The hubbub over the NYT eliminating its public editor position is fertile ass grounds for hot takes a-plenty, but I’ve found this Q&A between BuzzFeed EIC Ben Smith and the NYT’s former (and most iconic) public editor Margaret Sullivan, to be the most enlightening read on just what, exactly, the public editorship was supposed to do + why it’s a BFD that it’s gone + why Marg Sullivan is an all-around badass.