New York Times may axe ombudsman post

Is the New York Times about to axe the position of ombudsman? It appointed a "public editor" three years ago, in the wake of the Jayson Blair scandal, but a New York Observer report suggests that when the current ombudsman, Byron Calame, reaches the end of his term in May no successor will be appointed. This news amazed commentator Rachel Sklar who writes that the Times can't afford to lose its public editor because "the office is meant to keep the NYT honest. The decision will surely cause ructions throughout US journalism. (Via Journalism.org)