The call from the Ivory Tower just wasn't strong enough to stop media mogul Rupert Murdoch from buying Dow Jones & Company. But, it came really close.
"Murdoch also said the media's harsh coverage of him during negotiations with the Bancroft family, which controls Dow Jones, almost squashed the deal," wrote New York Post reporter Peter Lauria in the August 9 New York Post.
From the time negotiations were made public in April until the time the deal was announced on August 1, Murdoch took cheap shot after cheap shot by many of the talking heads in the media.
"I spent the better part of the past three months enduring criticism normally leveled at a genocidal tyrant," Murdoch said.
He wasn't kidding. The Los Angeles Times, in a column by Tim Rutten compared him to a tyrannical dictator on June 6. "[P]robably not quite as frightening as the day we learned Kim Jong Il has the bomb, but close ... very close."
The deal for the Wall Street Journal is believed to be an effort to improve News Corp.'s Fox Business Channel, set to launch on October 15.
"If I didn't think [Dow Jones] was such a perfect fit - with such unlimited potential to grow on its own and in tandem with News Corp.'s assets - believe me, I would have walked away."
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Left Wing
August 9, 2007 - 16:13 ET by allanfIf they were religous Christians, the left wing media would think Murdoch is the anti-Christ. So genocidal tyrant is a fair reflection of their feelings.
The Promise of the Future.....MSM may take some shots
August 9, 2007 - 16:19 ET by JayTeeMe thinks that the Talking Heads/MSM may ahve tossed rocks at someone who can throw Bigger Stones back at 'em. Look for Improved Circulation numbers at Wall Street Journal, and decreasing numbers at NYT and company.
I for one, would love to Read any mud sliging returns that Murdock would care to editorialize. Businesses depend on REAL stats, REAL Trends, REAL numbers, they need Truth in Reporting of Business information.....Truth is something that the MSM doesn't let get in their way.
"The Times they are a changing".........The First one now, will later be Last.....
Something is up here at work.....the Wall Street Journal now takes up Prime space in the Break Room....
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
Thank God for Rupert Murdoch
August 9, 2007 - 16:52 ET by Lame CherryI know Mr. Murdoch was not serious in eve walking away on anything he sets his mind to. I actually am smiling writing this as I am so glad the liberals pummelled Mr. Murdoch. I am pleased they dragged his Chinese wife into the mess and violated her........because I know Mr. Murdoch.
I know Mr. Murdoch will take great pleasure now in driving the nails into the New York Times coffin. He will enjoy the crippling of MSNBC business. He will enjoy putting them into a position to slowly dangle.......and then he will invite all the shallow liberals who will flee these yellow rags to a cocktail party where they all can laugh at how non important they are now.
It is a wonderful day when liberals bite the giants toes as when he gets up he will stomp on them. This will be most enjoyable watching as the Times already is constricting paper size to prepare for the first Murdoch tsunami in taking the Times high page ads which will leave the NYT floundering.
For those who enjoy the game, we are about to witness by God's grace the dispatching the New York Times and it being forever replaced by the Wall Street Journal.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
tyrant
August 10, 2007 - 04:14 ET by Agnostic"I spent the better part of the past three months enduring criticism normally leveled at a genocidal tyrant," Murdoch said. I have to disagree. The MSM loves their genocidal tyrants and would rarely raise a negative word to them. They gladly lavish praise and on Hussein, Castro, Lenin, Mao, Kim-Il, Chavez, etc... It is those that stand up to tyrants that are figuratively castrated in the media.