You're spot on with the timing because that's when the scion of the family business took over: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._G._Sulzberger#The_New_York_...

Along his goals of "doubling digital revenue" and maximising subscriber numbers, the place obviously turned towards clickbait and left-wing cheer-leading.

Give the customers what they want - and they definitely don't want to be told their worldview is wrong or that their opinion of certain issues has valid counterpoints. So it's been a huge cratering of credibility and honest reporting.