are they serious about the interactive thing?

Steve,

some things may not be so strange... IF they are serious about the interactive online thing...
they may think that would give them a serious edge against outfits such as the Post and the Times (and it *might*...)

although it's hard to see how they could match the knowledge base for a very long time (if they want to be more than the Enquirer turned on the press industry itself) -- they might just mean that the approach they would use would in itself place them on higher grounds in the coming years (although it might take them a while to show results -- they are not saying it would happen right away...)

and the opening salvos (aka. bragging)... again, IF the online interactive thing will be a major part, making *noise* (ANY kind of noise, as long as it attracts attention ... and it certainly has...) may be what's needed at this point...

Delia

P.S. but as you say... time will tell (I'm just not so sure it won't take a *long* time...)
(http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/11/22/harris_vande.html#comment30793)