> The Times consolidated their opinion content and eliminated the blog
From my reading of the article, you're conflating two seperate events, perhaps due to knowledge of additional facts it doesn't contain, or conjecture, or misreading - it isn't clear.
The blog was shuttered, yes, but on his opinion column he just mentions an increase in editorial oversight and getting notes. You call this "consolidating their opinion content" - can you share details? Otherwise it sounds mostly like an euphemism for "they adopted a stronger (guide)line", which is what the piece seems to bemoan.