All the news that fit to print and then some

A move by the New York Times to more aggressively link its online readers to other news sites is the kind of step that will make the Times even more valuable to its readers.

The move recognizes that Times editors and reporters do pick up information from other news outlets that leads to stories in their own publications and also that other organizations have information that will help their readers access angles and insights that Times itself isn't providing.

Newspapers have been generally loathe to "move" their readers to other sites, afraid of losing the clicks that come from keeping readers going deeper into their own sites. But I'd argue that providing what my former editor used to describe as "guide and direct" resources in fact makes the newspaper's print and web editions more valuable.

It makes newspapers more true "information centers," offering ways for the readers to be better informed, which is truly a public service.