Dow Jones, Murdoch Reach a Deal

I didn't see this anywhere.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/16/AR2007071602075.html?hpid=moreheadlines

 

Fuck me running.

 

Dow Jones is officially part of the Murdoch Media Empire: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/RupertMurdochsBigBet.aspx

 

In a commentary to its readers, the WSJ today assures readers that the same commitment to quality journalism will remain, regardless of ownership. I hope that's the case, but Murdoch and trust don't go together in the same sentence. It's the best paper in the country and I would hate to lose my trust in it. I guess time will tell.

 

Say goodbye to the WSJ. Will never be the same ever again.

 

Who should have bought it, then?

 

A black - or yellow, your choice - day for journalism.

Why should anyone have bought it? It wasn't for sale - until Murdoch made his offer.

 

If they sold it, it was for sale. Maybe they weren't soliciting offers, but if it wasn't for sale, Murdoch wouldn't have gotten it.

And someone correct me, but News Corp. owns The Times in London, and isn't that a reasonably well-respected paper? I wonder if this fear that the WSJ is going to turn into the New York Post or Sean Hannity's House of Money might be a little overblown.

 

I think it's no better than a 50/50 proposition on what the WSJ might now become. Some thoughts:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fi-journal1aug01,1,3921048.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true

http://www.slate.com/id/2171478/nav/fix/

http://www.journalism.org/node/6757

 

I remember reading over the past couple of weeks that when Murdoch bought The Times of London, he made promises not to meddle in editorial affairs or how stories were covered and many editors complained that's exactly what he did.

 

Everything is for sale.

Dow Jones Co. was beholden to its investors to consider and accept a good offer, which was tendered.

Spud is correct. The WSJ never will be the same.