In his notes from a recent online journalism symposium in Austin, JD Lasica hints that Len Apcar and the New York Times could be considering a number of moves to tap into the grassroots media phenomenon:

"The Times is well aware of the grassroots media phenomenon, and is looking at sensible ways of incorporating grassroots media into the website. It'll happen gradually."

"Len [the editor of the New York Times on the Web] is particularly interested in social networking and has even visited Tribe.net in San Francisco with Martin Nisenholz to get a first-hand glimpse of a market leader. Sounded like the Times is still early in the process of determining how they might want to incorporate social networking into the Times network."

"Len said that he and the Times don't want to be seen as one-way, take-it-or-leave-it big media, and they're constantly looking at ways to bring readers into a burgeoning conversation."