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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 KT0TAYlDFZOEUv03m2bvh05l6xi0MPI2WkLMfegauFxe0LaDbxTqERHlgCIEGvj5
 n0d9oFO1xK8qqeEGgn/uJQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-07-084867.txt : 20071126
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-07-084867.hdr.sgml : 20071126
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20071126062512
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-07-084867
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20071120
FILED AS OF DATE:		20071126
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20071126

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NEW YORK TIMES CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000071691
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NEWSPAPERS:  PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711]
		IRS NUMBER:				131102020
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NY
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		620 EIGHTH AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10018
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2125561234

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		620 EIGHTH AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10018

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COHEN DANIEL H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001397258

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-05837
		FILM NUMBER:		071265227

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		212-556-1234

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY
		STREET 2:		229 WEST 43RD  STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10036
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-11-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000071691</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW YORK TIMES CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NYT.A</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001397258</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COHEN DANIEL H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>620 8TH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.7478</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>236915</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">By limited liability company as general partner of a limited partnership.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In addition, the reporting person owns 9,021 shares of Class A Common Stock directly, 1,400,000 shares of Class A Common Stock indirectly by a trust, and 48,657 shares of Class A Common Stock indirectly by another trust.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Theodore R. Wagner Daniel H. Cohen By: Theodore R. Wagner  Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-11-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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