The New York Times, which often appears as though it likes to report more on other newspapers than itself, does a big takeout today on The Wall Street Journal plan to launch a New York metro section sometime next month.

In a piece by media writer Richard Perez-Pena, the Times raises all of the negatives of a New York edition for the Journal, but clearly notes its interest in it as a direct competitor.

The initiative is intended less to raise circulation numbers than to steal away a large portion of the consumer advertisers - like high-end retailers, luxury goods makers and residential real estate companies - that have traditionally preferred The Times.

What is puzzling to analysts and industry executives - including some within the News Corporation - is that none of this makes much sense as a business proposition to aid The Journal, especially at a time when newspapers are struggling through a long-term financial decline. But for Mr. Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of the company, these people say, profit is not necessarily what all this is about.

The story fails to note that the Times recently launched a local section of its own for San Francisco area readers.