I don't follow- what do you mean?

Presumably, he mean that the NYT is a floundering company which has been devastated by a refusal to adapt to new business realities over the last decade.

5 years ago their stock was trading at $47. Now it is at $6.

http://finance.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:NYT

(For what it's worth, if they collapse I wouldn't bail them out, either.)

the difference is that there are known solutions for automakers (more efficient cars, using japaneese production systems etc.) whereas there isn't one for print media companies

Exactly, you made that perfectly clear.

the nytimes isn't asking the government to deliver their papers.

I think a more likely result is the dissolving of their print publication or converting to a once per week format. Could you imagine telling someone this fifteen years ago? Crazy.

yet.