The New York Times began a move towards social networking in early June when it opened up its own mini-social network called TimesPeople. Currently in beta as a Firefox add-on, TimesPeople is expected to be available for all browsers later this year.

But the New York Times isn't just relying on TimesPeople to launch itself into the modern age of news reporting. A new deal with the popular business social network LinkedIn will allow New York Times readers to receive business and technology news catered to their particular industry when they browse the New York Times website. Readers will also be able to send a favorite article to their LinkedIn personal network of contacts.

Newspapers have struggled to remain profitable in the digital age. Even the Associated Press has made changes to compete with the blogosphere. The New York Times embrace of social networking puts it ahead of the game in an industry that has been loathe to embrace Web 2.0.