Glenn Greenwald: The New York Times 'helped to kill journalism as a potent force for checking power'

Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald appeared Monday on Democracy Now to discuss his latest project, a new media startup funded by billionaire philanthropist Pierre Omidyar.

Greenwald said the new media outfit would practice "adversarial journalism" and seek to challenge the powerful.

He contrasted his view of journalism with the journalism of the New York Times, which he described as more traditional. Greenwald recently debated the "future of news" with former New York Times executive editor Bill Keller, who currently serves as a full-time writer for the newspaper.

"I think it really reflects two very competing and different but strong frames in how journalism is understood: the kind of traditional New York Times model that I think has neutered and, in a lot of ways, helped to kill journalism as a potent force for checking power, and the kind of journalism that I think we intend to do, where it is much more passionate and intended to be overtly adversarial to those in power," Greenwald told Democracy Now.

"And I think you see the two competing visions in that exchange. And part of what I wanted to do was lay out for people why I think our vision produces better journalism, and to point to some of the really bad journalism that The New York Times has produced over the years—alongside some good stuff—which I think is a byproduct of this sort of obsolete way of thinking."

Watch video, uploaded to YouTube by Democracy Now, below: