Figuring out why the media love to harp on the New York Times is like figuring out, um, why the media love to harp on Katie Couric: There must be a reason, but it's sort of ambiguous.

Couric, like the Times, serves a worthwhile purpose: Delivering the news and instigating debate.

But also like Couric, the Times, once a revered institution, has become an easy punching bag when any reporter, blogger, or self-professed media critic is looking for an easy punching bag.

Why?

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