Document:

Exhibit 10.3

                           THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
                         1991 EXECUTIVE CASH BONUS PLAN
                         AS AMENDED THROUGH MAY 23, 2000

1. NAME AND GENERAL PURPOSE

      The name of this plan is The New York Times Company 1991 Executive Cash
Bonus Plan (hereinafter called the "Plan"). The purpose of the Plan is to enable
the Company (as hereinafter defined) to retain and attract executives who
enhance its tradition and contribute to its success by their ability, ingenuity
and industry, and to enable them to participate in the long-term success and
growth of the Company.

2. DEFINITIONS

      (a)   "Awards"--has the meaning specified in Section 4 hereof.

      (b)   "Board"--means the Board of Directors of the Company.

      (c)   "Committee"--means the Committee referred to in Section 3 of the
            Plan. If at any time no Committee shall be in office then the
            functions of the Committee specified in the Plan shall be exercised
            by the non-employee members of the Board.

      (d)   "Company"--means The New York Times Company, a corporation organized
            under the laws of the State of New York (or any successor
            corporation), and, unless the context otherwise requires, its
            subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) and other non-corporate
            entities in which it owns directly or indirectly 20% or more of the
            equity interests. A "subsidiary" means any corporation in which the
            Company possesses directly or indirectly 50% or more of the combined
            voting power of all classes of stock.

      (e)   "Consolidated Statement of Income"--means the consolidated statement
            of income (or any comparable statement, however designated) of the
            Company, audited by the independent certified public accountants of
            the Company and contained in the Company's annual report to
            stockholders or proxy statement.

      (f)   "Income Before Income Taxes"--means the amount designated as Income
            Before Income Taxes for the applicable year and shown separately on
            the Consolidated Statement of Income for such year.

      (g)   "Participant"--means a key employee of the Company who is selected
            by the Committee to participate in any part of the Plan from among
            persons who in the judgment of the Committee are key employees of
            the Company. In general, key employees are those employees who have
            principal responsibility for, or who contribute substantially to,
            the management efficiency, editorial achievement or financial
            success of the Company. Only employees of The New York Times
            Company, its subsidiaries and other non-corporate entities in which
            it owns directly or indirectly 40% or more of the equity interests
            are eligible to participate in the Plan.

      (h)   "Stock Plan"--means the Company's 1991 Executive Stock Incentive
            Plan.

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3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

      The Plan shall be administered by the Board or the Committee appointed by
it and composed of two or more directors who are not employees of the Company.
The Committee shall be constituted so as to enable the Plan to comply with the
administration requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended. The Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and
shall have such powers as the Board may from time to time confer upon it.

PART I AWARDS

4. FORM OF AWARDS

      The Plan is designed to provide incentives for Participants by the making
of awards of supplemental compensation ("Awards"). The Committee, subject to the
terms and conditions hereof, may make Awards to a Participant in any one, or in
any combination, of the following forms:

      (a)   Cash Awards as provided in Part IA of the Plan ("Cash Awards");

      (b)   Annual Performance Awards as provided in Part IB of the Plan
            ("Annual Performance Awards");

      (c)   Performance Awards ("Performance Awards") or other forms of Awards
            as provided in Part IC of the Plan; and

      (d)   Long-Term Performance Awards as provided in Part ID of the Plan
            ("Long-Term Performance Awards").

      Awards may be made to a Participant whether or not he or she receives an
award or option under the Stock Plan. Cash Awards, Performance Awards and other
forms of Awards pursuant to Part IC will be based on a Participant's performance
in those areas for which the Participant is directly responsible. Performance
for this purpose may be measured by the achievement of specific management goals
such as, but not limited to, an increase in earnings or the operating cash flow
of the Company, outstanding initiative or achievement in any department of the
Company, or any other standards specified by the Committee. Annual Performance
Awards will be based exclusively on the criteria set forth in Part IB. Long-Term
Performance Awards will be based exclusively on the criteria set forth in Part
ID.

      No Award under the Plan is payable in common stock or preferred stock of
the Company.

5. MAXIMUM AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR THE ACCRUAL OF AWARDS FOR ANY YEAR

      (a)   No accrual for Awards shall be made hereunder (or under the Stock
            Plan) for any year unless cash dividends of not less than ten cents
            ($.10) per share (as adjusted as hereafter provided) have been
            declared on the outstanding Class A and Class B Common Stock of the
            Company during such year. If at any time the Company shall take any
            action, whether by stock dividend, stock split, combination of
            shares, or otherwise, which results in an increase or decrease in
            the number of shares of Class A and/or Class B Common Stock
            theretofore issued and outstanding, or the Company reclassifies or
            otherwise changes its issued and outstanding Class A and/or Class B
            Common Stock (other than in par value) or the Company and one or
            more corporations merge and the Company is the surviving corporation
            of such merger, then the Committee shall make an equitable
            adjustment to the

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            provisions of this Section 5(a) to take account of such event.

      (b)   In the event that the above condition is met for any year during the
            continuance of this Plan, the maximum aggregate amount that may be
            accrued for Awards under the Plan and the Stock Plan for such year
            shall be 4% of Income Before Income Taxes. The Committee, in its
            sole discretion, may make adjustments in Income Before Income Taxes
            to take account of extraordinary, unusual or infrequently occurring
            events and transactions, changes in accounting principles that
            substantially affect the foregoing, or such other circumstances as
            the Committee may determine warrant such adjustment.

      (c)   As soon as feasible after the close of each year, the independent
            certified public accountants of the Company shall determine and
            report the maximum amount that may be accrued for Awards for such
            year under the formula described in Section 5(b), subject to the
            second sentence of such Section.

      (d)   If amounts are accrued in any year under the formula described in
            this Section 5 and are not awarded in full in such year under the
            Plan and the Stock Plan, such unawarded amounts may, in the
            discretion of the Committee, be carried forward and be available for
            Awards under this Plan and under the Stock Plan in any future year
            without regard to the provisions of Sections 5(a) or (b) of the Plan
            applicable to Awards made in such year.

      (e)   Awards under the Plan for any year may not exceed the sum of (i) the
            amount accrued for such year under Section 5(b) above plus (ii)
            unawarded accrued amounts carried forward from previous years under
            Section 5(d) above plus (iii) amounts that may become available for
            Awards pursuant to the last sentence of Section 7(c) hereof, minus
            (x) the amount of interest equivalents allocated during such year
            pursuant to Section 10(b) hereof, and minus (y) the amount of awards
            made for such year under the Stock Plan valued as set forth in
            Section 13(e) of the Stock Plan (and any interest or dividend
            equivalents allocated during such year pursuant to Sections 15(c),
            24 and 27A thereof).

6. DETERMINATION OF AWARDS AND PARTICIPANTS

      (a)   As promptly as practicable after the end of each year, the Committee
            may make Awards (other than Annual Performance Awards and Long-Term
            Performance Awards, which are to be made exclusively as set forth in
            Parts IB and ID, respectively) for such year and determine the
            amounts to be carried forward for Awards in future years. The
            Committee may also, in its discretion, make Awards (other than
            Annual Performance Awards and Long-Term Performance Awards, which
            are to be made exclusively as set forth in Parts IB and ID,
            respectively) prior to the end of the year based on amounts
            available under clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 5(e) and
            reasonable estimates of the accrual for the year in question.

      (b)   The Committee shall have absolute discretion to determine the key
            employees who are to receive Awards (other than Annual Performance
            Awards and Long-Term Performance Awards, which are to be made
            exclusively as set forth in Parts IB and ID, respectively) under the
            Plan for any year and to determine the amount of such Awards based
            on such criteria and factors as the Committee in its sole discretion
            may determine, such as the Company's operating cash flow and overall
            financial performance. Recommendations as to the key employees who
            are to receive Awards (including Annual Performance Awards and
            Long-Term Performance Awards) under the Plan for any year and to the
            amount and form of such Awards shall, however, be made to the
            Committee by the chief executive officer of the Company. The fact
            that an employee is selected as eligible for an Award shall not
            mean,

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            however, that such employee will necessarily receive an Award.

      (c)   A person whose employment terminates during the year or who is
            granted a leave of absence during the year may, in the discretion of
            the Committee and under such rules as the Committee may from time to
            time prescribe, be given an Award with respect to the period of such
            person's service during such year.

7. METHOD AND TIME OF PAYMENT OF AWARDS

      (a)   Awards shall be paid in full as soon as practicable after the Award
            is made; provided, however, that payment of Annual Performance
            Awards and Long-Term Performance Awards shall be subject to the
            provisions of Parts IB and ID, respectively; and provided further,
            that the payment of any or all Awards may be deferred, divided into
            annual installments, or made subject to such other conditions as the
            Committee in its sole discretion may authorize under such rules and
            regulations as may be adopted from time to time by the Committee.

      (b)   The Committee's rules and regulations may include procedures by
            which a Participant expresses a preference to the Committee as to
            the form of Award or method of payment of an Award but the final
            determination as to the form and the terms and conditions of any
            Award shall rest solely with the Committee.

      (c)   Awards deferred under the Plan shall become payable to the
            Participant or, in the event of the Participant's death, as
            specified in Section 14 hereof, in such manner, at such time or
            times (which may be either before or after termination of service),
            and subject to such conditions as the Committee in its sole
            discretion shall determine. In any year the Committee shall have the
            discretion to set aside, for payment in such year or any future
            year, interest on any deferred Award; provided, however, that the
            total amount of such interest shall be deducted from the maximum
            amount available for Awards under Section 5 of the Plan. Any
            forfeited deferred Awards shall be carried forward and be available
            for Awards in any future year without regard to the provisions of
            Sections 5(a) or (b) of the Plan.

8. INDIVIDUAL AGREEMENTS

      (a)   The Committee may in its discretion require that each Participant
            receiving an Award enter into an agreement with the Company which
            shall contain such terms and conditions as the Committee may in its
            discretion request.

      (b)   The Committee may cancel any unexpired, unpaid or deferred Award at
            any time if the Participant is not in compliance with all applicable
            provisions of the agreement referred to above, if any, and the Plan.

9. STATUS OF PARTICIPANTS

      No Participant in the Plan shall have any interest in any specific assets
of the Company by reason of the fact that deferred Awards are to be recorded as
being held for such Participant's account to be paid in installments in the
future. The interest of all Participants shall derive from and be determined
solely by the terms and provisions of the Plan set forth herein.

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PART IA CASH AWARDS

10. DETERMINATION OF CASH AWARDS

      (a)   Each year the Committee shall designate those Participants who shall
            receive Cash Awards under this part of the Plan. Cash Awards may be
            paid immediately, in installments or on a deferred date, as the
            Committee in its discretion may provide.

      (b)   If the Committee determines that some portion of a Cash Award to a
            Participant shall be treated as a deferred Cash Award and be payable
            in annual or other periodic installments, the Participant will be
            notified in writing when such deferred Cash Award shall be paid and
            over what period of time. In each year the Committee shall have
            discretion to provide for the payment of an amount equivalent to
            interest, at such rate or rates fixed by the Committee, on any
            deferred Cash Award. Any amounts provided for pursuant to the
            preceding sentence shall become payable in such manner, at such time
            or times, and subject to such conditions as the Committee shall in
            its sole discretion determine; provided, however, that the total
            amount of such interest shall be deducted from the maximum amount
            available for Awards under the formula described in Section 5 of the
            Plan.

PART IB ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS

11. DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS

      (a)   GENERAL. Each year the Committee may make Annual Performance Awards
            under this part of the Plan; provided that no Participant may be
            eligible to receive an Annual Performance Award hereunder and under
            the Stock Plan in the same year.

      (b)   CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Part IB, the following
            terms shall have the meanings specified:

            "Affected Officers" shall mean those executive officers of the
            Company whose compensation is required to be disclosed in the
            Company's annual proxy statement relating to the election of
            directors.

            "Code Section 162(m)" shall mean Section 162(m) of the Internal
            Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), and
            "Regulations" shall mean the regulations promulgated thereunder, as
            from time to time in effect.

            "Eligible Participants" shall have the meaning set forth in
            subsection (c) below.

            "Performance Adjustment" means, for any year, a factor ranging from
            0% to 200%, based upon the achievement of Performance Goal Targets
            established by the Committee, that, when multiplied by an Eligible
            Participant's Target Award, determines the amount of such Eligible
            Participant's Annual Performance Award for such year.

            "Performance Goal" means, for any year, the business criteria
            selected by the Committee to measure the performance during such
            year of the Company (or of a division, subsidiary or group thereof)
            from one or more of the following:

            (i)   earnings per share of the Company for the year;

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            (ii) net income of the Company for the year;

            (iii) return on assets of the Company for the year (net income of
      the Company for the year divided by average total assets during such
      year);

            (iv) return on stockholder's equity of the Company for the year (net
      income of the Company for the year divided by average stockholder's equity
      during such year);

            (v) operating profit or operating margins of the Company or of a
      division, subsidiary or group thereof for the year;

            (vi) cash flow of the Company or of a division, subsidiary or group
      thereof for the year;

            (vii) increase in shareholder value as determined at the end of each
      year;

            (viii) revenue growth of the Company or of a division, subsidiary or
      group thereof for the year; and

            (ix) improved use of capital and/or assets of the Company or of a
      division, subsidiary or group thereof for the year.

            "Performance Goal Target" means, for any Performance Goal, the
            levels of performance during a year under such Performance Goal
            established by the Committee to determine the Performance Adjustment
            to an Eligible Participant's Target Award for such year.

            "Target Award" means, for any year, with respect to an Eligible
            Participant, the dollar amount set by the Committee that, when
            multiplied by the applicable Performance Adjustment, determines such
            Eligible Participant's Annual Performance Award.

      (c)   ELIGIBILITY. Annual Performance Awards are available each year only
            to Plan Participants who are designated by the Committee, prior to
            March 31 of such year (or prior to such later date as permitted by
            Code Section 162(m) and the Regulations), as likely to be Affected
            Officers for such year, whose annual salary and bonus for such year
            are expected to exceed $1,000,000 and who are not designated by the
            Committee as eligible for an Annual Performance Award under the
            Stock Plan for such year ("Eligible Participants").

      (d)   DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Prior to March 31 of
            each year (or prior to such later date as permitted by Code Section
            162(m) and the Regulations), the Committee will determine the
            Eligible Participants for such year, will designate those Eligible
            Participants who will be entitled to earn an Annual Performance
            Award for such year under this Plan, and will establish for each
            such Eligible Participant for such year: (i) a Target Award, (ii)
            one or more Performance Goals, and (iii) for each such Performance
            Goal, a Performance Goal Target, the method by which achievement
            thereof will be measured and a schedule of Performance Adjustment
            factors corresponding to varying levels of Performance Goal Target
            achievement. In the event more than one Performance Goal is
            established for any Eligible Participant, the Committee shall at the
            same time establish the weighting of each such Performance Goal in
            determining such Eligible Participant's Annual Performance Award.
            Notwithstanding anything in this Part IB to the contrary, the Annual
            Performance Award payable to any Eligible Participant in any year
            may not exceed $3.0 million.

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      (e)   PAYMENT OF ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Subject to subsection (f)
            below, Annual Performance Awards will be paid in cash as soon as
            practicable after the end of the year to which it relates and after
            the Committee certifies the extent to which the Performance Goal
            Target or Targets under the Performance Goal or Goals have been met
            or exceeded. If permitted by the Regulations and Code Section
            162(m), the Committee may determine to pay a portion of an Annual
            Performance Award in December of the year to which it relates. The
            Committee may not increase the amount of an Annual Performance Award
            that would otherwise be payable upon achievement of the Performance
            Target or Targets, but it may reduce any Eligible Participant's
            Annual Performance Award in its discretion. Subject to Section 6(c)
            above, no Annual Performance Award will be payable to any Eligible
            Participant who is not an employee of the Company on the last day of
            the year to which such Annual Performance Award relates.

      (f)   DEFERRAL OF ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS. If the Committee determines
            that some portion of an Annual Performance Award to an Eligible
            Participant shall be treated as a deferred Annual Performance Award
            and be payable in annual or other periodic installments, the
            Eligible Participant will be notified in writing when such deferred
            Annual Performance Award shall be paid and over what period of time.
            In each year the Committee shall have discretion to provide for the
            payment of an amount equivalent to interest, at such rate or rates
            fixed by the Committee, on any deferred Annual Performance Award.
            Any amounts provided for pursuant to the preceding sentence shall
            become payable in such a manner, at such time or times, and subject
            to such conditions as the Committee shall in its sole discretion
            determine; provided, however, that the total amount of such interest
            shall be deducted from the maximum amount available for Awards under
            the formula described in Section 5 of the Plan.

      (g)   CODE SECTION 162(m). It is the intent of the Company that Annual
            Performance Awards satisfy, and this Part IB be interpreted in a
            manner that satisfies, the applicable requirements of Code Section
            162(m) and the Regulations so that the Company's tax deduction for
            Annual Performance Awards to Affected Officers is not disallowed in
            whole or in part by operation of Code Section 162(m). If any
            provision of this Plan or of any Annual Performance Award would
            otherwise frustrate or conflict with such intent, that provision
            shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid such
            conflict. To the extent of any irreconcilable conflict with such
            intent, such provision shall be deemed void as applicable to
            Eligible Participants.

PART IC PERFORMANCE AND OTHER AWARDS

12. DETERMINATION OF PERFORMANCE AND OTHER AWARDS

      (a)   Each year the Committee in its sole discretion may authorize other
            forms of Awards such as, but not limited to, Performance Awards, if
            the Committee deems it appropriate to do so in order to further the
            purposes of the Plan.

      (b)   A "Performance Award" shall mean an Award which entitles the
            Participant to receive cash or other compensation, or any
            combination thereof, in an amount which depends upon the financial
            performance of the Company during a stated period of more than one
            year. Performance for this purpose may be measured by the growth in
            book value of the common stock of the Company, an increase in per
            share earnings of the Company, an increase in operating cash flow or
            any other indicators specified by the Committee. The Committee shall
            also fix the period during which such performance is to be measured,
            the value of a

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            Performance Award for purposes of providing for the accrual pursuant
            to Section 5 of the Plan and the form of payment to be made in
            respect of the Performance Award.

PART ID LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AWARDS

13. DETERMINATION OF LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AWARDS

      (a)   GENERAL. Each year the Committee shall designate those Participants
            who shall be eligible to receive Long-Term Performance Awards under
            this part of the Plan.

      (b)   CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Part ID, the following
            terms shall have the meanings specified:

            "Code Section 162(m)" shall mean Section 162(m) of the Internal
            Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), and
            "Regulations" shall mean the regulations promulgated thereunder, as
            from time to time in effect.

            "Eligible Participants" shall mean certain key business leaders and
            senior management of the Company as determined in the discretion of
            the Committee.

            "Long-Term Performance Goal" means, for any Performance Period, the
            business criteria selected by the Committee to measure the
            performance during such Performance Period of the Company (or of a
            division, subsidiary or group thereof) from one or more of the
            following:

            (i) earnings per share of the Company for the Performance Period;

            (ii) net income of the Company for the Performance Period;

            (iii) return on assets of the Company for the Performance Period
      (net income of the Company for the Performance Period divided by average
      total assets for such Performance Period);

            (iv) return on stockholder's equity of the Company for the
      Performance Period (net income of the Company for the Performance Period
      divided by average stockholder's equity for such Performance Period);

            (v) operating profit or operating margins of the Company or of a
      division, subsidiary or group thereof for the Performance Period;

            (vi) cash flow of the Company or of a division, subsidiary or group
      thereof for the Performance Period;

            (vii) increase in shareholder value as determined at the end of the
      Performance Period;

            (viii) revenue growth of the Company or of a division, subsidiary or
      group thereof for the Performance Period; and

            (ix) improved use of capital and/or assets of the Company or of a
      division, subsidiary or group thereof for the Performance Period.

            "Long-Term Performance Goal Target" means, for any Long-Term
            Performance Goal, the levels of performance during a Performance
            Period under such Long-Term Performance

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            Goal established by the Committee to determine an Eligible
            Participant's maximum Long-Term Performance Award.

            "Performance Period" means the period in excess of one year
            commencing on January 1 of the year in which the Committee makes the
            Long-Term Performance Award to an Eligible Participant.

      (c)   ELIGIBILITY. Long-Term Performance Awards are available each year to
            Eligible Participants who are designated by the Committee, prior to
            March 31 of such year (or prior to such later date as permitted by
            Code Section 162(m) and the Regulations).

      (d)   DETERMINATION OF LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Prior to March 31 of
            each year (or prior to such later date as permitted by Code Section
            162(m) and the Regulations), the Committee will designate the
            Eligible Participants who will be entitled to earn a Long-Term
            Performance Award for such Performance Period under this Plan, and
            will establish for each such Eligible Participant for such
            Performance Period (i) one or more Long-Term Performance Goals, and
            (ii) for each such Long-Term Performance Goal, a Long-Term
            Performance Goal Target and the method by which achievement thereof
            will be measured. In the event that more than one Long-Term
            Performance Goal is established for any Eligible Participant, the
            Committee shall at the same time establish the weighting of each
            such Long-Term Performance Goal in determining such Eligible
            Participant's Long-Term Performance Award. Notwithstanding anything
            in this Section 13 to the contrary, the Long-Term Performance Award
            payable to any Eligible Participant in any Performance Period may
            not exceed $3.0 million.

      (e)   PAYMENT OF LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AWARDS. Subject to subsection (f)
            below, Long-Term Performance Awards will be paid in cash as soon as
            practicable after the end of the Performance Period to which it
            relates and after the Committee certifies the extent to which the
            Long-Term Performance Goal Target or Targets under the Long-Term
            Performance Goal or Goals have been met or exceeded. If permitted by
            the Regulations and Code Section 162(m), the Committee may determine
            to pay a portion of a Long-Term Performance Award in December of the
            last year of the Performance Period to which it relates. The
            Committee may not increase the amount of a Long-Term Performance
            Award that would otherwise be payable upon the achievement of the
            Long-Term Performance Goal Target or Targets, but it may reduce any
            Eligible Participant's Long-Term Performance Award in its
            discretion. Subject to Sections 6(c) and 13(g), no Long-Term
            Performance Award will be payable to any Eligible Participant who is
            not an employee of the Company on the last day of the Performance
            Period to which such Long-Term Performance Award relates.

      (f)   DEFERRAL OF LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AWARDS. If the Committee
            determines that some portion of a Long-Term Performance Award to an
            Eligible Participant shall be treated as a deferred Long-Term
            Performance Award and payable in annual or other periodic
            installments, the Eligible Participant will be notified in writing
            when such deferred Long-Term Performance Award shall be paid and
            over what period of time. In each year the Committee shall have the
            discretion to provide for the payment of an amount equivalent to
            interest, at such rate or rates fixed by the Committee, on any
            deferred Long-Term Performance Award. Any amounts provided for
            pursuant to the preceding sentence shall become payable in such
            manner, at such time or times, and subject to such conditions as the
            Committee shall in its sole discretion determine; provided, however,
            that the total amount of such interest shall be deducted from the
            maximum amount available for Awards under the

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            formula described in Section 5 of the Plan.

      (g)   TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF DEATH, DISABILITY OR
            RETIREMENT. In the event that an Eligible Participant terminates
            employment because of death, disability or retirement, such Eligible
            Participant, or in the event of death such person as determined in
            accordance with Section 14, shall be paid a pro rata portion of such
            Eligible Participant's Long-Term Performance Award that would
            otherwise be payable upon the achievement of the Long-Term
            Performance Goal Target or Targets had the Participant continued
            employment until the end of the Performance Period. Such pro rata
            Long-Term Performance Award shall not be paid until the end of the
            Performance Period to which such Long-Term Performance Award
            relates.

      (h)   CODE SECTION 162(m). It is the intent of the Company that Long-Term
            Performance Awards satisfy, and this Section 13 be interpreted in a
            manner that satisfies, the applicable requirement of Code Section
            162(m) and the Regulations so that the Company's tax deduction for
            Long-Term Performance Awards to Eligible Participants is not
            disallowed in whole or in part by operation of Code Section 162(m).
            If any provision of this Plan or of any Long-Term Performance Award
            would otherwise frustrate or conflict with such intent, that
            provision shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid
            such conflict. To the extent of any irreconcilable conflict with
            such intent, such provision shall be deemed void as applicable to
            any Participant whose compensation is subject to Code Section
            162(m).

PART II GENERAL PROVISIONS

14. NON-ALIENATION OF BENEFITS

      Except as herein specifically provided, no right or unpaid benefit under
this Plan shall be subject to alienation, assignment, pledge or charge and any
attempt to alienate, assign, pledge or charge the same shall be void. If any
Participant or person entitled to the benefits hereunder should attempt to
alienate, assign, pledge or charge any benefit hereunder, then such benefit
shall, in the discretion of the Committee, cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
rights and benefits hereunder shall pass by will or the laws of descent and
distribution in the following order: (i) to beneficiaries so designated by the
Participant; if none, then (ii) to a legal representative of the Participant; if
none, then (iii) to the persons entitled thereto as determined by a court of
competent jurisdiction. Awards so passing shall be made at such times and in
such manner as if the Participant were living.

15. WITHHOLDING OR DEDUCTION FOR TAXES

      If at any time specified herein for the making of any payment to any
Participant or beneficiary, any law or regulation of any governmental authority
having jurisdiction in the premises shall require the Company to withhold, or to
make any deduction for, any taxes or take any other action in connection with
the payment then to be made, such payment shall be deferred until such
withholding or deduction shall have been provided for by the Participant or
beneficiary, or other appropriate action shall have been taken.

16. ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES

      The entire expense of administering this Plan shall be borne by the
Company.

17. GENERAL CONDITIONS

      (a)   The Board in its discretion may from time to time amend, suspend or
            terminate any or all of

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            the provisions of this Plan, provided that the Board may not make
            any amendment which materially affects the provisions of Sections
            5(a) or (b) of the Plan without the consent and approval of the
            holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A and Class
            B Common Stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon, voting
            together as one class. The foregoing provisions shall not be
            construed to prevent the Committee from exercising its discretion,
            or to limit such discretion, to adjust the provisions of Sections
            5(a) and (b) hereof as expressly permitted thereby or otherwise to
            exercise any discretion to the extent expressly authorized
            hereunder.

      (b)   Nothing contained in the Plan shall prohibit the Company from
            establishing incentive compensation arrangements in addition to this
            Plan and the Stock Plan. Payments made under any such separate
            arrangements shall not be included in or considered a part of the
            maximum amount available for Awards under the Plan and Stock Plan
            and shall not be charged against the amount available for Awards
            under the Plan and Stock Plan for any year. In the discretion of the
            Committee, employees shall be eligible to participate in such other
            arrangements, as well as the Plan and Stock Plan, in the same year.

      (c)   Nothing in this Plan shall be deemed to limit in any way the right
            of the Company to terminate a Participant's employment with the
            Company at any time.

      (d)   The Committee may promulgate rules and regulations relating to the
            administration and interpretation of, and procedures under, the
            Plan. Any decision or action taken by the Company, the Board or the
            Committee arising out of or in connection with the construction,
            administration, interpretation and effect of the Plan shall be
            conclusive and binding upon all Participants and any person claiming
            under or through any Participant.

      (e)   No member of the Board or of the Committee shall be liable for any
            act or action, whether of commission or omission, taken by any other
            member or by any officer, agent or employee, nor for anything done
            or omitted to be done by such Director except in circumstances
            involving actual bad faith.

18. TRANSITION

      Upon the effectiveness of this Plan, and the Stock Plan, such plans
replaced the Company's Executive Incentive Compensation Plan ("EICP"), except
that the EICP shall continue to govern options and awards of restricted stock
outstanding under the EICP. No further awards will be made under the EICP, and
all amounts accrued for Awards under the EICP and unawarded were carried forward
and made available for Awards under the Plan and Awards under the Stock Plan.

19. EFFECTIVE DATES

      The Plan became effective for periods beginning after January 1, 1991 upon
the approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A
and Class B Common Stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon at the 1991
Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, voting together as a single class. No
Awards may be granted under the Plan after December 31, 2010, or such earlier
expiration date as may be designated by resolution of the Board.

                                       11Exhibit 10.4

                           THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
                    NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN
                      AS AMENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2000

1.    PURPOSE

      The purpose of The New York Times Company Non-Employee Directors' Stock
Option Plan (the "Plan") is to secure for The New York Times Company (the
"Company") and its stockholders the benefits of the incentive inherent in
increased common stock ownership by the members of the Board of Directors (the
"Board") of the Company who are not employees of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.

2.    ADMINISTRATION

      The Plan shall be administered by the Board. The Board shall have all the
powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such powers to include authority
(within the limitations described herein) to prescribe the form of the agreement
embodying awards of stock options made under the Plan ("Options"). The Board
shall, subject to the provisions of the Plan, have the power to construe the
Plan, to determine all questions arising thereunder and to adopt and amend such
rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan as it may deem
desirable. Any decision of the Board in the administration of the Plan, as
described herein, shall be final and conclusive. The Board may act only by a
majority of its members in office, except that the members thereof may authorize
any one or more of their number or the Secretary or any other officer of the
Company to execute and deliver documents on behalf of the Board. No member of
the Board shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by such member
or by any other member of the Board in connection with the Plan, except in
circumstances involving actual bad faith.

3.    AMOUNT OF STOCK

      The stock which may be issued and sold under the Plan will be the Class A
Common Stock of the Company ("Common Stock"), of a total number not exceeding
500,000 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 below. The stock
to be issued may be either authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares,
issued shares acquired by the Company or its subsidiaries or any combination
thereof. In the event that Options granted under the Plan shall terminate or
expire without being exercised in whole or in part, new Options may be granted
covering the shares not purchased under such lapsed Options.

4.    ELIGIBILITY

      Each member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries (a "Non-Employee Director") shall be eligible to receive an
Option in accordance with the specific provisions of Section 5 below. The
adoption of this Plan shall be not deemed to give any director any right to be
granted an Option to purchase Common Stock except to the extent and upon such
terms and conditions consistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Board.

5.    TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS

      Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an agreement in
such form as the Board shall prescribe from time to time in accordance with the
Plan and shall comply with the following terms and conditions:

<PAGE>

            (a) The Option exercise price shall be the Fair Market Value of the
      shares of Common Stock (as defined in Section 7(a) hereof) subject to such
      Option on the date the Option is granted.

            (b) Each year, as of the date of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
      of the Company, each Non-Employee Director who has been elected or
      re-elected or who is continuing as a member of the Board as of the
      adjournment of the Annual Meeting shall automatically receive an Option
      for 4,000 shares of Common Stock.

            (c) No Option shall be transferable otherwise than by will or by the
      laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence,
      the Board may determine that Options granted to a Participant or a
      specified group of Participants may be transferred by the Participant to
      one or more members of the Participant's immediate family, to a
      partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or members
      are members of the Participant's immediate family, or to a trust
      established by the Participant for the benefit of one or more members of
      the Participant's immediate family. For this purpose, "immediate family"
      means the Participant's spouse, parents, children (including adopted and
      step-children), grandchildren and the spouses of such parents, children
      (including adopted and step-children) and grandchildren. A transferee
      described in this subsection may not further transfer an Option. An Option
      transferred pursuant to this subsection shall remain subject to the
      provisions of the Plan and shall be subject to such other rules as the
      Board shall determine.

            (d) No Option or any part of an Option shall be exercisable:

            (i) before the Non-Employee Director has served one term-year as a
      member of the Board since the date the Option was granted (as used herein,
      the term "term-year" means that period from one Annual Meeting to the
      subsequent Annual Meeting), except as provided in subsection 5(d)(iv)(B)
      below;

            (ii) after the expiration of ten years from the date the Option was
      granted;

            (iii) unless notice of the exercise is given to the Company
      specifying the number of shares to be purchased and payment in
      full is made for the shares of Common Stock being acquired thereunder at
      the time of exercise; such payment shall be made

                  (A) in United States dollars by certified check or bank draft
            (or by arranging, in a manner satisfactory to the Company, for a
            broker to promptly pay the purchase price to the Company), or

                  (B) by tendering to the Company shares of Common Stock owned
            by the person exercising the Option and having a Fair Market Value
            on the date of exercise equal to the cash exercise price applicable
            to such Option, or

                  (C) any combination of the foregoing forms; and

            (iv) unless the person exercising the Option has been, at all times
      during the period beginning with the date of grant of the Option and
      ending on the date of such exercise, a Non-Employee Director of the
      Company, except that

                  (A) if such a person shall cease to be such a Non-Employee
            Director for reasons other than Retirement (as defined in Section
            7(a) hereof) or death, while holding

                                       2
<PAGE>

            an Option then exercisable that has not expired, such person, at any
            time within one year after the date he ceases to be such a
            Non-Employee Director (but in no event after the Option has expired
            under the provisions of subsection 5(d)(ii) above), may exercise the
            Option with respect to any shares of Common Stock as to which such
            person could have but has not exercised the Option on the date the
            person ceased to be such a Non-Employee Director;

                  (B) if such a person shall cease to be such a Non-Employee
            Director by reason of Retirement or death while holding an Option
            (whether or not then exercisable) that has not expired,
            notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 5(d)(i) above, such
            person, or in the case of death (either while a Non-Employee
            Director or after Retirement), his executors, administrators, heirs,
            legatees or distributees, as the case may be, may, at any time until
            the expiration of such Option as provided in subsection 5(d)(ii)
            above, exercise the Option with respect to any shares of Common
            Stock as to which such person has not exercised the Option on the
            date the person ceased to be such a Non-Employee Director; and

                  (C) if any person who has ceased to be such a Non-Employee
            Director for reasons other than death or Retirement shall die
            holding an Option, such person's executors, administrators, heirs,
            legatees or distributees, as the case may be, may, at any time
            within one year after the date of death (but in no event after the
            Option has expired under the provisions of subsection 5(d)(ii)
            above), exercise the Option with respect to any shares as to which
            the decedent could have exercised the Option at the time of death.

      In the event any Option is exercised by the executors, administrators,
heirs, legatees or distributees of the estate of a deceased optionee or by the
guardian or legal representative of a disabled optionee, the Company shall be
under no obligation to issue stock thereunder unless and until the Company is
satisfied that the person or persons exercising the Option are the duly
appointed legal representatives of the deceased optionee's estate or the proper
legatees or distributees thereof or the duly appointed guardian or legal
representative of the disabled optionee.

6.    ADJUSTMENT IN THE EVENT OF CHANGE IN STOCK

      In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company by
reason of dividends (other than cash dividends), recapitalizations, mergers,
consolidations, split-ups, combinations or exchanges of shares and the like, the
aggregate number and class of shares available under the Plan, the number, class
and the price of shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding Options and the
number of shares constituting an Option grant under Section 5(b) hereof, shall
be appropriately adjusted by the Board, whose determination shall be conclusive.

7.    MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

      (a)   The following terms shall have the meanings specified below:

            (i) "Fair Market Value" means the arithmetic mean of the highest and
      lowest sales prices of the Common Stock as reported in the Consolidated
      Transactions of The New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (or such other
      national securities exchange on which the Common Stock may be listed at
      the time of determination, and if the Common Stock is listed on more than
      one exchange, then on the one located in New York or if the Common Stock
      is listed only on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
      Quotations System ("NASDAQ"), then on such system) on the date of the
      grant or other date on which the Common Stock is to be valued

                                       3
<PAGE>

      hereunder. If no sale shall have been made on the NYSE, such other
      exchange or the NASDAQ on such date or if the Common Stock is not then
      listed on any exchange or on the NASDAQ, Fair Market Value shall be
      determined by the Board in accordance with Treasury Regulations applicable
      to incentive stock options.

            (ii) "Retirement" means retirement from the Board at the age of 65
      or thereafter or resignation from the Board by reason of disability.

      (b) Except as expressly provided for in the Plan, no Non-Employee Director
or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Option under the
Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as
giving any Non-Employee Director any right to be retained in the service of the
Company.

      (c) An optionee's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned
or transferred in whole or in part either directly or by operation of law or
otherwise (except in the event of an optionee's death, by will or the laws of
descent and distribution), including, but not by way of limitation, execution,
levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge, bankruptcy or in any other manner and no
such right or interest of any participant in the Plan shall be subject to any
obligation or liability of such participant.

      (d) No shares of Common Stock shall be issued hereunder unless counsel for
the Company shall be satisfied that such issuance will be in compliance with
applicable federal, state and other securities laws and regulations.

      (e) It shall be a condition to the obligation of the Company to issue
shares of Common Stock upon exercise of an Option, that the optionee (or any
beneficiary or person entitled to act under subsection 5(d)(iv) above) pay to
the Company, upon its demand, such amount as may be requested by the Company for
the purpose of satisfying any liability to withhold federal, state, local or
foreign income or other taxes. If the amount requested is not paid, the Company
may refuse to issue shares of Common Stock.

      (f) The expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.

      (g) The Plan shall be unfunded. The Company shall not be required to
establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of
assets to assure the issuance of shares upon exercise of any Option under the
Plan and issuance of shares upon exercise of Options shall be subordinate to the
claims of the Company's general creditors.

      (h) By accepting any Option or other benefit under the Plan, each optionee
and each person claiming under or through such person shall be conclusively
deemed to have indicated his acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, any
action taken under the Plan by the Company or the Board.

      (i) It is the intent of the Company that the transactions involving
options under the Plan comply in all respects with Rule 16b-3 or any successor
rule ("Rule 16b-3") under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that
any ambiguities or inconsistencies in construction of the Plan be interpreted to
give effect to such intention and that if any provision of the Plan is found not
to be in compliance with Rule 16b-3, such provision shall be deemed null and
void to the extent required to permit any such transaction to comply with Rule
16b-3. The Board may adopt rules and regulations under, and amend, the Plan in
furtherance of the intent of the foregoing.

                                       4
<PAGE>

8.    AMENDMENT OR DISCONTINUANCE

      The Plan may be amended at any time and from time to time by the Board as
the Board shall deem advisable, including, but not limited to, amendments
necessary to qualify for any exemption or to comply with applicable law or
regulations; provided, however, that except as provided in Section 6 above, the
Board may not, without further approval by the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Class A and Class B Common Stock of the Company entitled
to vote thereon, voting together as one class, increase the maximum number of
shares of Common Stock as to which Options may be granted under the Plan,
increase the number of shares subject to an Option, change the Option exercise
price described in subsection 5(a) above, extend the period during which Options
may be granted or exercised under the Plan or change the class of persons
eligible to receive Options under the Plan. Subject to the provision of Section
7(i) hereof relating to Rule 16b-3, no amendment of the Plan shall materially
and adversely effect any right of any optionee with respect to any Option
theretofore granted without such optionee's written consent. It is intended that
the Plan be a "formula plan" under Rule 16b-3 and will comply with all
applicable rules, regulations and staff interpretations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

9.    TERMINATION

      This Plan shall terminate upon the earlier of the following dates or
events to occur:

      (a)   upon the adoption of a resolution of the Board terminating the Plan;
            or

      (b)   December 31, 2010.

10.   EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN

      The Plan became effective as of April 16, 1991 upon the approval of the
adoption of the Plan by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
Class A and Class B Common Stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon at the
1991 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, in person or by proxy, voting together as a
single class.

                                       5

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