New York Times Media Columnist David Carr Dies at 58

— -- David Carr, a media columnist for The New York Times, died after collapsing in the newsroom on Thursday, the newspaper reported. He was 58 years old.

Carr joined the Times as a business reporter in 2002. Before that, he worked as a contributor for The Atlantic Monthly and New York Magazine.

Carr also published a book, "The Night of the Gun," a memoir on his past addiction.

"He was the finest media reporter of his generation, a remarkable and funny man who was one of the leaders of our newsroom," Times executive editor Dean Baquet told staffers in an email. "He was our biggest champion, and his unending passion for journalism and for truth will be missed by his family at The Times, by his readers around the world, and by people who love journalism."

Carr is survived by his wife, Jill Rooney Carr, their daughter Maddie, and his two twin daughters, Erin and Meagan, says the Times.