A New York Observer article on the future of the public editor position at the New York Times includes
Mr. [Daniel] Okrent [the previous public editor] was a sharp critic who raised hackles and then won respect during his 18-month term. In contrast, Mr. Calame has been a bit more like that other Barney, the friendly purple dinosaur—and not entirely unlike Snuffleupagus, the once-invisible creature of Sesame Street. The readers were Big Bird, and we could see and hear him—but did he exist to anyone inside The Times? Talk about innovation — this is a whole new style of media criticism. Coming next week: Is Maureen Dowd more like Miss Piggy or Dora the Explorer? (PS I’m guessing the author, Michael Calderone, has watched a lot of children’s TV with his kids…)