As of this weekend, the NY Times is no longer publishing regional restaurant reviews or any local arts coverage in the Sunday Metropolitan section. It turns out there is a post here in the “Food Media and News” board but I wanted to make sure that those in the affected areas are aware of it. Here’s the link to the other thread.
For those of us in Westchester, it means our only printed source for reviews will be Westchester Magazine, since The Journal News does not write impartial reviews, only fluff pieces about “restaurants we love”. I’m not sure if there is a Rockland equivalent and I’m fairly sure there is nothing in Putnam. Obviously this is very disappointing news. I guess sites like this will become even more valuable and maybe even gain a new audience.
That is sad. I wonder if they’ll still have online West. reviews? Otherwise, more people to put out of work and more money for the execs.
As you said, also more (hopefully) readership here.
Both the JN and WM are fluff pieces bought and paid for by the restaurants.
Then again, the ‘excellent’ for Agostino in New Rochelle by the NYT was quizzical. I usually depend on my best and final source for restaurant reviews - my own.
There is already a post about this subject, Mister Bill. Though it is a good idea to cross-pollinate the local regions affected, too. Thanks for figuring out the way…
Yes there was already a post but people who have the most interest in reading the reviews (and are likely going to wonder what happened to them) may not read that board (I certainly did not).
Fortunately this site alerted me to that post when I started posting here (cool feature). Even cooler would have been the ability to cross-post that to other boards like this one.
The old reviews are still there (for now) but new ones are not being written. I believe the employees involved are no longer employed by he NYT.
The JN doesn’t even claim to have reviews, so maybe they’re better than WM in that regard (although shouldn’t one expect a major local newspaper to critically review restaurants?). I had complained to Liz Johnson about this a while ago but to no avail. Their current food editor left recently, and the job description that Liz posted looking for the replacement specifically said that reviews were not a part of the position.
When we first moved up to Mt. Kisco in 1994 The Journal News had a for real restaurant critic. He was good too. There was an honest to goodness food section. Then he was replaced and the “reviews” were more like ads for places that advertise with them - like Lohud now and WM. Too bad, really. It was a great way to see what was new.
Ah yes, back when the ‘Journal News’ was The Standard Star in New Rochelle, and specific papers in other Westchester cities had their own unique monikers. There was an honest to goodness Standard Star building on North Avenue in New Rochelle with real live breathing people working in it. They covered local events, people, and restaurants. Not sure where they printed the paper.
Then they fired all the living people and replaced them with bots and lumped all the cities under one banner. Nothing happened to the execs, oh no, the money saved from the firings went to them.
And now, what’s left? I have no idea. I get a threat from lohud when I dare go there that I may soon exceed my 5 free reads. Well, they can go leap, because I wouldn’t pay them a dime for digital coverage. And hilariously, Westchester Magazine sends me free magazines. I used to read them, realized them for the shills they are, and now put them immediately into the recycle basket.
Thank goodness for Hungry Onion and Yelp. Imagine a world where our only choice was Chowhound?
While i am not a big fan of the Westchester dining scene,and have stated that their is not much to write about,I did NOT mean that their was nothing to write about. This is a foolish attempt by NYT to cut costs (understandable) but misguided. It will ultimately cost them readers. No,most people won’t drop their subscriptions,but future subscribers will find that they can get the same info in other ways,probably not a conscious decision- but why bother to subscribe.The times has always been a source of news and pleasure.Once they shift too far … much like the public schools that dropped everything but core curriculum…no arts,no music, no life
[quote=“winecountrygirl, post:8, topic:6378”]
When we first moved up to Mt. Kisco in 1994 The Journal News had a for real restaurant critic. He was good too. There was an honest to goodness food section. Then he was replaced and the “reviews” were more like ads for places that advertise with them - like Lohud now and WM. Too bad, really. It was a great way to see what was new.[/quote]
You’re probably referring to John Mariani, who was (is) a well-known food writer who happened to live in the area. He was also the Prodigy food expert (anyone else remember that?)
I don’t pay that much attention to the WM reviews so I did not notice that they were bogus. I know their Best of Westchester competition has become a way to get more places to pay to participate in their event with so many questionable categories.
This would be a great opportunity for the Journal News to get back into the restaurant review business, but given that Liz Johnson is in charge I don’t see that happening (and Liz, you are welcome to reply if you’re reading this). Even the POK Journal does reviews (also Gannett). Newsday used to on LI, not sure if they still do.
Well not to put too fine a point on it, but most people under 50 would no longer read a print review. Theyll see where their friends are eating on Facebook or check Google maps and see what is good and close by.
Even blogs like this are getting somewhat dated.
As a result I doubt that there is a big media gap left by the NYtimes that smaller publications are going to rush to exploit, even if we older folks do still read and have more money.
Yep, nothing worth paying attention to. I will vote in Best of Westchester as I have friends that own businesses and I think it helps them. [quote=“MisterBill, post:11, topic:6378”]
This would be a great opportunity for the Journal News to get back into the restaurant review business,
[/quote]
They think they are with their stupid restaurants we love and the kids that blog about their restaurant week experiences.
Too bad. It’s not like I’m going to miss something that had no value at all in the first place.
Nothing was coming to Long Island that was worth writing about anyway. Let alone in the NYT.
I’d still rather get my tips from hungry onions here than a bunch of know nothings at a newspaper.
It’s not kids that blog about restaurant week experiences, although they’re too positive for my liking.
BTW if you want to complain about some stuff that WM is doing, how about their articles about fast food places (a recent article about Burger King’s hot dogs comes to mind) and a story about the new menu at Applebee’s. I’m not sure if they made it into the magazine, but they were certainly on the website.
And they will tell openly you that they do not review restaurants. They write feature articles about them.
I think my son who lives in Manhattan would beg to differ with you. Although if you add “looking to see what is tagged with known foodie tags on Instagram” you might be closer to being correct . Still, I think he does read some restaurant reviews that focus on reasonably priced places in NYC .
I have mixed feelings on this-- I always looked forward to reading the latest review even though, like some others who have posted, I didn’t always agree with the assessments. And often the final gradeseemed disparate from comments within the review, but maybe that’s the Westchester restaurant world for you-- places that probably wouldn’t survive in NYC we tolerate despite pitfalls. It seemed like a perk for us living in the tristate area-- having one of the world’s most prestigious publications deem the cultural offerings in our suburban communities worth exploring.
I imagine it takes a larger toll on the restaurant owners (and art galleries/museums, theaters, etc., all of whom are no longer reviewed) who got some prestige and legitimacy from a good Times review. Now that there is no “authority” (however debatable that authority was) I definitely think more weight will be placed on websites/apps like Yelp and Tripadvisor and websites like this where the public is left to decide.
I think for us here on HO this is a good reminder that we can be trailblazers with discovering new restaurants and cheerleaders of places that are doing awesome things in our area!
