Sixty Years After Bay of Pigs, New York Times' Role â and Myth â Made Clear The Bay of Pigs-New York Times suppression tale has been cited in books, newspapers, on cable news shows and elsewhere as a study in self-censorship and its consequences. Counter-attack by Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces supported by T-34 tanks near Playa Giron during the Bay of Pigs invasion, 19 April 1961. Photo: Rumlin, CC BY 3.0/Wikimedia Commons Sixty years ago, The New York Times is said to have muzzled itself in reporting about plans for the CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion, earning a lasting niche of dishonour in the history of American journalism.