The online popularity contest

From the Onion. It's funny because it's true.

NEW YORK—A feature on the New York Times' website that lists the stories most e-mailed by readers is destroying morale and escalating tensions among the once-dignified and professional Times staff, sources within the newspaper of record said Tuesday.

This week's most frequently e-mailed story, titled "In Manhattan, Even Felines Have Therapists," which detailed the growing phenomenon of clinical depression among indoor urban cats, provoked a fresh round of envy and dismay among reporters still stinging from last week's top article, "Do You Really Have Time For Your Time-Share?". [snip]

Executive editor Bill Keller said he believes that the Most E-Mailed list is causing "troubling" changes in the Times' editorial focus, as reporters increasingly neglect less attractive assignments.

"I've always encouraged our journalists to follow their instincts," Keller said. "But now I'm considering a more hands-on approach, especially since I've received no fewer than four 800-word pieces on 'man dates' in the past week alone."

I have to admit, most of my more popular stories fall into the 'bizarre medical story' catagory. 'Women believe yoga popped her breast implant,' 'Patient pour liquor down nose tube' and of course, 'Man falls ill after eating raw frogs' have all been on the Most Read Story list while the latest about the state of the National Health Insurance fall by the wayside.