	(31,592)
Amortized other intangible assets, net	$ 1,826	$ 4,798
Weighted average useful life (years)	4	3

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Pension Benefits - Schedule of Multiemployer Plans (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Pension Benefits
Pension withdrawal expense	$ 0	$ 0	$ 4,228	$ 0	$ 0	$ 6,268	$ 0	$ 0	$ 4,228	$ 6,268	$ 78,931
Multiemployer plan, withdrawal obligation	100,000								100,000
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									5,752	5,835	9,627
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									776	862	1,417
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									1,298	1,242	1,475
GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									116	116	433
Pressmen's Publishers' Pension Fund [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									1,113	1,132	1,335
New England Teamsters & Trucking Industry Pension [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									46	205	1,380
Paper-Handlers' - Publishers' Pension Fund [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									153	151	202
Total of Individually Significant Multiemployer Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									3,502	3,708	6,242
Total of Other Multiemployer Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Multiemployer plan, period contributions									$ 2,250	$ 2,127	$ 3,385

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Revenues
Advertising	$ 1,221,497	$ 1,300,361	$ 1,336,291
Circulation	941,468	931,493	936,486
Other	160,436	161,609	167,662
Total revenues	2,323,401	2,393,463	2,440,439
Production costs:
Raw materials	161,691	160,422	166,387
Wages and benefits	495,607	498,270	524,782
Other	300,169	303,086	330,061
Total production costs	957,467	961,778	1,021,230
Selling, general and administrative costs	1,019,611	1,054,199	1,152,874
Depreciation and amortization	116,454	120,950	133,696
Total operating costs	2,093,532	2,136,927	2,307,800
Impairment of assets	164,434	16,148	4,179
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228	6,268	78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500	0	34,633
Net pension curtailment gain	0	0	53,965
Gain on sale of assets	0	0	5,198
Operating profit	56,707	234,120	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	71,171	9,128	0
Income from joint ventures	28	19,035	20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381	0	9,250
Interest expense, net	85,243	85,062	81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718)	177,221	3,775
Income tax expense	36,506	68,516	2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224)	108,705	1,569
Discontinued Operations [Abstract]
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	0	(1,156)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	0	13	19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	13	18,332
Net (loss)/income	(40,224)	108,718	19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555	(1,014)	(10)
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	(39,669)	107,704	19,891
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(39,669)	107,691	1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	13	18,332
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ (39,669)	$ 107,704	$ 19,891
Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic	147,190	145,636	144,188
Diluted	147,190	152,600	146,367
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
(Loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Basic	$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.14
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
Net (loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Diluted	$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.14

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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]

The approximate minimum rental commitments under noncancelable leases, net of subleases, as of December 25, 2011 were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	16,096
2013	11,727
2014	10,163
2015	8,639
2016	5,245
Later years	13,888
Total minimum lease payments	65,758
Less: noncancelable subleases	(16,072		)
Total minimum lease payments, net of noncancelable subleases	$	49,686

Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments for Capital Leases [Table Text Block]

Future minimum lease payments for all capital leases, and the present value of the minimum lease payments as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	573
2013	552
2014	552
2015	552
2016	552
Later years	8,349
Total minimum lease payments	11,130
Less: imputed interest	(4,429		)
Present value of net minimum lease payments including current maturities	$	6,701

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Segment Information - News Media Group (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Advertising									$ 1,221,497	$ 1,300,361	$ 1,336,291
Circulation									941,468	931,493	936,486
Other									160,436	161,609	167,662
Total revenues	642,960	537,235	576,702	566,504	661,676	554,333	589,587	587,867	2,323,401	2,393,463	2,440,439
New York Times Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Advertising									756,148	780,424	797,298
Circulation									705,163	683,717	683,445
Other									93,263	92,697	101,118
Total revenues									1,554,574	1,556,838	1,581,861
New England Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Advertising									198,383	213,720	230,886
Circulation									157,819	167,360	167,998
Other									41,854	42,809	41,710
Total revenues									398,056	423,889	440,594
Regional Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Advertising									161,831	177,056	192,924
Circulation									78,486	80,416	85,043
Other									19,628	19,187	18,956
Total revenues									259,945	276,659	296,923
News Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Advertising									1,116,362	1,171,200	1,221,108
Circulation									941,468	931,493	936,486
Other									154,745	154,693	161,784
Total revenues									$ 2,212,575	$ 2,257,386	$ 2,319,378

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total	Total New York Times Company Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Capital Stock Class A and Class B Common [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Common Stock Held in Treasury, at Cost [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Income Taxes [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance at Dec. 28, 2008	$ 507,029	$ 503,963	$ 14,889	$ 22,149	$ 998,699	$ (159,679)	$ (372,095)	$ 3,066
Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)
Net (loss)/income	19,901	19,891	0	0	19,891	0	0	10
Foreign currency translation income (net of taxes)	2,345	2,345	0	0	0	0	2,345	0
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of taxes)	(697)	(697)	0	0	0	0	(697)	0
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of taxes)	46,808	46,683	0	0	0	0	46,683	125
Comprehensive income/(loss)	68,357	68,222						135
Issuance of warrants	20,529	20,529	0	20,529	0	0	0	0
Issuance of shares
Retirement units - Class A shares	45	45	0	(30)	0	75	0	0
Employee stock purchase plan - Class A shares	841	841	14	827	0	0	0	0
Stock options - Class A shares	429	429	12	417	0	0	0	0
Stock conversions Class B shares to A shares	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted shares forfeited - Class A shares	0	0	0	57	0	(57)	0	0
Restricted stock units vested - Class A shares	(171)	(171)	0	(1,079)	0	908	0	0
401(k) Company stock match - Class A shares	2,474	2,474	0	(7,466)	0	9,940	0	0
Stock-based compensation	10,433	10,433	0	10,433	0	0	0	0
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	(2,234)	(2,234)	0	(2,234)	0	0	0	0
Repurchases of stock - Class A shares	(489)	(489)	0	0	0	(489)	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 27, 2009	607,243	604,042	14,915	43,603	1,018,590	(149,302)	(323,764)	3,201
Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)
Net (loss)/income	108,718	107,704	0	0	107,704	0	0	1,014
Foreign currency translation income (net of taxes)	(5,540)	(5,540)	0	0	0	0	(5,540)	0
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of taxes)	(446)	(446)	0	0	0	0	(446)	0
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of taxes)	(57,387)	(57,321)	0	0	0	0	(57,321)	(66)
Comprehensive income/(loss)	45,345	44,397						948
Issuance of shares
Retirement units - Class A shares	318	318	0	(109)	0	427	0	0
Employee stock purchase plan - Class A shares	3,833	3,833	72	3,761	0	0	0	0
Stock options - Class A shares	938	938	25	913	0	0	0	0
Stock conversions Class B shares to A shares	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted stock units vested - Class A shares	(1,352)	(1,352)	0	(6,180)	0	4,828	0	0
401(k) Company stock match - Class A shares	4,478	4,478	0	(5,106)	0	9,584	0	0
Stock-based compensation	7,119	7,119	0	7,119	0	0	0	0
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	(3,846)	(3,846)	0	(3,846)	0	0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 26, 2010	664,076	659,927	15,012	40,155	1,126,294	(134,463)	(387,071)	4,149
Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)
Net (loss)/income	(40,224)	(39,669)	0	0	(39,669)	0	0	(555)
Foreign currency translation income (net of taxes)	(370)	(370)	0	0	0	0	(370)	0
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment (net of taxes)	491	491	0	0	0	0	491	0
Change in unrecognized amounts included in pension and postretirement obligations (net of taxes)	(129,893)	(129,448)	0	0	0	0	(129,448)	(445)
Comprehensive income/(loss)	(169,996)	(168,996)						(1,000)
Issuance of shares
Employee stock purchase plan - Class A shares	4,318	4,318	60	4,258	0	0	0	0
Stock options - Class A shares	364	364	11	353	0	0	0	0
Stock conversions Class B shares to A shares	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted stock units vested - Class A shares	(1,285)	(1,285)	0	(6,250)	0	4,965	0	0
401(k) Company stock match - Class A shares	6,724	6,724	0	(11,800)	0	18,524	0	0
Stock-based compensation	9,410	9,410	0	9,410	0	0	0	0
Tax shortfall from equity award exercises	(4,102)	(4,102)	0	(4,102)	0	0	0	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 25, 2011	$ 509,509	$ 506,360	$ 15,083	$ 32,024	$ 1,086,625	$ (110,974)	$ (516,398)	$ 3,149

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Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 25, 2011
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Class A common stock, right to elect percentage of the board of directors	30.00%
Class B common stock, right to elect percentage of the board of directors	70.00%
Minimum consideration for each share of preferred stock	$ 100
Adolph Ochs Family Trust [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Class B common stock ownership percentage	90.00%

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Debt Obligations - Revolving Credit Facility (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 26, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011 Secured Debt [Member]	May 29, 2011 Unsecured Debt [Member]
Revolving credit facility
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 125,000		$ 400,000
Revolving credit facility term (years)		5
Revolving credit facility, outstanding borrowings		$ 0

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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities - Capital Leases (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
2012	$ 573
2013	552
2014	552
2015	552
2016	552
Later years	8,349
Total minimum lease payments	11,130
Imputed interest	(4,429)
Present value of net minimum lease payments including current maturities	$ 6,701

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Debt Obligations (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of carrying value of outstanding debt

Our total debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:

(In thousands, except percentages)	Coupon Rate		December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Senior notes due in 2012, net of unamortized debt costs of $100 in 2011 and $229 in 2010	4.610	%	$	74,900	$	74,771
Senior notes due in 2015, net of unamortized debt costs of $109 in 2011 and $140 in 2010	5.0	%	249,891		249,860
Senior notes due in 2015, called in 2011, net of unamortized debt costs of $22,320 in 2010	14.053	%	—		227,680
Senior notes due in 2016, net of unamortized debt costs of $4,213 in 2011 and $4,898 in 2010	6.625	%	220,787		220,102
Option to repurchase ownership interest in headquarters building in 2019, net of unamortized debt costs of $29,139 in 2011 and $32,694 in 2010			220,861		217,306
Total debt			766,439		989,719
Capital lease obligations			6,701		6,724
Total debt and capital lease obligations			$	773,140	$	996,443

Schedule of maturities of long-term debt

The aggregate face amount of maturities of debt over the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	75,000
2013	—
2014	—
2015	250,000
2016	225,000
Thereafter	250,000
Total face amount of maturities	800,000
Less: Unamortized debt costs	(33,561		)
Carrying value of debt	$	766,439

Schedule of components of interest expense, net

Interest expense, net, as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Cash interest expense	$	79,187		$	79,349		$	78,606
Non-cash amortization of discount on debt	6,933			7,251			6,084
Capitalized interest	(427		)	(299		)	(1,566		)
Interest income	(450		)	(1,239		)	(1,423		)
Total interest expense, net	$	85,243		$	85,062		$	81,701

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Pension Benefits Pension Benefits - Changes in Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Pension Benefits
Benefit obligation	$ 2,263,562	$ 2,077,368	$ 1,901,846
Service cost	13,739	13,941
Interest cost	113,284	116,125
Plan participants’ contributions	34	32
Actuarial loss	165,807	157,092
Curtailments	0	(1,083)
Benefits paid	(106,637)	(110,262)
Effects of change in currency conversion	(33)	(323)
Fair value of plan assets	1,464,729	1,381,811	1,150,915
Actual return on plan assets	21,712	147,837
Employer contributions	167,809	193,289
Current liabilities	(18,784)	(16,436)
Noncurrent liabilities	(780,049)	(679,121)
Net amount recognized	(798,833)	(695,557)
Actuarial loss	1,003,344	776,432
Prior service cost	1,959	2,762
Total amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss	1,005,303	779,194
Accumulated benefit obligation	2,220,000	2,040,000
Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Benefit obligation	1,986,502	1,823,625	1,671,244
Service cost	12,079	12,045	28,266
Interest cost	99,991	102,523	102,757
Plan participants’ contributions	34	32
Actuarial loss	140,186	131,759
Curtailments	0	(1,083)
Benefits paid	(89,413)	(92,895)
Effects of change in currency conversion	0	0
Fair value of plan assets	1,464,729	1,381,811	1,150,915
Actual return on plan assets	21,712	147,837
Employer contributions	150,585	175,922
Current liabilities	0	0
Noncurrent liabilities	(521,773)	(441,814)
Net amount recognized	(521,773)	(441,814)
Actuarial loss	904,214	699,709
Prior service cost	1,959	2,762
Total amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss	906,173	702,471
Non-Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Benefit obligation	277,060	253,743	230,602
Service cost	1,660	1,896	1,687
Interest cost	13,293	13,602	14,431
Plan participants’ contributions	0	0
Actuarial loss	25,621	25,333
Curtailments	0	0
Benefits paid	(17,224)	(17,367)
Effects of change in currency conversion	(33)	(323)
Fair value of plan assets	0	0	0
Actual return on plan assets	0	0
Employer contributions	17,224	17,367
Current liabilities	(18,784)	(16,436)
Noncurrent liabilities	(258,276)	(237,307)
Net amount recognized	(277,060)	(253,743)
Actuarial loss	99,130	76,723
Prior service cost	0	0
Total amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ 99,130	$ 76,723

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Discontinued Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued operations are summarized in the following table.

(In thousands)	December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	—	$	5,062
Total operating costs	—		7,082
Pre-tax loss	—		(2,020		)
Income tax benefit	—		(864		)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—		(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes:
Gain on sale	16		34,914
Income tax expense	3		15,426
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	13		19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$	13	$	18,332

WQXR-FM

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, a New York City classical radio station, which was sold in October 2009, are presented as discontinued operations. We received proceeds related to the sale of approximately $45 million and recorded a pre-tax gain of approximately $35 million (approximately $19 million after tax) in the fourth quarter of 2009. In 2010, we recorded post-closing adjustments to the gain.

The results of operations for WQXR-FM, which were previously consolidated in the results of the News Media Group, are presented as discontinued operations in our Consolidated Financial Statements for all periods presented.

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Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Nonrecurring Basis [Table Text Block]

Our non-financial assets, such as goodwill, other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment are only recorded at fair value if an impairment charge is recognized. The following tables present non-financial assets that were measured and recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis and the total impairment losses recorded during 2011, 2010 and 2009 on those assets:

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 25, 2011		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 25, 2011
Goodwill	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	152,093
Other intangible assets	2,864		—		—		2,864		10,574
Property, plant and equipment, net	—		—		—		—		1,767
Total impairment losses									$	164,434

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 26, 2010		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 26, 2010
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	4,838	$	—	$	—	$	4,838	$	16,148
Total impairment losses									$	16,148

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 27, 2009		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 27, 2009
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	4,179
Total impairment losses									$	4,179

We recorded impairment charges during 2011, 2010 and 2009 related to the write-down of certain assets to their fair value. We classified all these measurements as Level 3, as we used unobservable inputs within the valuation methodologies that were significant to the fair value measurements, and the valuations required management judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices. See Note 5 for information regarding the valuation techniques utilized to determine fair value.

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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities - Operating Leases (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Rent expense	$ 21,000	$ 25,000	$ 26,000
2012	16,096
2013	11,727
2014	10,163
2015	8,639
2016	5,245
Later years	13,888
Total minimum lease payments	65,758
Noncancelable subleases	(16,072)
Total minimum lease payments, net of noncancelable subleases	$ 49,686

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Stock-Based Awards

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

Stock-Based Awards

Under our Company’s 1991 Executive Stock Incentive Plan (the “1991 Incentive Plan”) and our 1991 Executive Cash Bonus Plan (together, the “1991 Executive Plans”), the Board of Directors was authorized to grant awards to key employees of cash, restricted and unrestricted shares of our Common Stock, retirement units (stock equivalents) or such other awards as the Board of Directors deemed appropriate. Effective April 27, 2010, our 2010 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2010 Incentive Plan”) was approved by our Company’s stockholders and replaced the 1991 Executive Plans.

Our 2004 Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004 Directors’ Plan”) provides for the issuance of up to 500,000 shares of Common Stock in the form of stock options or restricted stock awards. Under our 2004 Directors’ Plan, each non-employee director of our Company has historically received annual grants of non-qualified stock options with 10-year terms to purchase 4,000 shares of Common Stock from our Company at the average market price of such shares on the date of grant. Restricted stock has not been awarded under the 2004 Directors’ Plan for the purpose of stock-based compensation.

We recognize stock-based compensation expense for outstanding stock options, cash-settled restricted stock units, stock-settled restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, Common Stock under our ESPP and LTIP awards (together, “Stock-Based Awards”). Stock-based compensation expense was $8.5 million in 2011, $8.4 million in 2010 and $20.4 million in 2009.

Stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the period from the date of grant to the date when the award is no longer contingent on the employee providing additional service. Our Company’s 1991 Incentive Plan, 2010 Incentive Plan and 2004 Directors’ Plan provide that awards generally vest over a stated vesting period or upon the retirement of an employee or director, as the case may be.

Our pool of excess tax benefits (“APIC Pool”) available to absorb tax deficiencies was approximately $22 million as of December 25, 2011.

Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

Our Company’s 1991 Incentive Plan provided, and the 2010 Incentive Plan provides, for grants of both incentive and non-qualified stock options at an exercise price equal to the market value of our Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock options have generally been granted with a 3-year vesting period and a 10-year term and vest in equal annual installments.

Our 2004 Directors’ Plan provides for grants of stock options to non-employee Directors at an exercise price equal to the market value of our Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock options are granted with a 1-year vesting period and a 10-year term. Our Company’s Directors are considered employees for this purpose.

During 2009, we discovered that portions of previously awarded stock option grants exceeded that permitted to be granted to a single individual during any calendar year under the terms of our Company’s plans. A total of 250,000 options in 2008 and 200,000 options in 2009 granted in excess of applicable plan limits were determined to be null and void. The independent directors of our Company’s Board of Directors, after consultation with all non-management directors, approved the grant of deferred payment stock appreciation rights equal in number and on the same economic terms comparable to the void options. Stock appreciation rights are classified as liability awards because we incur a liability, payable in cash, based on the fair value of the stock appreciation rights. These rights are measured at their fair value at the end of each reporting period utilizing the Black-Scholes valuation model and, therefore, will fluctuate based on the changes in our stock price.

Changes in our Company’s stock options in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value $(000s)
Options outstanding at beginning of year	21,414		$	33	4	$	10,629
Granted	856		10
Exercised	(100	)	4
Forfeited/Expired	(4,670	)	41
Options outstanding at end of period	17,500		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options expected to vest at end of period	17,478		$	30	4	$	6,522
Options exercisable at end of period	15,207		$	33	3	$	4,262

The total intrinsic value for stock options exercised was $0.6 million in 2011, $1.7 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

The fair value of the stock options granted was estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes valuation model that uses the assumptions noted in the following table. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected life (estimated period of time outstanding) of stock options granted was determined using the average of the vesting period and term, an acceptable method. Expected volatility was based on historical volatility for a period equal to the stock option’s expected life, ending on the date of grant, and calculated on a monthly basis. The fair value for stock options granted with different vesting periods are calculated separately.

	December 25, 2011						December 26, 2010						December 27, 2009
Term (In years)	10			10			10			10			10			10
Vesting (In years)	3			1			3			1			3			1
Risk-free interest rate	2.90		%	2.25		%	3.19		%	2.69		%	2.72		%	2.45		%
Expected life (In years)	6			5			6			5			6			5
Expected volatility	43.79		%	47.93		%	41.60		%	45.93		%	31.01		%	35.00		%
Expected dividend yield	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%	0		%
Weighted-average fair value	$	4.81		$	3.78		$	4.99		$	4.68		$	1.29		$	1.71

Restricted Stock Units

Our 1991 Incentive Plan provided, and the 2010 Incentive Plan provides, for grants of other awards, including restricted stock units. Restricted stock units granted in 2010 and 2009 are “cash-settled,” while restricted stock units granted in 2011 are “stock-settled.” For “stock-settled” restricted stock units, each restricted stock unit represents our obligation to deliver to the holder one share of Common Stock upon vesting. For “cash-settled” restricted stock units, each restricted stock unit represents our obligation to deliver to the holder cash, equivalent to the market value of the underlying shares of Common Stock, upon vesting.

In 2011, we granted stock-settled restricted stock units with a 3-year vesting period. The fair value of “stock-settled” restricted stock units is the average market price at date of grant.

Changes in our Company’s stock-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	355		$	22
Granted	677		10
Vested	(345	)	21
Forfeited	(21	)	16
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units at end of period	666		$	11
Unvested stock-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	607		$	11

The intrinsic value of stock-settled restricted stock units vested was $3.3 million in 2011, $3.3 million in 2010 and $0.5 million in 2009.

In 2010 and 2009, we granted cash-settled restricted stock units with a 3-year vesting period. The fair value of “cash-settled” restricted stock units is the average market price at date of grant. “Cash-settled” restricted stock units are classified as liability awards because we incur a liability, payable in cash, based on our stock price. The cash-settled restricted stock unit is measured at its fair value at the end of each reporting period and, therefore, will fluctuate based on the fluctuations in our stock price.

Changes in our cash-settled restricted stock units in 2011 were as follows:

	December 25, 2011
(Shares in thousands)	Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at beginning of period	788		$	6
Granted	—		—
Vested	(9	)	7
Forfeited	(21	)	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units at end of period	758		$	6
Unvested cash-settled restricted stock units expected to vest at end of period	735		$	6

The intrinsic value of restricted stock units vested was $80,000 in 2011, $0.3 million in 2010 and $0.1 million in 2009.

LTIP Awards

Our Company’s 1991 Executive Plans provided for grants of cash awards to key executives payable at the end of a multi-year performance period. The target awards were determined at the beginning of each period and could have increased to a maximum of 175% of the target or decreased to 0%.

For the award granted for the cycle beginning in 2005 paid in 2010, the total payment was based on a key performance measure, Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”), which was calculated as stock appreciation plus reinvested dividends. For the award granted for the cycle beginning in 2006 paid in 2011, 50% of the payment was based on TSR. The payment was subject to approval by the Board’s Compensation Committee. There were payments of approximately $4 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2010. No cycle was payable in 2009.

The LTIP awards based on TSR were classified as liability awards because we incurred a liability, payable in cash, indexed to our stock price. The LTIP award liability was measured at its fair value at the end of each reporting period and, therefore, fluctuated based on the operating results and the performance of our TSR relative to the peer group’s TSR. The fair value of the LTIP awards was calculated by comparing our TSR against a predetermined peer group’s TSR over the performance period. The payout of the LTIP awards was based on relative performance; therefore, correlations in stock price performance among the peer group companies also factored into the valuation.

For awards granted for the cycle beginning in 2007 and subsequent periods, the actual payment, if any, do not have a performance measure based on TSR. Therefore, these awards are not considered stock-based compensation.

As of December 25, 2011, unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested portion of our Stock-Based Awards was approximately $4 million and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.4 years.

We generally issue shares for the exercise of stock options, stock-settled restricted stock units granted in 2011 and shares under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan from unissued reserved shares and issue shares for stock-settled restricted stock units granted prior to 2011 and our Company stock match under a 401(k) plan from treasury shares.

Shares of Class A Common Stock reserved for issuance were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011	December 26, 2010
Stock options, stock–settled restricted stock units, retirement units and other awards
Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Available	6,771	8,252
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Available	6,410	7,013
401(k) Company stock match
Available	3,838	4,619
Total Outstanding	18,166	21,769
Total Available	17,019	19,884

In addition to the shares available in the table above, there were approximately 819,000 shares as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010 of Class B Common Stock available for conversion into shares of Class A Common Stock.

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Pension Benefits - Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011
Pension Benefits
Percent of funded status policy minimum range	85.00%
Percent of funded status policy maximum range	90.00%
Long Duration Assets [Member]
Pension Benefits
Target allocation percentage of assets, range minimum	45.00%
Target allocation percentage of assets, range maximum	55.00%
Return Seeking Assets [Member]
Pension Benefits
Target allocation percentage of assets, range minimum	45.00%
Target allocation percentage of assets, range maximum	55.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	75.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	95.00%
Cash reserves target allocation, range minimum	0.00%
Cash reserves target allocation, range maximum	5.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	60.00%
Cash reserves asset allocation as of year end	0.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member] | U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	55.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	70.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	43.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member] | International Equity Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	20.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	30.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	17.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Fixed income securities target allocation, range minimum	0.00%
Fixed income securities target allocation, range maximum	5.00%
Fixed income securities asset allocation as of year end	37.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member] | Fixed Income Alternative Investments [Member]
Pension Benefits
Fixed income securities target allocation, range minimum	0.00%
Fixed income securities target allocation, range maximum	5.00%
Fixed income securities asset allocation as of year end	0.00%
Company Sponsored Pension Plan [Member] | Equity Alternative Investments [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	0.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	5.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	3.00%
New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	50.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	75.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	64.00%
Cash reserves asset allocation as of year end	7.00%
New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member] | U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	50.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	60.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	56.00%
New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member] | International Equity Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Equity securities target allocation, range minimum	5.00%
Equity securities allocation, range maximum	15.00%
Equity securities asset allocation as of year end	8.00%
New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Pension Benefits
Fixed income securities target allocation, range minimum	25.00%
Fixed income securities target allocation, range maximum	45.00%
Fixed income securities asset allocation as of year end	29.00%

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (PARENTHETICALS) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	$ (153)	$ (4,076)	$ 533
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Tax	348	(316)	(523)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Tax	$ (89,697)	$ (39,281)	$ 24,754
Issuance of Class A shares, retirement units	0	18,038	3,385
Issuance of Class A shares, employee stock purchase plan	603,114	722,916	139,904
Issuance of Class A shares, stock options	100,200	257,600	118,400
Stock conversions, Class B shares to A shares	240	6,350	159
Restricted shares forfeited, Class A shares	0	0	2,585
Restricted stock units vested, Class A shares	210,769	203,566	57,520
Issuance of Class A shares, 401(k) company stock match	781,088	435,985	444,936
Repurchase of stock, Class A shares	0	0	52,412

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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 175,151	$ 369,668
Short-term investments	104,846	29,974
Restricted cash	27,628	0
Accounts receivable (net of allowances of $18,637 in 2011 and $30,209 in 2010)	288,355	302,245
Inventories	21,087	16,132
Deferred income taxes	73,055	68,875
Other current assets	58,467	70,338
Total current assets	748,589	857,232
Other assets
Investments in joint ventures	82,019	134,641
Property, plant and equipment
Equipment	1,189,768	1,166,697
Buildings, building equipment and improvements	865,330	873,801
Land	140,413	140,997
Assets in progress	15,032	24,247
Total – at cost	2,210,543	2,205,742
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,125,353)	(1,048,956)
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,085,190	1,156,786
Intangible assets acquired
Goodwill (less accumulated impairment losses of $957,311 in 2011 and $805,218 in 2010)	488,894	644,464
Other intangible assets acquired (less accumulated amortization of $71,223 in 2011 and $69,383 in 2010)	17,615	35,415
Total intangible assets acquired	506,509	679,879
Deferred income taxes	280,283	255,701
Miscellaneous assets	180,860	201,502
Total assets	2,883,450	3,285,741
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	103,894	113,968
Accrued payroll and other related liabilities	112,024	143,850
Unexpired subscriptions	74,350	72,896
Accrued expenses	148,120	173,625
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	74,920	38
Total current liabilities	513,308	504,377
Other liabilities
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	698,220	996,405
Pension benefits obligation	880,504	772,785
Postretirement benefits obligation	104,192	130,623
Other	177,717	217,475
Total other liabilities	1,860,633	2,117,288
Stockholders' Equity
Serial preferred stock of $1 par value – authorized 200,000 shares – none issued	0	0
Common stock of $.10 par value:
Additional paid-in capital	32,024	40,155
Retained earnings	1,086,625	1,126,294
Common stock held in treasury, at cost	(110,974)	(134,463)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	10,928	11,298
Unrealized derivative loss on cash-flow hedge of equity method investment	(652)	(1,143)
Funded status of benefit plans	(526,674)	(397,226)
Total accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(516,398)	(387,071)
Total New York Times Company stockholders' equity	506,360	659,927
Noncontrolling interest	3,149	4,149
Total stockholders’ equity	509,509	664,076
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	2,883,450	3,285,741
Class A Common Stock
Common stock of $.10 par value:
Common stock value	15,001	14,930
Class B Common Stock
Common stock of $.10 par value:
Common stock value	$ 82	$ 82

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Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The transaction would be in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability, based on assumptions that a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The fair value hierarchy consists of three levels:

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date;

Level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; and

Level 3 – unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

Assets/Liabilities Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

As of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, we had assets related to our qualified pension plans measured at fair value. The required disclosures regarding such assets are presented in Note 11. The disclosure of the fair value of our short-term investments, which are classified as Level 1, is included in Note 3.

Assets Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Our non-financial assets, such as goodwill, other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment are only recorded at fair value if an impairment charge is recognized. The following tables present non-financial assets that were measured and recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis and the total impairment losses recorded during 2011, 2010 and 2009 on those assets:

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 25, 2011		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 25, 2011
Goodwill	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	152,093
Other intangible assets	2,864		—		—		2,864		10,574
Property, plant and equipment, net	—		—		—		—		1,767
Total impairment losses									$	164,434

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 26, 2010		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 26, 2010
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	4,838	$	—	$	—	$	4,838	$	16,148
Total impairment losses									$	16,148

(In thousands)	Net Carrying  Value as of		Fair Value Measured and Recorded Using						Impairment Losses
	December 27, 2009		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		December 27, 2009
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	4,179
Total impairment losses									$	4,179

We recorded impairment charges during 2011, 2010 and 2009 related to the write-down of certain assets to their fair value. We classified all these measurements as Level 3, as we used unobservable inputs within the valuation methodologies that were significant to the fair value measurements, and the valuations required management judgment due to the absence of quoted market prices. See Note 5 for information regarding the valuation techniques utilized to determine fair value.

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Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Current [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 30,209	$ 36,485	$ 33,838
Additions charged to operating cost-net	10,531	20,326	59,367
Deductions	22,103	26,602	56,720
Balance at end of period	18,637	30,209	36,485
Valuation Allowance of Deferred Tax Assets [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	0	0	1,156
Additions charged to operating cost-net	39,824	0	0
Deductions	0	0	1,156
Balance at end of period	$ 39,824	$ 0	$ 0

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Stock-Based Awards - Other Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011 Years	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum issuance of shares authorized for directors	500,000
Annual stock option grant to directors	4,000
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 8,500	$ 8,400	$ 20,400
Pool of excess tax benefits	22,000
Maximum payout of long term incentive plan	175.00%
Minimum payout of long term incentive plan	0.00%
Percentage of payout based on total shareholder return	50.00%
Payments under long term incentive plan based on total shareholder return during year	4,000	7,000
Unrecognized compensation expense releted to the unvested portion of our stock-based awards	$ 4,000
Weighted average years to be recognized over	1.4
Shares, outstanding	18,166,000	21,769,000
Shares, available for issuance	17,019,000	19,884,000
Class B Common Stock available for conversion into Class A Common Stock	819,000	819,000
Stock-Based Compensation Plans [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares, available for issuance	6,771,000	8,252,000
Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares, available for issuance	6,410,000	7,013,000
Defined Contribution Benefit Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares, available for issuance	3,838,000	4,619,000

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Stock-Based Awards - Stock-Settled Restricted Stock Units (Details) (Stock-settled Restricted Stock Units [Member], USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Stock-settled Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested [Roll Forward]
Unvested restricted stock units outstanding, beginning of period	355,000
Unvested restricted stock units outstanding, weighted average grant-date fair value, beginning of period	$ 22
Unvested restricted stock units granted	677,000
Unvested restricted stock units granted, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 10
Unvested restricted stock units vested	(345,000)
Unvested restricted stock units vested, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 21
Unvested restricted stock units forfeited	(21,000)
Unvested restricted stock units forfeited, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 16
Restricted stock units expected to vest	607,000
Restricted stock units expected to vest, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 11
Unvested restricted stock units outstanding, end of period	666,000	355,000
Unvested restricted stock units outstanding, weighted average grant-date fair value, end of period	$ 11	$ 22
Restricted stock units vested, intrinsic value	$ 3,300	$ 3,300	$ 500

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Document and Entity Information Document (USD $) In Billions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Jun. 24, 2011	Feb. 17, 2012 Class A Common Stock	Feb. 17, 2012 Class B Common Stock	Jun. 24, 2011 Class B Common Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	NEW YORK TIMES CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000071691
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-25
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 25, 2011
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2011
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	NYT
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding			147,047,756	818,885	71,859
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Public Float		$ 1.1

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Pension Benefits

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pension Benefits

We sponsor several single-employer defined benefit pension plans, the majority of which have been frozen; participate in The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, a joint Company and Guild-sponsored plan; and make contributions to several multiemployer pension plans in connection with collective bargaining agreements. These plans cover the majority of our employees.

Single-Employer Plans

Our Company-sponsored defined benefit pension plans include qualified plans (funded) as well as non-qualified plans (unfunded). These plans provide participating employees with retirement benefits in accordance with benefit formulas detailed in each plan. Our non-qualified plans provide enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan is a qualified plan and is included in the tables below.

We also have a foreign-based pension plan for certain IHT employees (the “foreign plan”). The information for the foreign plan is combined with the information for U.S. non-qualified plans. The benefit obligation of the foreign plan is immaterial to our total benefit obligation.

Net Periodic Pension Cost

The components of net periodic pension cost/(income) were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010								December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans		All Plans
Service cost	$	12,079		$	1,660	$	13,739		$	12,045		$	1,896	$	13,941		$	28,266		$	1,687	$	29,953
Interest cost	99,991			13,293		113,284			102,523			13,602		116,125			102,757			14,431		117,188
Expected return on plan assets	(111,813		)	—		(111,813		)	(113,625		)	—		(113,625		)	(113,359		)	—		(113,359		)
Recognized actuarial loss	25,781			3,214		28,995			16,496			4,103		20,599			21,901			4,061		25,962
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	803			—		803			803			—		803			(4,728		)	562		(4,166		)
Curtailment (gain)/loss	—			—		—			—			—		—			(58,283		)	4,318		(53,965		)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	$	26,841		$	18,167	$	45,008		$	18,242		$	19,601	$	37,843		$	(23,446	)	$	25,059	$	1,613

The net pension curtailment gain of $54.0 million in 2009 was as a result of the following changes to certain pension plans.

• We amended a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan for non-union employees to discontinue future benefit accruals under the plan and freeze existing accrued benefits effective December 31, 2009. Benefits earned by participants under the plan prior to January 1, 2010, were not affected. We also froze a non-qualified pension plan that provides enhanced retirement benefits to select members of management. The accrued benefits under this supplemental benefit plan were determined and frozen based on eligible earnings through December 31, 2009. The reduction of benefits under the qualified and non-qualified plans mentioned above and various other non-qualified plans resulted in a curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

• We froze a Company-sponsored qualified pension plan in connection with ratified amendments to a collective bargaining agreement covering the Newspaper Guild of the Globe. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $2.5 million.

• We eliminated certain non-qualified retirement benefits of various employees of the Globe in connection with the amendment of two union agreements. The amendments resulted in a curtailment loss of $0.2 million.

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	255,907		$	122,879		$	(69,416	)
Prior service cost	—			—			2,115
Amortization of loss	(28,995		)	(20,599		)	(25,962		)
Amortization of prior service (cost)/credit	(803		)	(803		)	4,166
Effect of curtailment	—			(1,083		)	(2,375		)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	226,109			100,394			(91,472		)
Net periodic pension cost	45,008			37,843			1,613
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive income/loss	$	271,117		$	138,237		$	(89,859	)

The estimated actuarial loss and prior service cost that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year is approximately $34 million and $1 million, respectively.

The amount of cost recognized for defined contribution benefit plans was approximately $23 million for 2011, $23 million for 2010 and $14 million for 2009. Effective January 1, 2010, we increased our contribution under a defined contribution plan for non-union employees, including among other things, providing an incremental contribution equal to 3% of the employee’s eligible earnings, up to applicable limits under the Internal Revenue Code. This change to the defined contribution plan was made in conjunction with freezing our Company-sponsored qualified pension plan for non-union employees.

Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

	December 25, 2011									December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans			Qualified Plans			Non- Qualified Plans			All Plans
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	1,823,625		$	253,743		$	2,077,368		$	1,671,244		$	230,602		$	1,901,846
Service cost	12,079			1,660			13,739			12,045			1,896			13,941
Interest cost	99,991			13,293			113,284			102,523			13,602			116,125
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Actuarial loss	140,186			25,621			165,807			131,759			25,333			157,092
Curtailments	—			—			—			(1,083		)	—			(1,083		)
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Effects of change in currency conversion	—			(33		)	(33		)	—			(323		)	(323		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	1,986,502			277,060			2,263,562			1,823,625			253,743			2,077,368
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	1,381,811			—			1,381,811			1,150,915			—			1,150,915
Actual return on plan assets	21,712			—			21,712			147,837			—			147,837
Employer contributions	150,585			17,224			167,809			175,922			17,367			193,289
Plan participants’ contributions	34			—			34			32			—			32
Benefits paid	(89,413		)	(17,224		)	(106,637		)	(92,895		)	(17,367		)	(110,262		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,464,729			—			1,464,729			1,381,811			—			1,381,811
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	—		$	(18,784	)	$	(18,784	)	$	—		$	(16,436	)	$	(16,436	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(521,773		)	(258,276		)	(780,049		)	(441,814		)	(237,307		)	(679,121		)
Net amount recognized	$	(521,773	)	$	(277,060	)	$	(798,833	)	$	(441,814	)	$	(253,743	)	$	(695,557	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	904,214		$	99,130		$	1,003,344		$	699,709		$	76,723		$	776,432
Prior service cost	1,959			—			1,959			2,762			—			2,762
Total	$	906,173		$	99,130		$	1,005,303		$	702,471		$	76,723		$	779,194

The accumulated benefit obligation for all pension plans was $2.22 billion and $2.04 billion as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, respectively.

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Projected benefit obligation	$	2,263,562	$	2,077,368
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	2,223,755	$	2,035,644
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,464,729	$	1,381,811

Assumptions

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for qualified pension plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	5.05	%	5.60	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.00	%	4.00	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.60	%	6.30	%	6.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	4.00	%	4.00	%	3.50	%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets	8.25	%	8.75	%	8.75	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine benefit obligations for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.80	%	5.45	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%

The rate of increase in compensation levels is applicable only for the non-qualified pension plans that have not been frozen.

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic pension cost for non-qualified plans were as follows:

(Percent)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.45	%	6.00	%	6.55	%
Rate of increase in compensation levels	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

We determined our discount rate using a Ryan ALM, Inc. Curve (the “Ryan Curve”). The Ryan Curve provides the bonds included in the curve and allows adjustments for certain outliers (e.g., bonds on “watch”). We believe the Ryan Curve allows us to calculate an appropriate discount rate.

To determine our discount rate, we project a cash flow based on annual accrued benefits. For active participants, the benefits under the respective pension plans are projected to the date of termination. The projected plan cash flow is discounted to the measurement date, which is the last day of our fiscal year, using the annual spot rates provided in the Ryan Curve. A single discount rate is then computed so that the present value of the benefit cash flow equals the present value computed using the Ryan Curve rates.

In determining the expected long-term rate of return on assets, we evaluated input from our investment consultants, actuaries and investment management firms, including our review of asset class return expectations, as well as long-term historical asset class returns. Projected returns by such consultants and economists are based on broad equity and bond indices. Our objective is to select an average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions to the plan during the year.

The value (“market-related value”) of plan assets is multiplied by the expected long-term rate of return on assets to compute the expected return on plan assets, a component of net periodic pension cost. The market-related value of plan assets is a calculated value that recognizes changes in fair value over three years.

Plan Assets

Company-Sponsored Pension Plans

The assets underlying the Company-sponsored qualified pension plans are managed by professional investment managers. These investment managers are selected and monitored by the pension investment committee, composed of certain senior executives, who are appointed by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. The Finance Committee is responsible for adopting our investment policy, which includes rules regarding the selection and retention of qualified advisors and investment managers. The pension investment committee is responsible for implementing and monitoring compliance with our investment policy, selecting and monitoring investment managers and communicating the investment guidelines and performance objectives to the investment managers.

Our contributions are made on a basis determined by the actuaries in accordance with the funding requirements and limitations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and the Internal Revenue Code.

Investment Policy and Strategy

The primary long-term investment objective is to allocate assets in a manner that produces a total rate of return that meets or exceeds the growth of our pension liabilities.

The intermediate-term objective is to allocate assets in a manner that outperforms each of the capital markets in which assets are invested, net of costs, measured over a complete market cycle. Overall fund performance is compared to a Target Allocation Index based on the target allocations and comparable portfolios with similar investment objectives.

Asset Allocation Guidelines

In accordance with our asset allocation strategy, for substantially all of our Company-sponsored pension plan assets, investments are categorized into long duration fixed income investments whose value is highly correlated to that of the pension plan obligations (“Long Duration Assets”) or other investments, such as equities and high-yield fixed income securities, whose return over time is expected to exceed pension plan obligations (“Return-Seeking Assets”).

The proportional allocation of assets between Long Duration Assets and Return-Seeking Assets is dependent on the funded status of each pension plan. Under our policy, for example, a funded status of 85% to 90% requires an allocation of total assets of 45% to 55% to Long Duration Assets and 45% to 55% to Return-Seeking Assets. As our funded status increases, the allocation to Long Duration Assets will increase and the allocation to Return-Seeking Assets will decrease.

The following asset allocation guidelines apply to the Return-Seeking Assets:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	55%	-	70	%
International Equities	20%	-	30	%
Total Equity	75%	-	95	%
Fixed Income	0%	-	5	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Equity Alternative Investments	0%	-	5	%
Cash Reserves	0%	-	5	%

The weighted-average asset allocations of our Company-sponsored pension plans by asset category for both Long Duration and Return-Seeking Assets, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	43	%
International Equities	17	%
Total Equity	60	%
Fixed Income	37	%
Fixed Income Alternative Investments	0	%
Equity Alternative Investments	3	%
Cash Reserves	0	%

The specified target allocation of assets and ranges set forth above are maintained and reviewed on a periodic basis by the pension investment committee. The pension investment committee may direct the transfer of assets between investment managers in order to rebalance the portfolio in accordance with approved asset allocation ranges to accomplish the investment objectives for the pension plan assets.

The New York Times Newspaper Guild Pension Plan

The assets underlying The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan are managed by investment managers selected and monitored by the Board of Trustees of the Newspaper Guild of New York. These investment managers are provided the authority to manage the investment assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, including acquiring and disposing of assets, subject to certain guidelines.

Investment Policy and Strategy

Assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan are to be invested in a manner that is consistent with the fiduciary standards set forth by ERISA, the provisions of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan’s Trust Agreement and all other relevant laws. The long-term objective is to maximize return within a reasonable and prudent risk level, maintain sufficient income and liquidity to fund benefit payments and preserve the principal value of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan.

Asset Allocation Guidelines

The following asset allocations guidelines apply to the assets of The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan:

Asset Category	Percentage Range
U.S. Equities	50%	-	60	%
International Equities	5%	-	15	%
Total Equity	50%	-	75	%
Fixed Income	25%	-	45	%

The specified target allocation of assets and ranges set forth above are maintained and reviewed on a regular basis by the Trustees. If any strategic target allocation is outside the specified target asset allocation range, assets shall be shifted, in a prudent manner and over a reasonable time period, to return the strategy to within the target range. The Trustees have the responsibility for taking the necessary actions to rebalance The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan within the established targets.

The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan’s weighted-average asset allocations by asset category, as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

Asset Category	Percentage
U.S. Equities	56	%
International Equities	8	%
Total Equity	64	%
Fixed Income	29	%
Cash Equivalents	7	%

Fair Value of Plan Assets

The fair value of the assets underlying our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans and The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan by asset category are as follows:

	Fair Value Measurement at December 25, 2011
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	173,988	$	—	$	—	$	173,988
International Equities	74,426		—		—		74,426
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		714,300		—		714,300
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		266,510		—		266,510
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		98,531		—		98,531
Insurance Contracts	—		31,847		—		31,847
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		16,850		—		16,850
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		15,394		—		15,394
Other	—		7,268		—		7,268
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		22,865		—		22,865
Private Equity	—		—		37,393		37,393
Assets at Fair Value	$	248,414	$	1,173,565	$	37,393	$	1,459,372
Other Assets							5,357
Total							$	1,464,729

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

	Fair Value Measurement at December 26, 2010
(In thousands)	Quoted Prices Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Asset Category	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Total
Equity Securities:
U.S. Equities	$	191,559	$	—	$	—	$	191,559
International Equities	95,880		—		—		95,880
Common/Collective Funds(1)	—		570,244		—		570,244
Fixed Income Securities:
Corporate Bonds	—		309,223		—		309,223
Insurance Contracts	—		55,235		—		55,235
U.S. Treasury and Other Government Securities	—		35,924		—		35,924
Government Sponsored Enterprises(2)	—		19,799		—		19,799
Municipal and Provincial Bonds	—		12,551		—		12,551
Other	—		8,208		—		8,208
Cash and Cash Equivalents	—		9,207		—		9,207
Real Estate	—		—		37,471		37,471
Private Equity	—		—		31,187		31,187
Assets at Fair Value	$	287,439	$	1,020,391	$	68,658	$	1,376,488
Other Assets							5,323
Total							$	1,381,811

(1) The underlying assets of the common/collective funds are primarily comprised of equity and fixed income securities. The fair value in the above table represents our ownership share of the net asset value of the underlying funds.

(2) Represents investments that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

Level 1 and Level 2 Investments

Where quoted prices are available in an active market for identical assets, such as equity securities traded on an exchange, transactions for the asset occur with such frequency that the pricing information is available on an ongoing/daily basis. We, therefore, classify these types of investments as Level 1 where the fair value represents the closing/last trade price for these particular securities.

For our investments where pricing data may not be readily available, fair values are estimated by using quoted prices for similar assets, in both active and not active markets, and observable inputs, other than quoted prices, such as interest rates and credit risk. We classify these types of investments as Level 2 because we are able to reasonably estimate the fair value through inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 Investments

We have investments in private equity funds as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010 and a real estate investment fund as of December 26, 2010 that have been determined to be Level 3 investments, within the fair value hierarchy, because the inputs to determine fair value are considered unobservable.

The general valuation methodology used for the private equity investment funds is the market approach. The market approach utilizes prices and other relevant information such as similar market transactions, type of security, size of the position, degree of liquidity, restrictions on the disposition, latest round of financing data, current financial position and operating results among other factors.

The general valuation methodology used for the real estate investment fund is developed by a third-party appraisal. The appraisal is performed in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Appraisal Institute and take into account projected income and expenses of the property, as well as recent sales of similar properties.

As a result of the inherent limitations related to the valuations of the Level 3 investments, due to the unobservable inputs of the underlying funds, the estimated fair value may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a market for those investments existed.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 25, 2011 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate			Private Equity			Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	37,471		$	31,187		$	68,658
Actual gain on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	—			4,021			4,021
Related to assets sold during the period	541			—			541
Capital contribution	—			5,196			5,196
Sales	(38,012		)	(3,011		)	(41,023		)
Balance at end of year	$	—		$	37,393		$	37,393

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) as of December 26, 2010 is as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(In thousands)	Real Estate		Private Equity		Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	33,938	$	20,564	$	54,502
Actual loss on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held	3,533		4,503		8,036
Related to assets sold during the period	—		—		—
Capital contribution	—		6,120		6,120
Sales	—		—		—
Balance at end of year	$	37,471	$	31,187	$	68,658

Cash Flows

We made contributions of approximately $151 million to certain qualified pension plans in 2011. The majority of these contributions were discretionary. We expect to make mandatory contributions, primarily contractual contributions in connection with The New York Times Newspaper Guild pension plan, of approximately $45 million in 2012. We may make discretionary contributions in 2012 to our Company-sponsored qualified pension plans depending on cash flows, pension asset performance, interest rates and other factors.

The following benefit payments under our pension plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

	Plans
(In thousands)	Qualified		Non- Qualified		Total
2012	$	95,978	$	19,858	$	115,836
2013	97,043		18,860		115,903
2014	98,806		18,917		117,723
2015	103,391		19,583		122,974
2016	106,758		20,407		127,165
2017-2021	594,463		101,577		696,040

Multiemployer Plans

We contribute to a number of multiemployer defined benefit pension plans under the terms of various collective bargaining agreements that cover our union-represented employees. Over the past 3 years, certain events, such as amendments to various collective bargaining agreements, resulted in withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans. These actions, along with a reduction in covered employees, have resulted in us estimating withdrawal liabilities to the respective plans for our proportionate share of any unfunded vested benefits. We recorded an estimated charge for pension plan withdrawal obligations of $4.2 million in 2011, $6.3 million in 2010 and $78.9 million in 2009. Our multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability was approximately $100 million as of December 25, 2011. This liability is the present value of the obligations related to complete and partial withdrawals from certain plans as well as an estimate of future partial withdrawals that we considered probable and reasonably estimable. The actual liability will not be known until each plan completes a final assessment of the withdrawal liability and issues a demand to us. Therefore, the estimate of our multiemployer pension plan liability will be adjusted as more information becomes available that allows us to refine our estimates.

The risks of participating in multiemployer plans are different from single-employer plans in the following aspects:

• Assets contributed to the multiemployer plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

• If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers.

• If we choose to stop participating in some multiemployer pension plans, we may be required to pay those plans an amount based on the underfunded status of the plan (a withdrawal liability).

Our participation in significant plans for the fiscal period ended December 25, 2011, is outlined in the table below. The “EIN/Pension Plan Number” column provides the Employer Identification Number (“EIN”) and the three digit plan number. The zone status is based on the latest information that we received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than 65 percent funded, plans in the yellow zone are less than 80 percent funded, and plans in the green zone are at least 80 percent funded. The “FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented” column indicates plans for which a financial improvement plan (“FIP”) or a rehabilitation plan (“RP”) is either pending or has been implemented. The “Surcharge Imposed” column includes plans in a red zone status that are required to pay a surcharge in excess of regular contributions. The last column lists the expiration date(s) of the collective bargaining agreement(s) to which the plans are subject.

	EIN/Pension Plan Number	Pension Protection Act Zone Status		FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	(In thousands)Contributions of the Company						Surcharge Imposed	Collective Bargaining Agreement Expiration Date
Pension Fund		2011	2010		2011		2010		2009
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	13-6212879-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	$	776	$	862	$	1,417	Yes	3/30/2011 & 3/30/2016	(1) (2)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6122251-001	Green as of 5/31/12	Yellow as of 5/31/11	No	1,298		1,242		1,475		No	3/30/2020	(3)
GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan	91-6024903-001	Red as of 12/31/11	Red as of 12/31/10	Implemented	116		116		433		No	11/30/2016 & 3/30/2017	(2) (4)
Pressmen's Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6121627-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	1,113		1,132		1,335		No	3/30/2017	(3)
New England Teamsters & Trucking Industry Pension	04-6372430-001	Red as of 9/30/12	Red as of 9/30/11	Yes	46		205		1,380		No	12/31/2015	(2)
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	13-6104795-001	Green as of 3/31/12	Green as of 3/31/11	No	153		151		202		No	3/30/2014	(3)
	Contributions for individually significant plans				$	3,502	$	3,708	$	6,242
	Contributions to other multiemployer plans				2,250		2,127		3,385
	Total Contributions				$	5,752	$	5,835	$	9,627

(1) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 220 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expired on March 30, 2011. A new agreement is currently being negotiated.

(2) In 2009, employees of the Globe represented by various unions ratified amendments to their collective bargaining agreements that allowed us to partially withdraw from these plans. These actions resulted in lower contributions to these plans in years after 2009.

(3) Board of Trustees elected funding relief as allowed under the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010.

(4) There are two collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to this plan. These agreements cover approximately 40 employees, with the majority covered by the agreement that expires on March 30, 2017.

The rehabilitation plan for the GCIU-Employer Retirement Benefit Plan includes minimum annual contributions no less than the total annual contribution made by us from September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009.

The Company was listed in its plans’ Forms 5500 as providing more than 5% of the total contributions for the following plans and plan years:

Pension Fund	Year Contributions to Plan Exceeded More Than 5 Percent of Total Contributions (as of Plan's Year-End)
CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan	12/31/2010 & 12/31/2009(1)
Newspaper and Mail Deliverers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	5/31/2010 & 5/31/2009(1)
Pressmen's Publisher's Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009
Paper-Handlers'-Publishers' Pension Fund	3/31/2011, 3/31/2010 & 3/31/2009

(1) Form 5500 for the plan year 12/31/11 and 5/31/11 was not available as of the date we filed our financial statements.

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Other Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 26, 2010
Other Postretirement Benefits
Postemployment benefits liability	$ 20,300	$ 20,200		$ 20,200
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Plan Amendments, Tax Effect	20,000
Tax charge for reduction in future tax benefits for certain retiree health benefits		$ 500	$ 10,900	$ 11,400

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Stock-Based Awards - Stock Options Assumptions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011 Years	Dec. 26, 2010 Years	Dec. 27, 2009 Years
Non-Employee Director Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free interest rate	2.25%	2.69%	2.45%
Expected life (In years)	5	5	5
Expected volatility	47.93%	45.93%	35.00%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Weighted-average fair value	$ 3.78	$ 4.68	$ 1.71
Employee Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Risk-free interest rate	2.90%	3.19%	2.72%
Expected life (In years)	6	6	6
Expected volatility	43.79%	41.60%	31.01%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Weighted-average fair value	$ 4.81	$ 4.99	$ 1.29

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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (PARENTHETICAL) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 18,637	$ 30,209
Goodwill, accumulated impairment lossese	957,311	805,218
Other intangible assets acquired, accumulated amortization	$ 71,223	$ 69,383
Preferred stock, par value	$ 1.00	$ 1.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	200,000	200,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Common stock, par value	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Class A Common Stock
Common stock, shares authorized	300,000,000	300,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	150,007,446	149,302,487
Treasury stock, shares	2,979,786	3,970,238
Class B Common Stock
Common stock, shares authorized	818,885	819,125
Common stock, shares issued	818,885	819,125
Treasury stock, shares	0	0

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Impairment of Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment [Abstract]

Asset Impairment Charges

Impairment of Assets

2011

In 2011, we recorded a $164.4 million impairment charge. At the News Media Group, the impairment consisted of the write-down of goodwill at the Regional Media Group of $152.1 million and the write-down of certain assets held for sale, primarily of Baseline, totaling $9.2 million. At the About Group, the impairment consisted of a write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. of $3.1 million.

Regional Media Group

Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment annually or in an interim period if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Our policy is to perform our annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. However, due to certain impairment indicators at the Regional Media Group, including lower-than-expected operating results, we performed an interim impairment test of goodwill as of June 26, 2011. The Regional Media Group is part of the News Media Group reportable segment. See Note 21 for information regarding the sale of the Regional Media Group on January 6, 2012.

The interim test resulted in an impairment of goodwill of $152.1 million mainly from lower projected long-term operating results and cash flows of the Regional Media Group primarily due to the continued decline in print advertising revenues. These factors resulted in the carrying value of the net assets being greater than their fair value, and therefore a write-down to fair value was required. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of goodwill at the Regional Media Group to $0.

In determining the fair value of the Regional Media Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected severity and duration of the uneven economic environment and the secular changes affecting the newspaper industry in the Regional Media Group markets. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with the continued benefits from reductions to the group’s cost structure, played a significant role in calculating the fair value of the Regional Media Group.

The fair value of the Regional Media Group’s goodwill was the residual fair value after allocating the total fair value of the Regional Media Group to its other assets, net of liabilities. The total fair value of the Regional Media Group was determined using a combination of a discounted cash flow model (present value of future cash flows) and a market approach model based on comparable businesses. We estimated a flat annual growth rate to arrive at a residual year representing the perpetual cash flows of the Regional Media Group. The residual year cash flow was capitalized to arrive at the terminal value of the Regional Media Group. Utilizing a discount rate of 10.7%, the present value of the cash flows during the projection period and terminal value were aggregated to estimate the fair value of the Regional Media Group. In the 2010 annual impairment test, we assumed a 2.0% annual growth rate and a discount rate of 10.5%. In determining the appropriate discount rate, we considered the weighted-average cost of capital for comparable companies.

Property, plant and equipment is tested for impairment if certain circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Due to the factors discussed above, we completed an interim impairment test of property, plant and equipment as of June 26, 2011. The impairment test was completed at each newspaper (asset group level with the lowest level of cash flows) in the Regional Media Group. Our test did not result in an impairment because the sum of the future undiscounted cash flows at each newspaper was greater than the carrying value of property, plant and equipment.

About Group

Our 2011 annual impairment test, which was completed in the fourth quarter, resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of $3.1 million relating to the write-down of an intangible asset at ConsumerSearch, Inc. This impairment charge reduced the carrying value of the ConsumerSearch trade name to approximately $3 million. The fair value of the trade name was calculated using a relief-from-royalty method. The impairment was driven by lower cost-per-click advertising revenues.

There were no additional impairment charges in connection with our 2011 annual impairment test. However, the About Group's estimated fair value was 18% greater than its carrying value in our 2011 impairment test compared with 60% in our 2010 impairment test, a significant decline during 2011. The About Group had approximately $367 million of goodwill as of December 25, 2011.

In determining the fair value of the About Group, we made significant judgments and estimates regarding the expected recovery of display and cost-per-click advertising. The effect of these assumptions on projected long-term revenues, along with investments to grow content and traffic, play a significant role in calculating the fair value of the About Group. We believe if the long-term projected cash flows of the About Group are not met a goodwill impairment charge could be reasonably likely.

Assets Held for Sale

In the second quarter of 2011, we classified certain assets as held for sale, primarily of Baseline. The carrying value of these assets was greater than their fair value, less cost to sell, resulting in an impairment of certain intangible assets and property totaling $9.2 million. The impairment charge reduced the carrying value of intangible assets to $0 and the property to a nominal value. The fair value for these assets was determined by estimating the most likely sale price with a third-party buyer based on market data. In October 2011, we completed the sale of Baseline, which resulted in a nominal gain.

2010

We consolidated the printing facility of The Boston Globe (the “Globe”) in Billerica, Mass., into the Boston, Mass., printing facility in the second quarter of 2009. After exploring different opportunities for the assets at Billerica, we entered into an agreement in the third quarter of 2010 to sell the majority of these assets to a third party. Therefore, assets with a carrying value of approximately $20 million were written down to their fair value, resulting in a $16.1 million impairment charge in 2010. The fair value for these assets was calculated utilizing an offer from a third party to buy equipment from us and a real estate appraisal.

2009

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we recorded a $4.2 million charge for an impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project at the News Media Group. The assets were written down to $0 as the costs associated with this portion of the systems project was not utilized.

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Inventories

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

Inventory Disclosure [Text Block]

Inventories

Inventories as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Newsprint and magazine paper	$	16,927	$	12,596
Other inventory	4,160		3,536
Total	$	21,087	$	16,132

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or current market value. Cost was determined utilizing the LIFO method for 71% of inventory in 2011 and 66% of inventory in 2010. The excess of replacement or current cost over stated LIFO value was approximately $5 million as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010. The remaining portion of inventory is accounted for under the FIFO method.

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Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings Per Share

Earnings/(Loss) Per Share

Basic and diluted earnings/(loss) per share were as follows:

(In thousands, except per share data)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(39,669	)	$	107,691	$	1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13		18,332
Net (loss)/income	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704	$	19,891
Average number of common shares outstanding – Basic	147,190			145,636		144,188
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities	—			6,964		2,179
Average number of common shares outstanding – Diluted	147,190			152,600		146,367
Basic (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Basic	$	(0.27	)	$	0.74	$	0.14
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0.00			0.00		0.13
Net (loss)/income – Diluted	$	(0.27	)	$	0.71	$	0.14

The difference between basic and diluted shares is that diluted shares include the dilutive effect of the assumed exercise of outstanding securities. Our stock options and warrants could have the most significant impact on diluted shares.

Securities that could potentially be dilutive are excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share when a loss from continuing operations exists or when the exercise price exceeds the market value of our Class A Common Stock (“Common Stock”), because their inclusion would result in an anti-dilutive effect on per share amounts.

The number of stock options that were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because they were anti-dilutive were approximately 22 million in 2011, 24 million in 2010 and 29 million in 2009, respectively.

A total of 15.9 million warrants were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share in 2011 because they were anti-dilutive.

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Other Postretirement Benefits

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]

Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

Other Postretirement Benefits

We provide health benefits to retired employees (and their eligible dependents) who meet the definition of an eligible participant and certain age and service requirements, as outlined in the plan document. While we offer pre-age 65 retiree medical coverage to employees who meet certain retiree medical eligibility requirements, we no longer provide post-age 65 retiree medical benefits for employees who retire on or after March 1, 2009. We also contribute to a postretirement plan under the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. We accrue the costs of postretirement benefits during the employees’ active years of service and our policy is to pay our portion of insurance premiums and claims from our assets.

In October 2011, we amended our retiree medical plan by, among other things, placing a cap (effective January 1, 2012) on our contributions for certain retiree groups. In connection with this plan amendment, we remeasured our postretirement obligation as of the plan amendment date. The plan amendment and remeasurement resulted in a decrease in the postretirement liability and an increase in other comprehensive income (before taxes) of approximately $20 million in October 2011.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was enacted on March 23, 2010, and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which was enacted on March 30, 2010, eliminated the tax deductibility of certain retiree health care costs, beginning January 1, 2013, to the extent of federal subsidies received by plan sponsors that provide retiree prescription drug benefits equivalent to Medicare Part D. Because the future anticipated retiree health-care liabilities and related subsidies are already reflected in our financial statements, this legislation required us to reduce the related deferred tax asset recognized in our financial statements. As a result, we recorded a tax charge of $11.4 million in 2010 for the reduction in future tax benefits for retiree health benefits resulting from the federal health care legislation enacted in 2010. The impact of this legislation was not material and was included in our 2010 year-end measurement of our postretirement benefits obligation.

The components of net periodic postretirement benefit income were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Service cost	$	1,143		$	1,076		$	1,551
Interest cost	6,890			9,340			10,355
Recognized actuarial loss	2,289			3,129			2,014
Amortization of prior service credit	(16,593		)	(15,602		)	(14,902		)
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	$	(6,271	)	$	(2,057	)	$	(982	)

The changes in the benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	13,436		$	(16,865	)	$	15,749
Prior service credit	(35,712		)	—			(9,581		)
Amortization of loss	(2,289		)	(3,129		)	(2,014		)
Amortization of prior service credit	16,593			15,602			14,902
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	(7,972		)	(4,392		)	19,056
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	(6,271		)	(2,057		)	(982		)
Total recognized in net periodic postretirement benefit income and other comprehensive income/loss	$	(14,243	)	$	(6,449	)	$	18,074

The estimated actuarial loss and prior service credit that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year is approximately $3 million and $15 million, respectively.

In connection with collective bargaining agreements, we contribute to several multiemployer welfare plans. These plans provide medical benefits to active and retired employees covered under the respective collective bargaining agreement. Contributions are made in accordance with the formula in the relevant agreement. Postretirement costs related to these plans are not reflected above and were approximately $16 million in 2011 and $18 million in 2010 and 2009.

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	142,417		$	164,811
Service cost	1,143			1,076
Interest cost	6,890			9,340
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Actuarial loss/(gain)	13,436			(16,865		)
Plan amendments	(35,712		)	—
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Benefit obligation at the end of year	113,803			142,417
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	—			—
Employer contributions	14,371			15,945
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	—			—
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	(9,611	)	$	(11,794	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(104,192		)	(130,623		)
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	43,114		$	31,967
Prior service credit	(136,469		)	(117,350		)
Total	$	(93,355	)	$	(85,383	)

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine the postretirement benefit obligations were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.64	%	5.35	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic postretirement cost were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.14	%	5.92	%	6.67	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

The assumed health-care cost trend rates were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Health-care cost trend rate assumed next year	7.33	%	7.75	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.00	%	5.00	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2019		2019

Assumed health-care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the health-care plans. A one-percentage point change in assumed health-care cost trend rates would have the following effects:

	One-Percentage Point
(In thousands)	Increase		Decrease
Effect on total service and interest cost for 2011	$	386	$	336
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of December 25, 2011	$	5,227	$	4,618

The following benefit payments (net of plan participant contributions) under our Company’s postretirement plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	10,601
2013	10,484
2014	10,177
2015	9,875
2016	9,529
2017-2021	41,712

We accrue the cost of certain benefits provided to former or inactive employees after employment, but before retirement, during the employees’ active years of service. Benefits include life insurance, disability benefits and health-care continuation coverage. The accrued cost of these benefits amounted to $20.3 million as of December 25, 2011 and $20.2 million as of December 26, 2010.

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Income Taxes - Net Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Retirement, postemployment and deferred compensation plans	$ 447,156	$ 420,745
Accruals for other employee benefits, compensation, insurance and other	39,572	56,280
Accounts receivable allowances	7,114	9,587
Other	109,946	91,424
Gross deferred tax assets	603,788	578,036
Valuation allowance	(39,824)	0
Net deferred tax assets	563,964	578,036
Property, plant and equipment	143,308	141,052
Intangible assets	42,150	44,568
Investments in joint ventures	15,095	11,796
Other	10,073	56,044
Gross deferred tax liabilities	210,626	253,460
Net deferred tax asset	353,338	324,576
Deferred tax asset – current	73,055	68,875
Deferred tax asset – long-term	$ 280,283	$ 255,701

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Debt Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Debt and Capital Leases Disclosures [Text Block]

Debt Obligations

Our total debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:

(In thousands, except percentages)	Coupon Rate		December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Senior notes due in 2012, net of unamortized debt costs of $100 in 2011 and $229 in 2010	4.610	%	$	74,900	$	74,771
Senior notes due in 2015, net of unamortized debt costs of $109 in 2011 and $140 in 2010	5.0	%	249,891		249,860
Senior notes due in 2015, called in 2011, net of unamortized debt costs of $22,320 in 2010	14.053	%	—		227,680
Senior notes due in 2016, net of unamortized debt costs of $4,213 in 2011 and $4,898 in 2010	6.625	%	220,787		220,102
Option to repurchase ownership interest in headquarters building in 2019, net of unamortized debt costs of $29,139 in 2011 and $32,694 in 2010			220,861		217,306
Total debt			766,439		989,719
Capital lease obligations			6,701		6,724
Total debt and capital lease obligations			$	773,140	$	996,443

Based on borrowing rates currently available for debt with similar terms and average maturities, the fair value of our long-term debt was approximately $800 million as of December 25, 2011 and approximately $1.1 billion as of December 26, 2010.

The aggregate face amount of maturities of debt over the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	75,000
2013	—
2014	—
2015	250,000
2016	225,000
Thereafter	250,000
Total face amount of maturities	800,000
Less: Unamortized debt costs	(33,561		)
Carrying value of debt	$	766,439

Interest expense, net, as shown in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations was as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Cash interest expense	$	79,187		$	79,349		$	78,606
Non-cash amortization of discount on debt	6,933			7,251			6,084
Capitalized interest	(427		)	(299		)	(1,566		)
Interest income	(450		)	(1,239		)	(1,423		)
Total interest expense, net	$	85,243		$	85,062		$	81,701

4.610% Notes

We have $75.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.610% senior notes due September 26, 2012, outstanding (the “4.610% Notes”). The 4.610% Notes were reclassified to “Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations” in our Consolidated Balance Sheet in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The 4.610% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 4.610% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 4.610% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

5.0% Notes

We have $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.0% senior unsecured notes due March 15, 2015, outstanding (the “5.0% Notes”).

The 5.0% Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 5.0% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 5.0% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of certain material subsidiaries to:

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt; and

• enter into certain sale-leaseback transactions.

14.053% Notes

In January 2009, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement with Inmobiliaria Carso, S.A. de C.V. and Banco Inbursa S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero Inbursa (each an “Investor” and collectively the “Investors”), we issued, for an aggregate purchase price of $250.0 million, (1) $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 14.053% senior unsecured notes due January 15, 2015 (the “14.053% Notes”), and (2) detachable warrants to purchase 15.9 million shares of our Class A Common Stock at a price of $6.3572 per share. The warrants are exercisable at the holder’s option at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, until January 15, 2015. Each Investor is an affiliate of Carlos Slim Helú, the beneficial owner of approximately 8% of our Class A Common Stock (excluding the warrants). Each Investor purchased an equal number of 14.053% Notes and warrants.

On August 15, 2011, we prepaid in full all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes. The prepayment totaled approximately $280 million, comprising (1) the $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 14.053% Notes; (2) approximately $3 million representing all interest that was accrued and unpaid on the 14.053% Notes to August 15, 2011; and (3) a make-whole premium amount of approximately $27 million due in connection with the prepayment. We funded the prepayment from available cash. As a result of this prepayment, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in the third quarter of 2011. This charge is included in “Premium on debt redemptions” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

6.625% Notes

In November 2010, we completed an offering of $225.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2016 (“6.625% Notes”).

We received proceeds of approximately $220 million (purchase price of $225.0 million, net of approximately $5 million in transaction costs). The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 7%.

We have the option to redeem all or a portion of the 6.625% Notes, at any time, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium. The 6.625% Notes are not otherwise callable.

The 6.625% Notes are subject to certain covenants that, among other things, limit (subject to customary exceptions) our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to:

• incur additional indebtedness and issue preferred stock;

• pay dividends or make other equity distributions;

• agree to any restrictions on the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to make payments to us;

• create liens on certain assets to secure debt;

• make certain investments;

• merge or consolidate with other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; and

• engage in sale and leaseback transactions.

Sale-Leaseback Financing

In March 2009, an affiliate of our Company entered into an agreement to sell and simultaneously lease back a portion of our leasehold condominium interest in our Company’s headquarters building located at 620 Eighth Avenue in New York City (the “Condo Interest”). The sale price for the Condo Interest was $225.0 million. We have an option, exercisable in 2019, to repurchase the Condo Interest for $250.0 million. The lease term is 15 years, and we have three renewal options that could extend the term for an additional 20 years.

The transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction. As such, we have continued to depreciate the Condo Interest and account for the rental payments as interest expense. The difference between the purchase option price of $250.0 million and the net sale proceeds of approximately $211 million, or approximately $39 million, is being amortized over a 10-year period through interest expense. The effective interest rate on this transaction was approximately 13%.

Revolving Credit Facility

In June 2011, we entered into a new $125.0 million asset-backed 5-year revolving credit facility. This new credit facility replaced our $400.0 million revolving credit facility, which was to expire on June 21, 2011. As of December 25, 2011, there were $0 outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility.

Borrowings under the new credit facility will be secured by a lien on certain advertising receivables. In addition, borrowings bear interest at specified margins based on our utilization and at rates that vary between the LIBOR and prime rates (as defined by the credit agreement) depending on the term to maturities we specify. The new credit facility contains various customary affirmative and negative covenants.

Premium on Debt Redemptions

In August 2011, we recorded a $46.4 million pre-tax charge in connection with the prepayment of our 14.053% Notes.

In April 2009, we settled the redemption of all $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of our 4.5% notes due March 15, 2010, that had been called for redemption in March 2009. The redemption price of approximately $260 million included a $9.3 million premium and was computed under the terms of the notes as the present value of the scheduled payments of principal and unpaid interest, plus accrued interest to the redemption settlement date.

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Debt Obligations - Premium on Debt Redemptions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Premium on debt redemptions	$ 0	$ 46,381	$ 0	$ 0	$ 46,381	$ 0	$ 9,250
Redemption of long-term debt					250,000	0	250,000
Notes Due 2010 Called 2009 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount							250,000
Interest rate on debt							4.50%
Redemption of long-term debt							$ 260,000

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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired

 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired

Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill in 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

(In thousands)	News Media Group			About Group			Total
Balance as of December 27, 2009
Goodwill	$	1,087,436		$	369,978		$	1,457,414
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 27, 2009	282,218			369,978			652,196
Foreign currency translation	(7,732		)	—			(7,732		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010
Goodwill	1,079,704			369,978			1,449,682
Accumulated impairment losses	(805,218		)	—			(805,218		)
Balance as of December 26, 2010	274,486			369,978			644,464
Goodwill impaired during year	(152,093		)	—			(152,093		)
Goodwill disposed during year	(300		)	(2,702		)	(3,002		)
Foreign currency translation	(475		)	—			(475		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011
Goodwill	1,078,929			367,276			1,446,205
Accumulated impairment losses	(957,311		)	—			(957,311		)
Balance as of December 25, 2011	$	121,618		$	367,276		$	488,894

The table above includes goodwill impaired during 2011 (see Note 5). Goodwill disposed of during 2011 was related to the sales of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group, and Baseline, which was part of the News Media Group. The foreign currency translation line item reflects changes in goodwill resulting from fluctuating exchange rates related to the consolidation of the International Herald Tribune (“IHT”).

Other Intangible Assets Acquired

Other intangible assets acquired were as follows:

	December 25, 2011								December 26, 2010
(In thousands, except years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Weighted Average Useful Life (years)
Amortized other intangible assets:
Content	$	21,384	$	(18,133	)	$	3,251	1	$	25,712	$	(16,510	)	$	9,202	7
Customer lists	24,495		(21,842		)	2,653		2	28,316		(21,281		)	7,035		6
Other	33,074		(31,248		)	1,826		4	36,390		(31,592		)	4,798		3
Total	78,953		(71,223		)	7,730			90,418		(69,383		)	21,035
Unamortized other intangible assets:
Trade names						9,885								14,380
Total other intangible assets acquired						$	17,615							$	35,415

The table above includes the foreign currency translation adjustment related to the consolidation of the IHT. In addition, the table above includes other intangible assets impaired during the second and fourth quarters of 2011 (see Note 5) and disposed of during the first quarter of 2011 related to the sale of UCompareHealthCare.com, which was part of the About Group.

Amortization expense related to other intangible assets acquired that are subject to amortization was $7.1 million in 2011, $8.1 million in 2010, and $8.2 million in 2009.

Amortization expense for the next five years related to these intangible assets is expected to be as follows:

(In thousands)
Year	Amount
2012	$	4,800
2013	1,600
2014	600
2015	350
2016	270

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Investments in Joint Ventures

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

Investments in Joint Ventures

Investments in Joint Ventures

As of December 25, 2011, our Company’s investments in joint ventures consisted of equity ownership interests in the following entities:

Company	Approximate % Ownership
Metro Boston LLC (“Metro Boston”)	49	%
Donohue Malbaie Inc. (“Malbaie”)	49	%
Madison Paper Industries (“Madison”)	40	%
quadrantONE LLC (“quadrantONE”)	25	%
Fenway Sports Group	7.3	%

Our Company’s investments above are accounted for under the equity method, and are recorded in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our proportionate shares of the operating results of our investments are recorded in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Metro Boston

We own a 49% interest in Metro Boston, which publishes a free daily newspaper in the greater Boston area.

Malbaie & Madison

We also have investments in a Canadian newsprint company, Malbaie, and a partnership operating a supercalendered paper mill in Maine, Madison (together, the “Paper Mills”).

Our Company and UPM-Kymmene Corporation, a Finnish paper manufacturing company, are partners through subsidiary companies in Madison. Our Company’s percentage ownership of Madison, which represents 40%, is through an 80%-owned consolidated subsidiary. UPM-Kymmene owns a 10% interest in Madison through a 20% noncontrolling interest in the consolidated subsidiary of our Company.

We received distributions from Malbaie of $0 million in 2011, $0 million in 2010 and $2.8 million in 2009.

We received distributions from Madison of $0 million in 2011, $5.3 million in 2010 and $0 million in 2009.

The News Media Group purchased newsprint and supercalendered paper from the Paper Mills at competitive prices. Such purchases aggregated approximately $34 million in 2011, $33 million in 2010 and $39 million in 2009.

In 2010, we recorded a pre-tax gain of $12.7 million from the sale of an asset at one of the Paper Mills. Our share of the pre-tax gain, after eliminating the noncontrolling interest portion, was $10.2 million. The $12.7 million gain is included in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

quadrantONE

We own a 25% interest in quadrantONE, an online advertising network that sells bundled premium, targeted display advertising onto local newspaper and other Web sites.

Fenway Sports Group

As of December 25, 2011, we owned a 7.3% interest in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball club; Liverpool Football Club (a soccer team in the English Premier League); approximately 80% of New England Sports Network (a regional cable sports network); and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (a leading NASCAR team).

On July 1, 2011, we sold 390 of our units in Fenway Sports Group for $117.0 million. We recorded a pre-tax gain of $65.3 million in the third quarter of 2011. This transaction is in addition to the sale of 50 of our units in Fenway Sports Group that resulted in a pre-tax gain of $9.1 million in the second quarter of 2010. Following these transactions, we owned 310 units, or 7.3%, of Fenway Sports Group.

On February 3, 2012, we sold additional units of Fenway Sports Group. See Note 21 for additional information regarding the sale. We continue to market our remaining units in Fenway Sports Group, in whole or in parts.

The following tables present summarized combined information for our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures. Separate financial statements of these unconsolidated joint ventures are not required since none of our investments are considered individually significant. Summarized unaudited condensed combined balance sheets of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows as of:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011		December 31, 2010
Current assets	$	262,203	$	272,672
Non-current assets	1,405,110		1,421,083
Total assets	1,667,313		1,693,755
Current liabilities	551,105		426,020
Non-current liabilities	518,723		613,971
Total liabilities	1,069,828		1,039,991
Equity	522,930		580,603
Noncontrolling interest	74,555		73,161
Total liabilities and equity	$	1,667,313	$	1,693,755

Summarized unaudited condensed combined income statements of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows for the years ended:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011			December 31, 2010			December 31, 2009
Revenues	$	1,203,537		$	936,223		$	844,950
Costs and expenses	1,203,181			850,950			739,289
Operating income	356			85,273			105,661
Other (expense)/income	(10,014		)	14,724			5,418
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(9,658		)	99,997			111,079
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(25,004		)	(111		)	932
Net income	15,346			100,108			110,147
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23,517		)	(23,725		)	(20,631		)
Net (loss)/income less noncontrolling interest	$	(8,171	)	$	76,383		$	89,516

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Other

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]

Other Income And Expense Disclosure [Text Block]

Other

Severance Costs

We recognized severance costs of $13.6 million in 2011, $6.8 million in 2010, and $53.9 million in 2009. In 2011, 2010 and 2009, these costs were primarily recognized at the News Media Group related to various initiatives and are primarily recorded in “Selling, general and administrative costs” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We had a severance liability of $13.1 million and $11.1 million included in “Accrued expenses” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, respectively, of which the majority of the December 25, 2011 balance will be paid in 2012.

Gain on Sale of Investments

We recognized a gain on the sale of investments of $71.2 million in 2011 and $9.1 million in 2010. See Note 7 for information regarding the gain in 2011 ($65.3 million) and 2010 ($9.1 million) related to the sales of our units in Fenway Sports Group.

In addition, we sold a minor portion of our interest in Indeed.com, a job listing aggregator, resulting in a gain of $5.9 million in 2011. We retain a substantial portion of our initial interest in Indeed.com.

Loss on Leases and Other Expenses

In 2011, we recorded a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer at the end of 2011.

The total loss on leases and other expenses recorded in 2009 was $34.6 million as detailed below.

In 2009, we recorded a loss of $22.8 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under leases, for property previously occupied by City & Suburban Delivery Systems, Inc. (“City & Suburban”), in excess of rental income under potential subleases. We closed City & Suburban, which operated a wholesale distribution business that delivered The New York Times (“The Times”) and other newspapers and magazines to newsstands and retail outlets in the New York metropolitan area, in January 2009. Also in 2009, we recorded a loss of $8.3 million for the present value of remaining rental payments under a lease for office space at The New York Times Media Group, in excess of rental income under potential subleases.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, we also recorded a $3.5 million charge for the early termination of a third-party printing contract.

Gain on Sale of Assets

In 2009, we sold certain surplus real estate assets at the Regional Media Group and recorded a gain on the sales totaling $5.2 million.

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Pension Benefits - Changes in Plan Assets and Benefit Obligations Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Pension Benefits
Effect of curtailments	$ 0	$ 1,083
Defined contribution plan, cost recognized	23,000	23,000	14,000
Incremental employer contribution percentage based on employee's eligible earnings			3.00%
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Pension Benefits
Defined benefit plan,net gain (loss)	255,907	122,879	(69,416)
Prior service cost	0	0	2,115
Recognized actuarial loss	(28,995)	(20,599)	(25,962)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	(803)	(803)	4,166
Effect of curtailments	0	(1,083)	(2,375)
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss	226,109	100,394	(91,472)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	45,008	37,843	1,613
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive loss	271,117	138,237	(89,859)
Estimated actuarial loss that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year	34,000
Estimated prior service cost that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year	$ 1,000

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Income Taxes - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 55,636	$ 70,578	$ 92,582
Gross additions based on tax positions related to the current year	4,094	2,565	3,545
Gross reductions to tax positions related to current year	0	0	0
Gross additions to tax positions related to prior year	460	0	0
Gross reductions for tax positions of prior year	(970)	(13,347)	(13,484)
Reductions from settlements with taxing authorities	(1,941)	0	0
Reductions from lapse of applicable statutes of limitations	(9,308)	(4,160)	(12,065)
Balance at end of year	$ 47,971	$ 55,636	$ 70,578

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Pension Benefits - Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations In Excess of Fair Value (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Pension Benefits
Projected benefit obligation	$ 2,263,562	$ 2,077,368
Accumulated benefit obligation	2,223,755	2,035,644
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,464,729	$ 1,381,811

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Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Jun. 26, 2011 Assets Held-for-sale [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 About Group's Consumersearch Tradename [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Notes Due 2015 Called 2011 [Member]	Aug. 15, 2011 Notes Due 2015 Called 2011 [Member]	Mar. 28, 2010 Madison Paper Industries [Member]	Mar. 28, 2010 Gain on Sale at Madison Paper Industries Net of Non Controlling Interest [Member]
Total revenues	$ 642,960	$ 537,235	$ 576,702	$ 566,504	$ 661,676	$ 554,333	$ 589,587	$ 587,867		$ 2,323,401	$ 2,393,463	$ 2,440,439
Total operating costs	528,679	504,190	525,233	535,430	550,032	522,924	528,762	535,209		2,093,532	2,136,927	2,307,800
Impairment of assets	3,116	0	161,318	0	0	16,148	0	0		164,434	16,148	4,179		3,116
Pension withdrawal expense	0	0	4,228	0	0	6,268	0	0		4,228	6,268	78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500	0	0	0					3,500	4,500	0	34,633
Operating profit	106,665	33,045	(114,077)	31,074	111,644	8,993	60,825	52,658		56,707	234,120	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	0	65,273	0	5,898	0	0	9,128	0		71,171	9,128	0
Income from joint ventures	4,054	(1,068)	2,791	(5,749)	(3,236)	5,482	7,678	9,111		28	19,035	20,667					12,700	10,200
Premium on debt redemptions	0	46,381	0	0						46,381	0	9,250
Interest expense, net	(15,461)	(20,039)	(25,152)	(24,591)	(23,237)	(20,627)	(20,614)	(20,584)		85,243	85,062	81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	95,258	30,830	(136,438)	6,632	85,171	(6,152)	57,017	41,185		(3,718)	177,221	3,775
Income tax expense	36,353	15,362	(16,615)	1,406	18,072	(2,018)	25,435	27,027		36,506	68,516	2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					67,099	(4,134)	31,582	14,158		(40,224)	108,705	1,569
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					0	(224)	237	0		0	13	18,332
Net (loss)/income	58,905	15,468	(119,823)	5,226	67,099	(4,358)	31,819	14,158		(40,224)	108,718	19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	40	217	105	193	40	97	214	(1,365)		(555)	1,014	10
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	58,945	15,685	(119,718)	5,419	67,139	(4,261)	32,033	12,793		(39,669)	107,704	19,891
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					67,139	(4,037)	31,796	12,793		(39,669)	107,691	1,559
Average number of common shares outstanding - basic	147,451	147,355	147,176	146,777	145,947	145,803	145,601	145,195		147,190	145,636	144,188
Average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	149,887	151,293	147,176	153,760	151,048	145,803	152,962	153,924		147,190	152,600	146,367
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					$ 0.46	$ (0.03)	$ 0.22	$ 0.09		$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
Income/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Basic	$ 0.40	$ 0.11	$ (0.81)	$ 0.04	$ 0.46	$ (0.03)	$ 0.22	$ 0.09		$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.14
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					$ 0.44	$ (0.03)	$ 0.21	$ 0.08		$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
Income/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Diluted	$ 0.39	$ 0.10	$ (0.81)	$ 0.04	$ 0.44	$ (0.03)	$ 0.21	$ 0.08		$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.14
Impairment of assets, goodwill			152,093							152,093
Impairment of assets, property, plant and equipment										1,767	16,148	4,179	9,225
Debt instrument, face amount															250,000	250,000
Interest rate on debt																14.053%
Units sold in Fenway Sports Group		390					50
Tax charge for reduction in future tax benefits for certain retiree health benefits					$ 500			$ 10,900			$ 11,400

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Pension Benefits - Net Periodic Pension Cost (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2009	Sep. 27, 2009	Jun. 28, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Pension Benefits
Service cost				$ 13,739	$ 13,941
Interest cost				113,284	116,125
Net pension curtailment gain				0	0	(53,965)
Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Service cost				12,079	12,045	28,266
Interest cost				99,991	102,523	102,757
Expected return on plan assets				111,813	113,625	113,359
Recognized actuarial loss				25,781	16,496	21,901
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)				803	803	(4,728)
Net pension curtailment gain				0	0	(58,283)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)				26,841	18,242	(23,446)
Non-Qualified Plans [Member]
Pension Benefits
Service cost				1,660	1,896	1,687
Interest cost				13,293	13,602	14,431
Expected return on plan assets				0	0	0
Recognized actuarial loss				3,214	4,103	4,061
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)				0	0	562
Net pension curtailment gain				0	0	4,318
Net periodic pension cost/(income)				18,167	19,601	25,059
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Pension Benefits
Service cost				13,739	13,941	29,953
Interest cost				113,284	116,125	117,188
Expected return on plan assets				111,813	113,625	113,359
Recognized actuarial loss				28,995	20,599	25,962
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)				803	803	(4,166)
Net pension curtailment gain	56,671	2,510	196	0	0	(53,965)
Net periodic pension cost/(income)				$ 45,008	$ 37,843	$ 1,613

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Stock-Based Awards - Cash-Settled Restricted Stock Units (Details) (Cash-settled Restricted Stock Units [Member], USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Cash-settled Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period		3 years	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested [Roll Forward]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number	758,000	788,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 6	$ 6
Unvested restricted stock units granted	0
Unvested restricted stock units granted, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 0
Unvested restricted stock units vested	(9,000)
Unvested restricted stock units vested, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 7
Unvested restricted stock units forfeited	(21,000)
Unvested restricted stock units forfeited, weighted average grant-date fair value	$ 6
Restricted stock units expected to vest	735,000
Restricted stock units expected to vest, weighted average grant date fair value	$ 6
Restricted stock units vested, intrinsic value	$ 80	$ 300	$ 100

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Investments in Joint Ventures (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Equity Method Investments Ownership Percentage [Member]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Schedule and summarized unaudited condensed combined income statements of equity method investments

As of December 25, 2011, our Company’s investments in joint ventures consisted of equity ownership interests in the following entities:

Company	Approximate % Ownership
Metro Boston LLC (“Metro Boston”)	49	%
Donohue Malbaie Inc. (“Malbaie”)	49	%
Madison Paper Industries (“Madison”)	40	%
quadrantONE LLC (“quadrantONE”)	25	%
Fenway Sports Group	7.3	%

Our Company’s investments above are accounted for under the equity method, and are recorded in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our proportionate shares of the operating results of our investments are recorded in “Income from joint ventures” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and in “Investments in joint ventures” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information [Member]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Schedule and summarized unaudited condensed combined income statements of equity method investments

The following tables present summarized combined information for our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures. Separate financial statements of these unconsolidated joint ventures are not required since none of our investments are considered individually significant. Summarized unaudited condensed combined balance sheets of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows as of:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011		December 31, 2010
Current assets	$	262,203	$	272,672
Non-current assets	1,405,110		1,421,083
Total assets	1,667,313		1,693,755
Current liabilities	551,105		426,020
Non-current liabilities	518,723		613,971
Total liabilities	1,069,828		1,039,991
Equity	522,930		580,603
Noncontrolling interest	74,555		73,161
Total liabilities and equity	$	1,667,313	$	1,693,755

Summarized unaudited condensed combined income statements of our Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures were as follows for the years ended:

(In thousands)	December 31, 2011			December 31, 2010			December 31, 2009
Revenues	$	1,203,537		$	936,223		$	844,950
Costs and expenses	1,203,181			850,950			739,289
Operating income	356			85,273			105,661
Other (expense)/income	(10,014		)	14,724			5,418
Pre-tax (loss)/income	(9,658		)	99,997			111,079
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(25,004		)	(111		)	932
Net income	15,346			100,108			110,147
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23,517		)	(23,725		)	(20,631		)
Net (loss)/income less noncontrolling interest	$	(8,171	)	$	76,383		$	89,516

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Impairment of Assets Detail (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of assets	$ 3,116	$ 0	$ 161,318	$ 0	$ 0	$ 16,148	$ 0	$ 0	$ 164,434	$ 16,148	$ 4,179
Impairment of assets, goodwill			152,093						152,093
Impairment of assets, property, plant and equipment									1,767	16,148	4,179
Impairment testing discount rate assumption									10.70%	10.50%
Impairment testing annual growth rate assumption										2.00%
Goodwill	488,894				644,464				488,894	644,464	652,196
Carrying value of assets to be sold										20,000
Assets Held-for-sale [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, property, plant and equipment			9,225
About Group's Consumersearch Tradename [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of assets	3,116
About Group [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of assets, goodwill									0
Percentage of estimated fair value greater than carrying value									18.00%	60.00%
Goodwill	367,276				369,978				367,276	369,978	369,978
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Carrying value of goodwill after impairment charge	0								0
Other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), fair value disclosure	2,864								2,864
Carrying value of intangible asset after impairment charge	0								0
Carrying value of property, plant, and equipment after impairment charge	$ 0				$ 4,838				$ 0	$ 4,838	$ 0

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Income Taxes

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Reconciliations between the effective tax rate on income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and the federal statutory rate are presented below.

	December 25, 2011					December 26, 2010					December 27, 2009
(In thousands)	Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax		Amount			% of Pre-tax
Tax at federal statutory rate	$	(1,302	)	35.0	%	$	62,027		35.0	%	$	1,321		35.0	%
State and local taxes, net	15,095			(406.0	)	19,010			10.7		12,418			329.1
Effect of enacted changes in tax laws	(1,520		)	40.9		11,370			6.4		11,743			311.2
Reduction in uncertain tax positions	(12,105		)	325.6		(21,722		)	(12.2	)	(22,338		)	(592.0	)
Loss/(gain) on Company-owned life insurance	36			(1.0	)	(3,319		)	(1.9	)	(4,156		)	(110.1	)
Non-deductible goodwill	34,992			(941.2	)	—			—		852			22.5
Other, net	1,310			(35.2	)	1,150			0.7		2,366			62.7
Income tax expense	$	36,506		*		$	68,516		38.7		$	2,206		58.4

* The effective tax rate in 2011 is not meaningful because a portion of the non-cash charge in the second quarter of 2011 for the impairment of the Regional Media Group's goodwill was non-deductible.

The components of income tax expense as shown in our Consolidated Statements of Operations were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Current tax (benefit)/expense
Federal	$	(19,559	)	$	14,354		$	(23,748	)
Foreign	1,110			682			784
State and local	(5,786		)	(7,791		)	(19,261		)
Total current tax (benefit)/expense	(24,235		)	7,245			(42,225		)
Deferred tax expense/(benefit)
Federal	14,523			52,735			27,320
Foreign	37,471			(1,384		)	(3,546		)
State and local	8,747			9,920			20,657
Total deferred tax expense	60,741			61,271			44,431
Income tax expense	$	36,506		$	68,516		$	2,206

We recognized a net operating loss carryforward (“loss carryforward”) for federal tax purposes of $23.1 million as of December 25, 2011 and $0 as of December 26, 2010. In accordance with federal tax law, the loss carryforward has a life of 20 years.

State tax operating loss carryforwards totaled $15.1 million as of December 25, 2011 and $8.7 million as of December 26, 2010. Such loss carryforwards expire in accordance with provisions of applicable tax laws and have remaining lives generally ranging from 1 to 20 years.

The components of the net deferred tax assets and liabilities recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Deferred tax assets
Retirement, postemployment and deferred compensation plans	$	447,156		$	420,745
Accruals for other employee benefits, compensation, insurance and other	39,572			56,280
Accounts receivable allowances	7,114			9,587
Other	109,946			91,424
Gross deferred tax assets	603,788			578,036
Valuation allowance	(39,824		)	—
Net deferred tax assets	$	563,964		$	578,036
Deferred tax liabilities
Property, plant and equipment	$	143,308		$	141,052
Intangible assets	42,150			44,568
Investments in joint ventures	15,095			11,796
Other	10,073			56,044
Gross deferred tax liabilities	210,626			253,460
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Deferred tax asset – current	$	73,055		$	68,875
Deferred tax asset – long-term	280,283			255,701
Net deferred tax asset	$	353,338		$	324,576

We assess whether a valuation allowance should be established against deferred tax assets based on the consideration of both positive and negative evidence using a “more likely than not” standard. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. We evaluated our deferred tax assets for recoverability using a consistent approach that considers our three-year historical cumulative income/(loss), including an assessment of the degree to which any such losses were due to items that are unusual in nature (e.g., impairments of non-deductible goodwill and intangible assets).

In 2011, we recorded a valuation allowance of $39.8 million for deferred tax assets primarily associated with net operating losses of non-U.S. operations as we determined these assets were not realizable on a more-likely-than-not basis. In connection with this assessment, we also reversed a deferred tax liability, included in the “Deferred tax liabilities - other” line in the table above, originally established for the U.S. tax consequences associated with recognizing the net operating losses of the non-U.S. operations. The net impact on 2011 income tax expense was nominal as the valuation allowance was almost completely offset by the reversal of the deferred tax liability.

Income tax benefits related to the exercise or vesting of equity awards reduced current taxes payable by $1.6 million in 2011, $2.1 million in 2010 and $1.0 million in 2009.

As of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010, “Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and for the years then ended in our Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity was net of deferred tax assets of approximately $370 million and $280 million, respectively.

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Balance at beginning of year	$	55,636		$	70,578		$	92,582
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the current year	4,094			2,565			3,545
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the current year	—			—			—
Gross additions to tax positions taken during the prior year	460			—			—
Gross reductions to tax positions taken during the prior year	(970		)	(13,347		)	(13,484		)
Reductions from settlements with taxing authorities	(1,941		)	—			—
Reductions from lapse of applicable statutes of limitations	(9,308		)	(4,160		)	(12,065		)
Balance at end of year	$	47,971		$	55,636		$	70,578

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would, if recognized, affect the effective income tax rate was approximately $31 million as of December 25, 2011 and $36 million as of December 26, 2010.

We also recognize accrued interest expense and penalties related to the unrecognized tax benefits within income tax expense or benefit. The total amount of accrued interest and penalties was approximately $16 million as of December 25, 2011 and approximately $18 million as of December 26, 2010. The total amount of accrued interest and penalties was a net benefit of $1.4 million in 2011, $6.3 million in 2010 and $4.4 million in 2009.

With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2004. Management believes that our accrual for tax liabilities is adequate for all open audit years. This assessment relies on estimates and assumptions and may involve a series of complex judgments about future events.

It is reasonably possible that certain income tax examinations may be concluded, or statutes of limitation may lapse, during the next 12 months, which could result in a decrease in unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $19 million that would, if recognized, impact the effective tax rate.

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Segment Information

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Information

Segment Information

Our Company’s reportable segments consist of the News Media Group and the About Group. These segments are evaluated regularly by key management in assessing performance and allocating resources.

Revenues, operating profit and identifiable assets of foreign operations are not significant. The About Group generated more than 50% of its revenue in 2011 through cost-per-click advertising, which is principally derived from an arrangement with Google.

Below is a description of our Company’s reportable segments:

News Media Group

The News Media Group consists of The New York Times Media Group, which includes The Times, the IHT, NYTimes.com, and related businesses; the New England Media Group, which includes the Globe, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Telegram.com and related businesses; and the Regional Media Group, which includes 16 regional newspapers, other print publications and related businesses in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. See Note 21 for information on the sale of the Regional Media Group in the first quarter of 2012.

About Group

The About Group consists of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, CalorieCount.com and related businesses. In February 2011, we sold UCompareHealthCare.com.

Our Statements of Operations by segment and Corporate were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Revenues
News Media Group	$	2,212,575		$	2,257,386		$	2,319,378
About Group	110,826			136,077			121,061
Total	$	2,323,401		$	2,393,463		$	2,440,439
Operating profit/(loss)
News Media Group	$	60,853		$	219,242		$	21,163
About Group	40,674			61,952			50,881
Corporate	(44,820		)	(47,074		)	2,015
Total	$	56,707		$	234,120		$	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	71,171			9,128			—
Income from joint ventures	28			19,035			20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381			—			9,250
Interest expense, net	85,243			85,062			81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	(3,718		)	177,221			3,775
Income tax expense	36,506			68,516			2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	(40,224		)	108,705			1,569
Discontinued operations:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			—			(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	—			13			19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—			13			18,332
Net (loss)/income	(40,224		)	108,718			19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	555			(1,014		)	(10		)
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$	(39,669	)	$	107,704		$	19,891

The News Media Group’s operating profit included:

• 2011 – a $164.4 million charge for the impairment of assets, primarily related to goodwill at the Regional Media Group and a $4.2 million charge for a pension withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan at the Globe,

• 2010 – a $16.1 million charge for the impairment of assets at the Globe’s printing facility in Billerica, Mass., which was consolidated into the Boston, Mass., printing facility and a $6.3 million charge for an adjustment to estimated pension withdrawal obligations under several multiemployer pension plans at the Globe,

• 2009 – a $78.9 million charge primarily for a pension withdrawal obligation under certain multiemployer pension plans, a $34.6 million charge for loss on leases and the early termination of a third-party printing contract, a $5.2 million gain on sale of assets, a $4.2 million charge for the impairment of assets due to the reduced scope of a systems project, and a $2.7 million curtailment loss.

Corporate’s operating loss included:

• 2011 – a $4.5 million charge for a retirement and consulting agreement in connection with the retirement of our chief executive officer,

• 2009 – a pension curtailment gain of $56.7 million.

See Notes 5, 9 and 11 for additional information regarding these items.

Advertising, circulation and other revenues, by division of the News Media Group, were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
The New York Times Media Group
Advertising	$	756,148	$	780,424	$	797,298
Circulation	705,163		683,717		683,445
Other	93,263		92,697		101,118
Total	$	1,554,574	$	1,556,838	$	1,581,861
New England Media Group
Advertising	$	198,383	$	213,720	$	230,886
Circulation	157,819		167,360		167,998
Other	41,854		42,809		41,710
Total	$	398,056	$	423,889	$	440,594
Regional Media Group
Advertising	$	161,831	$	177,056	$	192,924
Circulation	78,486		80,416		85,043
Other	19,628		19,187		18,956
Total	$	259,945	$	276,659	$	296,923
Total News Media Group
Advertising	$	1,116,362	$	1,171,200	$	1,221,108
Circulation	941,468		931,493		936,486
Other	154,745		154,693		161,784
Total	$	2,212,575	$	2,257,386	$	2,319,378

Our Company’s segment depreciation and amortization, capital expenditures and assets and Corporate’s capital expenditures and assets reconciled to consolidated amounts were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Depreciation and Amortization
News Media Group	$	105,934	$	109,341	$	122,609
About Group	10,520		11,609		11,087
Total	$	116,454	$	120,950	$	133,696
Capital Expenditures
News Media Group	$	34,576	$	26,417	$	38,136
About Group	4,809		4,856		4,339
Corporate	5,142		3,423		2,965
Total	$	44,527	$	34,696	$	45,440
Assets
News Media Group	$	1,619,950	$	1,869,798	$	1,993,482
About Group	417,321		429,509		437,597
Corporate	764,160		851,793		526,066
Investments in joint ventures	82,019		134,641		131,357
WQXR-FM – Discontinued Operations	—		—		55
Total	$	2,883,450	$	3,285,741	$	3,088,557

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Segment Information - Statements of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 642,960	$ 537,235	$ 576,702	$ 566,504	$ 661,676	$ 554,333	$ 589,587	$ 587,867		$ 2,323,401	$ 2,393,463	$ 2,440,439
Operating profit	106,665	33,045	(114,077)	31,074	111,644	8,993	60,825	52,658		56,707	234,120	74,059
Gain on sale of investments	0	65,273	0	5,898	0	0	9,128	0		71,171	9,128	0
Income from joint ventures	4,054	(1,068)	2,791	(5,749)	(3,236)	5,482	7,678	9,111		28	19,035	20,667
Premium on debt redemptions	0	46,381	0	0						46,381	0	9,250
Interest expense, net	(15,461)	(20,039)	(25,152)	(24,591)	(23,237)	(20,627)	(20,614)	(20,584)		85,243	85,062	81,701
(Loss)/income from continuing operations before income taxes	95,258	30,830	(136,438)	6,632	85,171	(6,152)	57,017	41,185		(3,718)	177,221	3,775
Income tax expense	36,353	15,362	(16,615)	1,406	18,072	(2,018)	25,435	27,027		36,506	68,516	2,206
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					67,099	(4,134)	31,582	14,158		(40,224)	108,705	1,569
Discontinued operations											0	(1,156)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	0	(1,156)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes										0	13	19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					0	(224)	237	0		0	13	18,332
Net (loss)/income	58,905	15,468	(119,823)	5,226	67,099	(4,358)	31,819	14,158		(40,224)	108,718	19,901
Net loss/(income) attributable to the noncontrolling interest	40	217	105	193	40	97	214	(1,365)		(555)	1,014	10
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	58,945	15,685	(119,718)	5,419	67,139	(4,261)	32,033	12,793		(39,669)	107,704	19,891
Impairment of assets	3,116	0	161,318	0	0	16,148	0	0		164,434	16,148	4,179
Pension withdrawal expense	0	0	4,228	0	0	6,268	0	0		4,228	6,268	78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500	0	0	0					3,500	4,500	0	34,633
Gain on sale of assets										0	0	5,198
Net pension curtailment gain										0	0	53,965
News Media Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues										2,212,575	2,257,386	2,319,378
Operating profit										60,853	219,242	21,163
Net pension curtailment gain												2,706
About Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues										110,826	136,077	121,061
Operating profit										40,674	61,952	50,881
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating profit										(44,820)	(47,074)	2,015
Net pension curtailment gain												$ 56,671

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Short-Term Investments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011 US Treasury Securities [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-maturity Securities [Line Items]
Minimum original maturity date of short-term investments	3 months
Carrying value of short-term investments		$ 104,800	$ 30,000
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturity, Date Range, Low	1 month
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturity, Date Range, High	6 months

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Discontinued Operations (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Schedule of Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures [Table Text Block]

Discontinued operations are summarized in the following table.

(In thousands)	December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Revenues	$	—	$	5,062
Total operating costs	—		7,082
Pre-tax loss	—		(2,020		)
Income tax benefit	—		(864		)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	—		(1,156		)
Gain on sale, net of income taxes:
Gain on sale	16		34,914
Income tax expense	3		15,426
Gain on sale, net of income taxes	13		19,488
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$	13	$	18,332

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Cash flows from operating activities
Net (loss)/income	$ (40,224)	$ 108,718	$ 19,901
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Impairment of assets	164,434	16,148	4,179
Pension withdrawal expense	4,228	6,268	78,931
Loss on leases and other expenses	4,500	0	34,633
Gain on sale of investments	(71,171)	(9,128)	0
Premium on debt redemptions	46,381	0	9,250
Net pension curtailment gain	0	0	(53,965)
Gain on sale of Radio Operations	0	(16)	(34,914)
Gain on sale of assets	0	0	(5,198)
Depreciation and amortization	116,454	120,950	133,775
Stock-based compensation expense	8,497	7,029	11,250
Undistributed loss/(income) of equity method investments, net of dividends	3,435	(10,710)	(17,892)
Deferred income taxes	60,741	61,271	44,431
Long-term retirement benefit obligations	(141,714)	(167,498)	13,936
Other-net	(462)	5,611	9,816
Changes in operating assets and liabilities–net of acquisitions/dispositions:
Accounts receivable - net	12,603	39,830	52,817
Inventories	(4,955)	171	8,324
Other current assets	1,820	(572)	15,798
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(93,581)	(20,137)	(75,432)
Unexpired subscriptions	(2,941)	4,608	2,387
Net cash provided by operating activities	73,927	153,327	247,253
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of short-term investments	(279,721)	(29,974)	0
Maturities of short-term investments	204,849	0	0
Proceeds from sale/(purchase) of investments - net	117,966	9,254	(1,338)
Capital expenditures	(44,887)	(33,565)	(51,056)
Change in restricted cash	(27,628)	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of assets	11,167	2,265	26,543
Loan repayments/(issuance) – net	0	11,500	(11,500)
Proceeds from the sale of Radio Operations	0	0	45,424
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(18,254)	(40,520)	8,073
Long-term obligations:
Proceeds from issuance of senior unsecured notes	0	220,248	221,322
Repayments	(590)	(592)	(98,958)
Proceeds from sale-leaseback financing	0	0	210,502
Redemption of long-term debt	(250,000)	0	(250,000)
Capital shares:
Issuances	364	1,010	443
Repurchases	0	0	(489)
Proceeds from sale of warrants	0	0	20,529
Repayments under revolving credit agreements – net	0	0	(380,000)
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities	(250,226)	220,666	(276,651)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(194,553)	333,473	(21,325)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	36	(325)	1,061
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	369,668	36,520	56,784
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	175,151	369,668	36,520
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Interest	98,763	76,748	68,976
Income tax (refunds)/paid – net	$ (22,757)	$ 18,948	$ (23,692)

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Earnings/(Loss) Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Earnings per share
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					$ 67,139	$ (4,037)	$ 31,796	$ 12,793	$ (39,669)	$ 107,691	$ 1,559
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					0	(224)	237	0	0	13	18,332
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ 58,945	$ 15,685	$ (119,718)	$ 5,419	$ 67,139	$ (4,261)	$ 32,033	$ 12,793	$ (39,669)	$ 107,704	$ 19,891
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted
Average number of common shares outstanding - basic	147,451	147,355	147,176	146,777	145,947	145,803	145,601	145,195	147,190	145,636	144,188
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities									0	6,964	2,179
Average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	149,887	151,293	147,176	153,760	151,048	145,803	152,962	153,924	147,190	152,600	146,367
Earnings per share, basic
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					$ 0.46	$ (0.03)	$ 0.22	$ 0.09	$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
(Loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Basic	$ 0.40	$ 0.11	$ (0.81)	$ 0.04	$ 0.46	$ (0.03)	$ 0.22	$ 0.09	$ (0.27)	$ 0.74	$ 0.14
Earnings per share, diluted
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					$ 0.44	$ (0.03)	$ 0.21	$ 0.08	$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.01
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.13
Net (loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Diluted	$ 0.39	$ 0.10	$ (0.81)	$ 0.04	$ 0.44	$ (0.03)	$ 0.21	$ 0.08	$ (0.27)	$ 0.71	$ 0.14
Warrants [Member]
Earnings per share, diluted
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share									15,900
Stock Options [Member]
Earnings per share, diluted
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share									22,000	24,000	29,000

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Short-Term Investments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Short-term Investments [Abstract]

Short-Term Investments

Short-Term Investments

We have short-term investments, with original maturities of longer than 3 months, in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 25, 2011 and as of December 26, 2010. The carrying value of the short-term investments (which approximated the fair value) was $104.8 million in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 25, 2011 and $30.0 million in U.S. Treasury securities as of December 26, 2010. The short-term investments have remaining maturities of about 1 month to 6 months as of December 25, 2011.

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Debt Obligations - Debt Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011 Years	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011 Notes Due 2012 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Aug. 15, 2011 Notes Due 2015 Called 2011 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Notes Due 2015 Called 2011 [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Notes Due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Notes Due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 27, 2009 Option To Repurchase Headquarters Building 2019 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Option To Repurchase Headquarters Building 2019 [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Carlos Slim Helu [Member]
Debt Information
Debt instrument, face amount								$ 75,000	$ 250,000	$ 250,000	$ 250,000		$ 225,000		$ 225,000
Interest rate on debt								4.61%	5.00%	14.053%			6.625%
Warrants issued In connection with debt issuance											15,900
Class of warrant or right, exercise price of warrants or rights	$ 6.3572				$ 6.3572
Class A common stock ownership percentage																8.00%
Prepayment amount for redemption of 14.053% Notes					250,000	0	250,000			280,000
Accrued and unpaid interest for prepayment of 14.053% Notes										3,000
Make-whole premium amount for redemption of 14.053% Notes										27,000
Premium on debt redemptions	0	46,381	0	0	46,381	0	9,250
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt												220,248
Debt instrument, fee amount												5,000		39,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, effective percentage												7.00%		13.00%
Sale leaseback financing, amortization period					10
Proceeds from sale-leaseback financing					0	0	210,502							210,502
Sale leaseback financing, lease term					15
Sale leaseback financing, lease renewal term					20
Sale leaseback purchase option price															$ 250,000

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Income Taxes - Rate Reconciliation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Tax at federal statutory rate									$ (1,302)	$ 62,027	$ 1,321
State and local taxes, net									15,095	19,010	12,418
Effect of enacted changes in tax laws									(1,520)	11,370	11,743
Reduction in uncertain tax positions									(12,105)	(21,722)	(22,338)
(Gain)/loss on Company-owned life insurance									36	(3,319)	(4,156)
Non-deductible goodwill									34,992	0	852
Other, net									1,310	1,150	2,366
Income tax expense	$ 36,353	$ 15,362	$ (16,615)	$ 1,406	$ 18,072	$ (2,018)	$ 25,435	$ 27,027	$ 36,506	$ 68,516	$ 2,206
Tax at federal statutory rate (% of pre-tax)									35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State and local taxes, net (% of pre-tax)									(406.00%)	10.70%	329.10%
Effect of enacted changes in tax laws (% of pre-tax)									40.90%	6.40%	311.20%
Reduction in uncertain tax positions (% of pre-tax)									325.60%	(12.20%)	(592.00%)
(Gain)/loss on Company-owned life insurance (% of pre-tax)									(1.00%)	(1.90%)	(110.10%)
Non-deductible goodwill (% of pre-tax)									(941.20%)	0.00%	22.50%
Other, net (% of pre-tax)									(35.20%)	0.70%	62.70%
Effective income tax rate										38.70%	58.40%

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Pension Benefits Pension Benefits - Fair Value of Plan Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	$ 1,459,372	$ 1,376,488
Fair value of plan assets	1,464,729	1,381,811	1,150,915
U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	173,988	191,559
International Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	74,426	95,880
Common Collective Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	714,300	570,244
Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	266,510	309,223
US Treasury and Government [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	98,531	55,235
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	31,847	35,924
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	16,850	19,799
US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	15,394	12,551
Other Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	7,268	8,208
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	22,865	9,207
Real Estate Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring		37,471
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	37,393	31,187
Other Assets [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	5,357	5,323
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	248,414	287,439
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	173,988	191,559
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | International Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	74,426	95,880
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Common Collective Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | US Treasury and Government [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	1,173,565	1,020,391
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | International Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Common Collective Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	714,300	570,244
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	266,510	309,223
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | US Treasury and Government [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	98,531	55,235
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	31,847	35,924
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	16,850	19,799
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	15,394	12,551
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	7,268	8,208
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	22,865	9,207
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	37,393	68,658	54,502
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | International Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Common Collective Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | US Treasury and Government [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Insurance Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Real Estate Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	0	37,471	33,938
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, fair value disclosure, recurring	$ 37,393	$ 31,187	$ 20,564

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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

Operating Leases

Operating lease commitments are primarily for office space and equipment. Certain office space leases provide for rent adjustments relating to changes in real estate taxes and other operating costs.

Rental expense amounted to approximately $21 million in 2011, $25 million in 2010 and $26 million in 2009. The approximate minimum rental commitments under noncancelable leases, net of subleases, as of December 25, 2011 were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	16,096
2013	11,727
2014	10,163
2015	8,639
2016	5,245
Later years	13,888
Total minimum lease payments	65,758
Less: noncancelable subleases	(16,072		)
Total minimum lease payments, net of noncancelable subleases	$	49,686

Capital Leases

Future minimum lease payments for all capital leases, and the present value of the minimum lease payments as of December 25, 2011, were as follows:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	573
2013	552
2014	552
2015	552
2016	552
Later years	8,349
Total minimum lease payments	11,130
Less: imputed interest	(4,429		)
Present value of net minimum lease payments including current maturities	$	6,701

Restricted Cash

We were required to maintain $27.6 million of restricted cash as of December 25, 2011, subject to certain collateral requirements primarily for obligations under our workers’ compensation programs. These collateral requirements were previously supported by letters of credit under our revolving credit facility that was replaced in June 2011.

Other

There are various legal actions that have arisen in the ordinary course of business and are now pending against us. These actions are generally for amounts greatly in excess of the payments, if any, that may be required to be made. It is the opinion of management after reviewing these actions with our legal counsel that the ultimate liability that might result from these actions would not have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Other Postretirement Benefits - Changes in the Benefit Obligations Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009
Other Postretirement Benefits
Additional postretirement costs	$ 16,000	$ 18,000	$ 18,000
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Other Postretirement Benefits
Net loss/(gain)	13,436	(16,865)	15,749
Prior service credit	(35,712)	0	(9,581)
Recognized actuarial loss	(2,289)	(3,129)	(2,014)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	16,593	15,602	14,902
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss	(7,972)	(4,392)	19,056
Net periodic pension cost/(income)	(6,271)	(2,057)	(982)
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive loss	(14,243)	(6,449)	18,074
Estimated actuarial loss that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year	3,000
Estimated prior service cost that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension cost over the next fiscal year	$ 15,000

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Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables) (Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member])

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]

Other Postretirement Benefits

Schedule of Components of Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost

The components of net periodic postretirement benefit income were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Service cost	$	1,143		$	1,076		$	1,551
Interest cost	6,890			9,340			10,355
Recognized actuarial loss	2,289			3,129			2,014
Amortization of prior service credit	(16,593		)	(15,602		)	(14,902		)
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	$	(6,271	)	$	(2,057	)	$	(982	)

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plan Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

The changes in the benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010			December 27, 2009
Net loss/(gain)	$	13,436		$	(16,865	)	$	15,749
Prior service credit	(35,712		)	—			(9,581		)
Amortization of loss	(2,289		)	(3,129		)	(2,014		)
Amortization of prior service credit	16,593			15,602			14,902
Total recognized in other comprehensive income/loss	(7,972		)	(4,392		)	19,056
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	(6,271		)	(2,057		)	(982		)
Total recognized in net periodic postretirement benefit income and other comprehensive income/loss	$	(14,243	)	$	(6,449	)	$	18,074

The estimated actuarial loss and prior service credit that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year is approximately $3 million and $15 million, respectively.

In connection with collective bargaining agreements, we contribute to several multiemployer welfare plans. These plans provide medical benefits to active and retired employees covered under the respective collective bargaining agreement. Contributions are made in accordance with the formula in the relevant agreement. Postretirement costs related to these plans are not reflected above and were approximately $16 million in 2011 and $18 million in 2010 and 2009.

Schedule of Changes in Projected Benefit Obligations and Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

The changes in the benefit obligation and plan assets and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income/loss were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011			December 26, 2010
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	142,417		$	164,811
Service cost	1,143			1,076
Interest cost	6,890			9,340
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Actuarial loss/(gain)	13,436			(16,865		)
Plan amendments	(35,712		)	—
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Benefit obligation at the end of year	113,803			142,417
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	—			—
Employer contributions	14,371			15,945
Plan participants’ contributions	4,659			4,569
Benefits paid	(20,247		)	(21,438		)
Medicare subsidies received	1,217			924
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	—			—
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	(9,611	)	$	(11,794	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(104,192		)	(130,623		)
Net amount recognized	$	(113,803	)	$	(142,417	)
Amount recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Actuarial loss	$	43,114		$	31,967
Prior service credit	(136,469		)	(117,350		)
Total	$	(93,355	)	$	(85,383	)

Schedule of Assumptions Used [Table Text Block]

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine the postretirement benefit obligations were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Discount rate	4.64	%	5.35	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%

Weighted-average assumptions used in the actuarial computations to determine net periodic postretirement cost were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010		December 27, 2009
Discount rate	5.14	%	5.92	%	6.67	%
Estimated increase in compensation level	3.50	%	3.50	%	3.50	%

Schedule of Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Table Text Block]

The assumed health-care cost trend rates were as follows:

	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Health-care cost trend rate assumed next year	7.33	%	7.75	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.00	%	5.00	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2019		2019

Schedule of Effect of One-Percentage-Point Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Table Text Block]

A one-percentage point change in assumed health-care cost trend rates would have the following effects:

	One-Percentage Point
(In thousands)	Increase		Decrease
Effect on total service and interest cost for 2011	$	386	$	336
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of December 25, 2011	$	5,227	$	4,618

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]

The following benefit payments (net of plan participant contributions) under our Company’s postretirement plans, which reflect expected future services, are expected to be paid:

(In thousands)	Amount
2012	$	10,601
2013	10,484
2014	10,177
2015	9,875
2016	9,529
2017-2021	41,712

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Other Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2011

Other Liabilities [Abstract]

Other Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block]

Other Liabilities

The components of the “Other Liabilities – Other” balance in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

(In thousands)	December 25, 2011		December 26, 2010
Deferred compensation	$	75,394	$	87,102
Other liabilities	102,323		130,373
Total	$	177,717	$	217,475

Deferred compensation consists primarily of deferrals under our deferred executive compensation plan (the “DEC Plan”). The DEC plan enables certain eligible executives to elect to defer a portion of their compensation on a pre-tax basis. While the initial deferral period is for a minimum of 2 years up to a maximum of 15 years (after which time taxable distributions must begin), the executive has the option to extend the deferral period. Employees’ contributions earn income based on the performance of investment funds they select.

We invest deferred compensation in life insurance products designed to closely mirror the performance of the investment funds that the participants select. Our investments in life insurance products are included in “Miscellaneous assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets, and were $75.4 million as of December 25, 2011 and $88.6 million as of December 26, 2010.

Other liabilities in the preceding table primarily included our contingent tax liability as of December 25, 2011 and December 26, 2010.

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Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Sep. 26, 2010	Jun. 27, 2010	Mar. 28, 2010	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010	Dec. 27, 2009	Dec. 25, 2011 Fenway Sports Group [Member]	Feb. 03, 2012 Sale of Equity Method Investment [Member]	Feb. 03, 2012 Sale of Equity Method Investment [Member] Fenway Sports Group [Member]	Jan. 06, 2012 Sale of Business [Member] Regional Media Group [Member]	Dec. 25, 2011 Sale of Business [Member] Regional Media Group [Member]	Dec. 26, 2010 Sale of Business [Member] Regional Media Group [Member]	Dec. 27, 2009 Sale of Business [Member] Regional Media Group [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Units sold in Fenway Sports Group		390					50							100
Proceeds from sale of investments		$ 117,000							$ (117,966)	$ (9,254)	$ 1,338			$ (30,000)
Gain on sale of investments	0	65,273	0	5,898	0	0	9,128	0	71,171	9,128	0			18,000
Units owned in Fenway Sports Group after sale		310											210
Equity method investment, ownership percentage												7.30%		4.97%
Discontinued Operations [Abstract]
Number of newspapers, print bublications and related businesses sold															16
Proceeds from the sale of businesses									0	0	45,424				143,000
Disposal group, not discontinued operation, gain on disposal															30,000
Disposal group, not discontinued operation, total expected cash proceeds, net of tax															150,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Income Statement Disclosures [Abstract]
Revenues	642,960	537,235	576,702	566,504	661,676	554,333	589,587	587,867	2,323,401	2,393,463	2,440,439					259,945	276,659	296,923
Production cost and selling, general and administrative costs										0	7,082					223,367	236,699	257,710
Total operating costs	528,679	504,190	525,233	535,430	550,032	522,924	528,762	535,209	2,093,532	2,136,927	2,307,800					235,032	249,354	272,603
Depreciation and amortization									116,454	120,950	133,696					11,665	12,655	14,893
Impairment of assets	3,116	0	161,318	0	0	16,148	0	0	164,434	16,148	4,179					152,093	0	0
Gain on sale of assets									0	0	5,198					0	0	5,198
Pre-tax (loss)/income	106,665	33,045	(114,077)	31,074	111,644	8,993	60,825	52,658	56,707	234,120	74,059					(127,180)	27,305	29,518
Income tax expense	36,353	15,362	(16,615)	1,406	18,072	(2,018)	25,435	27,027	36,506	68,516	2,206					(10,879)	10,783	13,122
(Loss)/income from continuing operations					67,099	(4,134)	31,582	14,158	(40,224)	108,705	1,569					(116,301)	16,522	16,396
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Balance Sheet Disclosures [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, net, current	288,355				302,245				288,355	302,245						26,550	27,417
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,085,190				1,156,786				1,085,190	1,156,786						146,287	157,603
Goodwill	488,894				644,464				488,894	644,464	652,196					0	152,093
Other assets, noncurrent	180,860				201,502				180,860	201,502						5,344	7,299
Assets	2,883,450				3,285,741				2,883,450	3,285,741	3,088,557					178,181	344,412
Liabilities, current	513,308				504,377				513,308	504,377						19,568	22,016
Net assets																$ 158,613	$ 322,396