Circles and Squares

Today’s New York Times (May 17, 2012) on-line features this article about a series of “anti-Obama” political ads. The problem is, of course, that as far as anyone can see, this article is placed prominently in the middle of the New York Times front page, where it serves itself as an advertisement. The article might be of value if it was primarily concerned with an analysis of why such advertisements are used today in politics, but by putting the ad itself up front, the very meaning of journalism is drawn into question.