That's the part I disagree with. The NYT isn't following Twitter. Twitter is the modern way to express at the 3rd person ("twitter mob says") what is really meant at the 1st person ("our editor thinks"). You will never see some angry tweet from Trump supporters quoted or even mentioned.
In the old days you would interview enough random people in the street until you found one that said the narrative you wanted to push and that the one you showed on TV / quoted in the article.
Another technique still widely in use today is when you want to attack person x, you go collect some quotes from known opponents to criticize x, and quote a list of criticism as if somehow these were the only relevant reactions.
What is said here is that journalists are trying to appealing to their Twitter follower instead of doing their job. It's peer pressure, but on Twitter, not in the editing room of the NYT.
In the old days you would interview enough random people in the street until you found one that said the narrative you wanted to push and that the one you showed on TV / quoted in the article.
Another technique still widely in use today is when you want to attack person x, you go collect some quotes from known opponents to criticize x, and quote a list of criticism as if somehow these were the only relevant reactions.
None of that is subtle or done subtly.