I totally support their demand for remote work. NY Times should hire more remote! They could save a lot by hiring offshore without hassle of providing benefits or fighting unions.
If Linux kernel can be developed remotely spanning over several architectures and huge number of mission critical subsystems, surely your systems having blog posts, comments and such can work as well and if not, you have failed to articulate exactly what needs to be done and by when and under what constraints.
Didn't you think about them?
It’s challenging to say the least. Even when working between first-world countries speaking English, there’s a host of serious problems. Cultural differences; different expectations; time zone differences.
I'm fully aware of how jaring it is for the median HN reader to hear this, but maintenance of a news website isn't the kind of skilled labour that commands a 250k a year paycheck anymore.
It’s not rocket engineering but it’s not nothing.
With 100k annual budget you can hire a contractor with good English who will be working in your timezone.
Regarding cultural difference - does everyone in your office has the same culture? No indian-born developers? No asian-born?
These formerly poor countries become middle class and then manufacturing has to shift to one of remaining poor countries.