Probably, but he can share what he wrote just the same. Why is that different than letting them chop video?
Like he wrote, you can tell a lot more from a video than audio. You had a great experience the the NYT. I believe that was the exception.
Probably a combo of them not caring enough about you to try to destroy you and the fact the you have a popular blog - they figured you were a good candidate to be nice to.
ETA: If you want to have hakaras hatov, I totally get it. But I don't have to and I won't support the NYT.