Feeding the Maddow addiction...again.

While I'm totally thrilled that the NYTimes has posted 2 articles in as many days about Ms. Maddow, can I just rant about something? Today's article covers her skyrocketing ratings, and it's a nice little piece. Yet, when they get to the part about her not owning a t.v. this is how they cover it:

It helps, she said, that she does not own a television at home.

Even so, Ms. Maddow said, she has finally committed to getting a set, primarily so that her companion can watch her program.

(emphasis mine)

Companion? Maybe someone needs to "talk ME down", but I hate this word choice. It's such a cop out, it's cowardly and certainly not equal to the way they would talk about a heterosexual relationship. In her interview yesterday she said this "My partner, Susan Mikula..."
Hey NYT, if you're unsure of how to talk about someone's relationship, why not just ask them?