NYT Announces Diner's Journal Blog Is DUNZO

The New York Times has announced their dining and restaurant blog Diner's Journal is ending immediately. The announcement comes after news earlier today that NYT national editor Sam Sifton would be stepping down in order to head some as yet undefined digital dining something-or-other. Per the Diner's Journal post, "Today the Dining section is ending the blog in order to consolidate all of our food coverage on the main Dining page, creating a single destination for readers." What brave new bloggy dining future awaits?

Diner's Journal was created in 2006 "as a place for Frank Bruni, then the Times restaurant critic, to post news, notes and other observations about food," according to the Times. In 2010, it swallowed up the Times' wine blog, The Pour, and Mark Bittman's Bitten blog.

But something is happening with the Times' blogs: In March the Times shut down Green, their blog about the environment, and the Choice college admissions blog followed in mid-June. Meanwhile, the Washington Post also shut down their food section blog back in January.

No word on what will take the place of Diner's Journal; more as it develops.

· A Note to Readers [NYT]
· All Food Media Coverage on Eater [-E-]