The New York Times has announced it will make its 2.8 million articles published since 1981 available to outside Web developers to use on their own sites, Poynter Online reported last week. The results of such searches will contribute to the content of the developers' sites as well as the spread of The Times journalism and influence on the Web reports.

The API allows Web developers to search archives by section, article title, byline, and publication date among other categories, in order to create customised catalogues of information. Sites could then synthesise the data into visual representations and references to news stories.

Derek Gottfirid, the Times' senior software architect and creator of the API says that the average Web user "shouldn't be able to turn around without running into The New York Times," Poynter reported.

The Times chief technology officer Marc Frons explained that in order to succeed, it is important that major news organisation distribute their content "as far and wide as possible".

The Times plans to make money through the use of their API, particularly by licensing its use to commercial firms. Frons used the example of Google Maps to illustrate the newspaper's marketing strategy, saying that The Times will profit from providing their data the same way Google profits from NYTimes.com's use of its maps in travel stories, according to Poynter.

Frons emphasis the importance of introducing innovative technology, even during difficult financial times.

"Let's face it, recessions are often times where a lot of innovation happens because a lot of assumptions about old business models are being challenged," he said, according to Poynter.