They don't think in terms of opening the news process to their readers, which are imho their biggest asset. Bigger than the big minds they employ. And almost totally untapped as a resource for informing and advising each other.
The digital subscriber idea seems to be working. The marketing makes sense. They're talking about the reader not themselves. A major milestone for the Times. They've discovered that other smart people exist. (Sorry for the sarcasm.) Now go the next step and find a way to use more of what all thos smart people have to offer.