<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-12
<SEQUENCE>4
<FILENAME>ex12.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 12 RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
<TEXT>
Exhibit 12
THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)
(Unaudited)
<Table>
<Caption>
THREE MONTHS ENDED NINE MONTHS ENDED
----------------------------- -----------------------------
SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 24, SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 24,
2001 2001 2001 2001
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE
FIXED CHARGES
Income before income taxes, discontinued
operations and income from joint ventures (1) $ 71,262 $ 117,317 $ 211,267 $ 413,500
Distributed earnings from less than fifty percent
owned affiliates 3,511 5,585 11,730 12,930
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
Adjusted pre-tax earnings from continuing
operations 74,773 122,902 222,997 426,430
Fixed charges less capitalized interest 15,306 21,305 49,429 61,006
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE
FIXED CHARGES $ 90,079 $ 144,207 $ 272,426 $ 487,436
============= ============= ============= =============
FIXED CHARGES
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest $ 12,249 $ 18,110 $ 39,986 $ 51,970
Capitalized interest 91 -- 149 --
Portion of rentals representative of interest factor 3,057 3,195 9,443 9,036
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
TOTAL FIXED CHARGES $ 15,397 $ 21,305 $ 49,578 $ 61,006
============= ============= ============= =============
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES 5.85 6.77 5.49 7.99
============= ============= ============= =============
</Table>
(1) The three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2001, include
work force reduction expenses of $5.4 million and $84.5 million and the
three-month and nine-month periods ended September 24, 2000, include work force
reduction expenses of $2.9 million. Excluding work force reduction expenses, the
ratio of earnings to fixed charges is 6.20 and 7.20 for the three-month and
nine-month periods ended September 30, 2001, compared with 6.90 and 8.04 for the
comparable prior year periods.
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>