Alec MacGillis (the TNR author linked to in this blog post, http://www.newrepublic.com/article/114178/jeff-bezos-purchas...) is paid to generate controversy.

He's complaining about how the new guard isn't really serious about the news and is nouveau riche (see: "$42 million, 10,000-year clock in West Texas.").

Not that it's falsifiable, but I bet you that if MacGillis was a staffer at the Post, he'd be crowing about how this represented 'new digital synergies' (barf) just like Blodget is.

    "the faster-cheaper-further mindset"

No, this would be the Sun Times firing their photographers and equipping their reporters with iPhones.

I have serious issues with Amazon, ranging from the work/life balance of their engineers (I live about 10 minutes away from their South Lake Union headquarters, and have no desire to ever work there), to the treatment of their warehouse workers, but this is just pontification for the sake of page views.