The New York Times Co., which you may know from glancing at your local news stand, is now also selling wine. Good wine! Not that cheap shit. Hey buddy, need some wine?

The Hobo New York Times, desperate to find some way to pay for its employees' out-of-control texting habits , has started a wine club. Red wine, white wine, whatever kinda wine you need. This was announced in an embarrassingly long sort of rewritten press release that is billed as a story in the paper's media section, but non-bylined, doubtless to save any reporter the shame of being associated with it. It notes, defensively: "Other publications have started wine clubs."

So there. Watch as the marketing copy keenly pivots into the unique selling proposition by taking advantage of the brand halo effect:

Just as readers expect The New York Times to bring them the world's best journalism, wine enthusiasts can be assured that it has chosen an organization that will make The New York Times Wine Club the best wine experience.

All very embarrassing.

[Pic of Pinch Sulzberger at work, via Adie Reed's Flickr]