Serious but obvious. Media companies make money primarily from large advertisers.

Take a brief glance at the author's articles and you will see an extensive list of titles you could describe as anti-oil and pro-environment.

In addition I couldn't find any articles in the first 3 pages that you could describe as having an anti-oil/pro-environment stance and certainly none that would raise the ire of big oil. Do you have examples?

My comment was only into relation to the influence the oil and gas industry has on media companies, not to this particular author or to this specific story.

With all due respect, your previous comment was that your accusation against the NYT was serious but obvious.

I am not the OP and I didn't make the accusation. But if the accusation is "that the the oil and auto industries have gotten to the NYT" then yes that is both serious and obvious.

Most modern newspapers wouldn't last 5 minutes without large advertisers. This fact should not be underestimated.