NY Times Admits to Sending Spam Discount Email to Over 8 Million People…After First Denying It
- Posted on December 29, 2011 at 7:39am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Photo: AP
NEW YORK (The Blaze/AP) — In today’s digital age, it’s easy to send out an email by mistake – even for a company that’s in the business of communication.
The New York Times thought it was sending an email to a few hundred people who had recently canceled subscriptions, offering them a 50 percent discount for 16 weeks to lure them back.
Instead, Wednesday’s offer went to 8.6 million email addresses of people who had given them to the Times.
That was the first mistake. The second came when the Times tweeted this: “If you received an email today about canceling your NYT subscription, ignore it. It’s not from us.”
But the Times did send the original email, Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy said.
“This email should have been sent to a very small number of subscribers, but instead was sent to a vast distribution list made up of people who had previously provided their email address to The New York Times. We regret the error,” Murphy said in an email.
“The initial tweet was in error and we regret the mistake,” she added.
The damage had already been done, however.
Many people called or wrote in. The newspaper initially honored the discount, even to people who were already paying full price and had no plans to cancel. Murphy said the newspaper stopped giving out discounts to people who received the email in error by early afternoon. She did not say how much the gaffe cost the company or specify how many people contacted the newspaper.
A parody Twitter account called (at)NYTSpam amassed 152 followers by Wednesday afternoon by making fun of the slip-up. The account’s description of itself says: “Parody account. Not affiliated with (at)NYTimes or actual spammers — just sick of bad digital strategy.”
The newspaper has made big strides in raising revenue from digital subscriptions. It says it has gained 324,000 digital subscribers since restricting full online access to paying subscribers in March.
The New York Times, reporting on its own mishap, stated that some were concerned their credit card information or other private info could have been hacked when the email was released. Murphy states that no ones security was compromised.
Liz Klimas contributed to this report.
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tharpdevenport
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:41pmOccupy Wall Street members who susbscribe to the New York Times — only 300 pople of eight million — the 1%. Occupy New York Times!!!
;-)
I admit, if I ever somehow receive and e-mail from the NYT, to marking it as SPAM.
Report Post »arty6164
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 8:14pmIt’s the old “…we didn’t do it and if we did, we won’t do it again…”. I‘ve been an avid newspaper reader all my life but nowdays if it wasn’t for the comics and the crossword I would cancel my subscription to the Houston Chronicle. In a true socialist/marxist society which so many of the MSM now seem to advocate, how many would still be in business? Are they all jockying to be the next Pravda? Does anyone even remember another news outlet the U.S.S.R. had?
Report Post »call me roy
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 6:58pmThe New York Times: It’s never met a Stalin apologist, or for that matter, a Chavez apologist, a Pol Pot apologist/whitewasher, a mass murdering Mao apologist, or a Che apologist/whitewasher…that it wouldn’t place on a pedestal.
Report Post »theaveng
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 7:14pm“We’re not honoring the discount we emailed you.” – The Times phone operator
Oh Yes you are. ou either give me the 50% discount you advertised, or you cancel my subscription and lose me as your customer for the next 50 years. Make. Your. Choice.
“Well we don’t want to lose you as a valuable customer but I…”
Then give me the discount. (Long story made short, I got the discount.)
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 3:27pmI got this email but my account was smart enough to put it in with the junk mail…….lol!!!!
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 2:41pmThe New York Times has always lied. They even lie about their own actions. The NYT should go out of business again in a few more years.
Report Post »midnightvelvet
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 12:12pmMichael Weiner than this…be careful whom you tweet.
Report Post »lizaz
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 11:18amWhenever there’s a op-ed in our paper written by a NYT reporter, we just skip over it…..nothing they have to say interests us, since their accuracy is questionable and their liberal bias is obvious. Slowly, but surely, they are failing….the sooner, the better!!!
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 5:47pmI don’t even bother with my local paper, it is nothing but leftist indoctrination – The Nashville Tennesean – I encourage all to cancel all newspaper subscriptions and more that basic cable. I am working on my mom who keeps the paper because of the Sunday coupons. I am trying to teach her how to get the coupons other ways. It really is time to put our money where our mouth is. No movies, no cable movie channels, no newspapers, no shopping with radical retailers…..ENOUGH..time for a John-Galt-go-on-strike movement to prove how important we are and how much influence we really have. I have determined to do without rather than support that which promotes those things I do not agree with
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 11:09amI‘m very proud to say that I’m not on their mailing list.
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:59amThe question is did the NYT teach Obama to, lie or did Obama teach the NYT?
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:09amNYT lying!? I am truly shocked….
Report Post »PPMStudios
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 9:39amThe NYT lied?
“All the Left-wing propaganda that’s fit to print”…..
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 12:18pmThey LIE to their subscribers(readers) everyday ,one more wasn’t a big deal.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 9:32amCouldn’t have happened to a more deserving bunch of anti-American , Left wing radical, White House pandering – propaganda pushers ….
Report Post »quiltgal
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 9:27amYou obviously get treated better if you are a disloyal Times subscriber. And now everyone knows it. If I were a loyal Times subscriber (which I’m not; can’t stand the rag), this would make me mad. Everyone should cancel their subscriptions and see what discounts come their way.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 9:12amNew York Times has been lieing about many things why be suprised with this.
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 9:06amI’m shocked they have that many subscribers!
Report Post »GeneTracy
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 8:57amReminds me a little bit like Kerry’s”I voted for the 87 billion before I voted against it.”Both pretty big goofs.
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 8:06amHard to line a birdcage with a computer monitor.
Report Post »the bamster
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:51amSmokey Bojangles you foiled my post “Laptops are a very expensive way to line a birdcage”. Well played Mr. Jangles my new arch nemesis. We shall meet again on the field of comment!
Report Post »tobywil2
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 8:03amRegardless of how much the New York Times reduces its prices; Sam’s Club will still have the lowest price on toilet paper. http://commonsense21c.com/
Report Post »jdare
Posted on December 29, 2011 at 7:56amYou aren’t surprised by the NYT lying are you? s.t.o.p as far as I’ve seen from them. What I’m really surprised at is they have people who actually pay to read that trash. TEA! Fair Tax!
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