This image was lost some time after publication.

At TS-4 days (that is, four days till TimesSelect), Editor & Publisher technoguru Steve Outing talks to some Timesmen and weighs in on the premium program. First, based on his conversation with Martin Nisenholtz, who runs digital operations for the Times Co., Outing scares the shit out of us:

To hear New York Times executives talk about TimesSelect, this initiative is critical to the survival of Times journalism.

In that case, we're afraid, say goodbye to Times journalism.

But then we learned there's even more to TimesSelect then we thought. Outing explains other, new benefits:

Friedman will have a Web site feature called "Talking World Affairs With Tom Friedman," where readers will ask questions and he'll answer some of them publicly. Paul Krugman, an economist by training, will have a Web site area where he'll offer up charts and graphs and other supporting information to bolster or supplement his traditional column. John Tierney will have an online "book club," where he suggests that people read a particular book and then leads a discussion. Frank Rich will have an "Everybody's a Critic" online feature with thoughts and reader interaction on popular culture. Kristof is even planning a "Win a Trip With Nick" contest for college students, where someone will accompany the globetrotting columnist on an upcoming assignment.

Win a Trip With Nick? Wow. Now we're totally signing up for TimesSelect.

And if they make it Nick Confessore, we'll be subscribers forever.

TimesSelect: Big Revenue Play or Dangerous Move?
Earlier: 'Times' Keeps on Slippin' Slippin' Slippin'