New York Times hires columnist to investigate --- scents

As newspapers coast-to-coast trim editorial staffs (some shuttering foreign bureaus and regional editions), the Grumpy Editor and other veteran news people are raising eyebrows over the New York Times adding a columnist to review and rate fragrances for its Style magazine.  Imagine, journalism moving along in the 21st century with a mighty New York daily investigating scents.

With the new specialty, one would expect the NYT would put a sharp-nosed female staffer, attuned to the perfume counter at Macy's, into that position.  However, it settled on Chandler Burr, 42, author of a 2003 book on perfume. The paper says it is "the first to cover the fragrance industry and perfume in the way it does movies, books and theater."

Burr will utilize a four-star rating system for each perfume.  In addition, no doubt, to sniffing out some exclusives, he'll grant four stars for an extraordinary scent, no stars for a poor perfume.  He also will review other scents such as perfumed candles.  Announcement of the new position got world-wide play.  That includes the Web site of Beijing-based China Daily where the perfume critic news spanned nine paragraphs.

Will the NYT next go for a wallpaper reviewer?