The New York Times asks–almost nonchalantly–Is Google a Media Company?

I’d ask the NYT: Why? Are you scared of the competition?

[Google's] Knol has been called a potential rival to Wikipedia and other sites whose content spans a broad range of topics, including Mahalo and About.com, a property of The New York Times Company that uses experts it calls “guides” to write articles on a variety of topics.

Reading the article, and those quoted, I can’t help but think that this is the NYT telling Google, "we’re watching what you do with Knol, and we’re ready to cry foul, if it hurts our business."

And, just in case the NYT can’t keep Google in check, it’s brought in the rather vocal Jason Calacanis:

Let the games begin! The Olympics in Bejing have begun and Tibet monks aren’t the only protesters – the media is angry too. While Chinese citizens may not have freedom of the press or Internet, but their Olympic guests expect it.

And to be sure, the media was promised they would have full access to web sites. But reports are that not only are sites being blocked but that the government is monitoring Internet activity.

The impending Olympic games have increased questions about Internet censorship in China, especially after Chinese officials tried to block journalists there for the games from accessing certain sites, even after the Chinese government assured reporters they would have full freedom to search the Internet, unlike its citizens.