The Times business section carries a news article about a data analysis business called Enigma. The article includes this passage:
Enigma is embarking on a sizable expansion, planning to nearly double its staff to 60 people by the end of the year. The growth will be fueled by a $28.2 million round of venture funding, led by New Enterprise Associates, that will be announced on Tuesday. (The New York Times Company is among the investors.)
The article doesn't include any quotes from anyone skeptical about the business. It's nice that the Times Company's investment was disclosed to readers. Even so, on the basis of this article, at least, readers might wonder how much investing in these startup ventures the New York Times Company does, and if a Times Company investment includes a promise or guarantee of favorable press coverage for the venture in the Times newspaper. The more such investing the Times does, the more it poses a potential conflict of interest for Times reporters who cover the businesses that the Times invests in, as well as competing companies that the Times has chosen not to invest in. For example, Tableau Software, Inc., an $8 billion market capitalization public company specializing in big data, has received less coverage in the Times than Enigma, which is tiny by comparison.