“I like the brokerage function of OhmyNews, said Len Apcar, editor-in-chief of the New York Times on the Web. “I like the idea of setting up a meeting between readers and politicians or officials.”

Apcar said about 50 people, including 10 editors and writers, are working on the newspaper’s online operation. On an average day they post 20 to 25 stories, while sometimes that number can reach 35. Some of the stories are fresh news, but most of them are just updates.

About the comments from Jean Min of OhmyNews that The New York Times just produces news and asks the readers to read without participating, Apcar said the website does engage its readers.

“We run movie reviews where they (the readers) talk to each other,” Apcar said. “However, we don’t want readers to write a story.”