Podcast Summary: Next in Media

Episode: How the New York Times Is Evolving Advertising with Tusar Barik
Host: Mike Shields
Guest: Tusar Barik, SVP of Marketing, New York Times
Release Date: December 9, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Mike Shields interviews Tusar Barik, who is nearly a year into his role as SVP of Marketing at The New York Times. The conversation explores how the Times is redefining its advertising approach amidst rapid changes in media and technology. Topics include NYT’s diversified portfolio (news, games, audio, video, The Athletic, Wirecutter), intentional use of AI, evolving advertising solutions, measurement strategies, programmatic vs direct ad sales, the Times’s expansion into video, and the enduring centrality of quality journalism.

Barik offers a candid look at how NYT’s business and audience have evolved, why advertising remains essential, and how the company aims to offer marketers unique, high-value engagement at scale.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Evolution of the New York Times (00:45–05:02)

• Core Mission ("the Sun"):
  Barik emphasizes the unchanging core of NYT: “At its core, the New York Times has not changed. At the core of what we are, everything we are is the news. … The sun, if you will, is the news. And that's what gives us our editorial independence that drives our mission of seeking the truth and help understand it.” (Tusar Barik, 00:45)
• Business Diversification:
  NYT is now as much a “gaming and podcast company” as a news publication (01:30). Subscriptions, games, cooking, The Athletic, and Wirecutter all play major roles.
• Direct Audience Relationships:
  A deliberate, data-driven strategy has built a base of 12M+ subscribers and over 150M registered users, with weekly reach of 50–100M, especially growing among Gen Z, Midwest, South, and international audiences (05:02–07:07).

2. Advertising’s Role & Value (04:13–08:56)

• Performance & Growth:
  Advertising remains “truly essential to the New York Times,” with 20% digital ad growth and 12% total ad growth, “even as print is in secular decline.”
• Unique Audience:
  “What makes us unique … is our audience. Right. And we have a very unique audience that marketers want to be able to engage with and touch.” (Tusar Barik, 07:58)
• Consumer Business Drives Ads:
  A strong consumer business precedes advertising success; “Advertising quickly follows that” (08:37).

3. AI, Data, and Brand Match (08:56–11:33)

• AI Strategy:
  “AI is an important part of our strategy … we are intentional about how we utilize AI to help both us internally, our readers, consumers, along with our advertising partners.” (Tusar Barik, 09:26)
• Brand Match:
  NYT’s generative AI tool ingests RFPs from advertisers, recommending optimal NYT content on the fly—resulting in “30%+ click-through rates” and “brand lift in the 30% range.” (09:16–10:59)
• Human Oversight:
  While exploring creative AI, NYT maintains that “our consumer and that direct relationship is most important … we hold that as the sacred cow.” (11:07)

4. Podcasting & Audio/Video Expansion (11:33–16:13)

• The Daily’s Impact:
  “I think [The Daily] might be like the most downloaded podcast that’s existed ... The following they have...” (Tusar Barik, 12:05)
• Emotional Power:
  Memorable moment: Barik relays a story of The Daily being a source of comfort during a family health crisis, highlighting the personal connection audiences feel for NYT audio.

  “Every morning she would listen to the Daily while there. And so that was the comforting voice that she heard every day. And so it’s just like this amazing relationship that exists.” (Tusar Barik, 12:52)

• Audio to Video Shows:
  NYT has embraced “shows” with both audio and video options (The Daily, Ezra Klein, The Athletic’s “Free Lunch”). They now produce over 75 hours of professional video monthly and see 20M+ unique monthly audio listeners with 70M downloads (13:51–16:13).

5. Advertiser Solutions & Measurement (16:13–20:03)

• Omnichannel Packaging:
  NYT has shifted to “solutions mindset” for advertisers. “If you want to look at it, just from audio or just from video. Sure, we can help you with that. But if you want to think about it holistically...” (16:33)
• Measurement Sophistication:
  Led by Barik’s team, NYT offers a measurement playbook for all funnel stages: top (brand studies), mid (consideration, attention), lower (shopping units like Wirecutter). “We’re trying to make sure that we are able to measure across the board to … drive the outcomes.” (18:01–20:03)

6. Newsletters & Creator-Led Journalism (21:15–23:46)

• Portfolio Approach over Individual Stars:
  While NYT boasts top talent, they “sell it as the entire portfolio.” Newsletters act as “entry points”—morning briefings, DealBook for business (6M+ subs in The Athletic alone), cooking, sports, etc.
• Brand Strength:
  “What the New York Times provides is … the amount of editors we have, the amount of researchers we have … the full ability to be able to know one person can do that.” (Tusar Barik, 21:35)

7. Gaming as a Growth/Diversification Channel (23:46–27:53)

• Not Just Wordle:
  Games have been in NYT’s DNA since the 1940s (crosswords introduced during WWII as reprieve). Wordle’s acquisition and new games like “Pips” have expanded reach.
• Engagement Scale:
  “Over 2,000 people per minute are sharing their world score.” (25:36)
• Advertising in Games:
  Expanding ad opps within games, especially video-forward pre-roll, has generated “21% lift in brand awareness, 30% lift in brand consideration” for portfolio campaigns (27:26).

8. Programmatic vs Direct/Private Marketplace (27:53–30:27)

• Expanding Programmatic with Intention:
  Significant investments in programmatic as a means to enable less friction for marketers—not just about open auction inventory.
  “We look at programmatic primarily as a way to make sure marketers are able to transact with us how they want to but still maintain the quality of who we are and prestige of what we have.” (29:55)
• Ad Experience Quality:
  NYT is judicious—ads are “not suspicious” or overwhelming, with intentional placement and clear labeling.

9. Video-First Strategy & Watch Tab (30:27–34:08)

• Video as “Love Language of the Internet”:
  “Our strategy is video is a core part of our strategy and we've significantly spent a large amount of resourcing to make sure that we are able to do that again, it goes back to this idea of evolving with consumer needs...” (30:53)
• New Watch Tab:
  “We've launched the Watch tab last month ... at the bottom it's swipeable stack of videos ... it's not brand rowdy ... it's shorter form for the Times, but it's not short form video ... some of these videos go a minute and a half. It's again about going in depth and it's across our entire portfolio.” (32:45–33:19)
• Video Ad Opportunities:
  A beta for video ad units in Watch is launching soon, with high viewability and engagement. “The beta is opening up now and early next year you’ll start to see a little bit of video advertising opportunity that will exist within the Watch as well.” (33:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “At its core, the New York Times does not change. … The sun … is the news. That’s what gives us our editorial independence.”
  (Tusar Barik, 00:45)
• “Advertising is truly essential to the New York Times … on top of subscriptions, it’s our core.”
  (05:02)
• “AI is an important part of our strategy … we are intentional about how we utilize AI.”
  (09:23)
• “The Daily … might be like the most downloaded podcast that's existed. … The following they have”
  (12:05)
• (On emotional connection) “Michael Barbaro’s voice has a special place in my family’s heart … every morning she would listen to The Daily while at the hospital.”
  (12:52)
• “Over 2,000 people per minute are sharing their Wordle score.”
  (25:36)
• “We want to make sure that we are … not trying to make it suspicious. … You should know you see an ad when you see an ad.”
  (29:55)
• “Video is a core part of our strategy … [a friend] calls it the love language of the internet.”
  (30:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:45 – Intro: NYT’s Core Mission & Solar System Analogy
• 02:21 – Barik’s Role & Team Structure
• 04:13 – The Evolution of NYT’s Portfolio
• 05:02 – Advertising’s Essential Role
• 07:07 – Audience Growth (Gen Z, Midwest, International)
• 08:56 – AI, Brand Match, and Data Strategy
• 11:33 – The Daily & NYT’s Emotional Audience Connection
• 13:51 – Expansion into Audio/Video Shows & Metrics
• 16:33 – Solutions-Based Packaging for Advertisers
• 18:01 – Measurement Playbook Across Funnel
• 21:35 – How NYT Sells Its Creator-Led Journalism
• 23:46 – NYT Games, Wordle, & Audience Expansion
• 25:36 – Unique Scale: Wordle Sharing Statistic
• 27:26 – Ad Opportunities in Games
• 27:53 – Programmatic vs Direct Approaches
• 30:53 – Video Strategy, Watch Tab, & Future Ad Products
• 34:08 – Episode Close

Tone and Language

The conversation is candid and informed, balancing optimism for NYT’s innovation with grounded awareness of industry shifts. Barik speaks warmly of NYT’s heritage and audience loyalty, but with a keen eye for data, performance, and advertiser needs. There is a tone of intentionality—NYT’s adaptations are framed as thoughtful, not reactionary.

Summary Takeaway

The New York Times is not simply surviving “upheaval” in media and advertising—it is thriving by staying true to its journalistic core while expanding into new portfolios and platforms. Advertising at NYT is undergoing its own evolution, leveraging AI, podcasts, video, and games to offer scalable, measured, and high-value experiences for both readers and marketers. Direct relationships, premium experiences, and data-driven insights are guiding this 175-year-old brand into the future of advertising.