Murdoch "will spend whatever it takes to undermine the Times's standing as America's leading general-interest paper," Raines wrote in the April 2008 Condé Nast Portfolio. He observed that the Journal has already started targeting the Times's strengths - "foreign news, the Washington/politics report, and the Sunday magazine.
That superlative may be up for the debate. The Wall Street Journal already outranks the New York Times on circulation by almost 1 million, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. USA Today tops them both.
Raines said his fear of a Murdock-led takeover is based on a conversation he had with Murdoch in 2002 during which Murdoch suggested the Times "go after hard business news and beat them [The Wall Street Journal] on their strength."
Raines wrote that the Murdoch-owned Journal will outperform the Times, encouraging members of the Sulzberger family trust, which wields majority control over the paper, to sell. He humbly asserted that said such a sale would be devastating for American society.
"There is no more important question in American journalism than the future of the Times," Raines argued, noting, "As a reader, I believe a Murdoch takeover of our last independent national newspaper would be a disaster for the trustworthy reporting on which our civil life depends."
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NY Times Going Capitalist?
March 27, 2008 - 08:59 ET by macoman4u"Raines said his fear of a Murdock-led takeover is based on a
conversation he had with Murdoch in 2002 during which Murdoch suggested
the Times 'go after hard business news and beat them [The Wall Street
Journal] on their strength.'"
Raines biggest threat is an ideological attack, that Murdock might turn his newspaper into a capitalist money-making machine? Raines must be shaking in his print.
MichaelMac
HERE IS SOMETHING TO CHEW ON...
March 27, 2008 - 11:41 ET by danybhoymacoman4u,
The thing that we can say about Rupert Murdoch is that if he does buy the NYT, he will work to make a profit on it, it's a money pit as of now. He would make money on the deal longterm, & that should scare not just Raines, but all in charge at the NYSlimes.
But this should scare everyone more, Citadel Broadcasting(formerly ABC Radio) which has Hannity & Levin, has lost tons of money & their stock is tanking, down 87% from a year ago. Some people think it's being done on purpose. Some idiot named Farid Suleman, who is a committed liberal, has been the CEO during this time. Some suggest that there may be some Soros types on the their board who want to take it down from within since they can't take it down by having "progressive" radio actually beat it in the ratings books... http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/03are-liberal-executives-wiping-out.html There have been major cutbacks at Citadel, & this guy can't get fired for some reason, no matter how bad he performs.
The piece does'nt prove anything as of yet, but considering how much money Soros & others on the left have spent trying to fight talk radio, building up a network to compete & beat guys like Hannity & Levin, it would make sense to buy it & destroy it from within. Why build up when you can tear down? They do make an interesting case, & this is something that people need to be on the lookout for.
"Some of us are wise, some of us are otherwise" Mark Levin
Conservative talk radio is probably safe
March 27, 2008 - 12:10 ET by nkviking75The problem with that theory is that Hannity will certainly find another syndicator if ABC/Citadel folds. Levin is not as well known, but he'd have a pretty good shot as well. Rush's flagship is the ABC O&O (owned and operated) WABC in New York, but he's syndicated by an arm of Clear Channel. The fate of ABC Radio would probably leave Rush untouched.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
lady
March 27, 2008 - 09:02 ET by cheesegraterIt's the "OLD gray mare. The NYT is the "gray lady".
"I believe a Murdoch
March 27, 2008 - 09:03 ET by Jack BauerAnd for my next joke...
"There is no more important
March 27, 2008 - 09:04 ET by Ruths husband Ben"There is no more important question in American journalism than the future of the Times"
Exactly. I hope there isn't a future for the Times. It would be a disaster for Murdock to breath life back into that corpse. Let it rot in peace.
“There’s nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they
made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group.” -Obama (talking about Imus)
"Oh, rrrreaaaalllllyyyyy!!!!!!! -RhB
if he's concerned about someone outperforming his precious times
March 27, 2008 - 09:23 ET by lunaticcringeradiomaybe he should step up his game a lil and stop pusbishing a paper that has all the content and credibility of a truck stop bathroom door and bashes america at every opportunity. there is nothing "trustworthy" in the times, hell opie and anthony are constantly ripping that rag about the crap that bleeds off that waste of paper. how bad of a "news" source do you have to be for opie & anthony to notice you and make fun of you.
thanks to the ny times there's some kid in africa with flies on his face that could have put a better use of that paper on his butt, but he has to use a leaf.
lunaticcringeradio
Murdoch & The Times
March 27, 2008 - 09:32 ET by Missouri ConservativeThe NY Times is Murdoch's ultimate prize, his "white whale". I don't know if he wants to actually acquire the NY Times, but he definitely wants the Wall Street Journal to replace the Slimes as the national "paper of record". Pinch Sulzberger's incompetent management of the NY Times Co. will certainly aid Murdoch in that endeavor. The NYT Co.'s stock has been below the psychologically important $20/share mark for some time now, plus advertising revenue and circulation are down. If I were Pinch, I'd be worried.
"women and minorities hardest hit"
Mudoch has a Powerful Ally
March 27, 2008 - 09:44 ET by allanfMurdoch has a powerful ally at the once respected New York Times. That ally is left wing publisher Arthur "Pinch" Sulzberger. Sulzberger's desire for left wing orthodoxy has made the once respected "Newspaper of Record" little more than a Pravda for the Democrat Party. Readers are fleeing in droves.
While the Sulzbergers and Ochs seem content to let Pinch drive readers away, at some point the Sulzberger family will become concerned about losing all their money.
Murdoch need only let Pinch be Pinch and readers will continue defect to the Journal.
Keep up the good work Pinch. You are doing what no one thought possible, single handedly wrecking the nations once greatest newspaper
Murdoch raining on
March 27, 2008 - 10:08 ET by pocomocoMurdoch raining on Raines’ parade? Let’s hope it’s a deluge.
The fact that he has been directly responsible for the NYT’s poor performance doesn’t appear to enter his mind, as he seems to be saying – ‘don’t bother me with facts’, which has been the greatest indictment against the Times.
If Murdoch does buy the Times, Raines’ fear is that he will bring it back to its former glory days, which will be a repudiation of his reign as executive editor.
The NYT, editorially, has become an agenda driven paper. This is one of the first things Murdoch would change, and I can just hear the tap-tap-tap of computer keyboards as many at the Times start updating their resumes.
Correct me if you're wrong...
March 27, 2008 - 10:17 ET by stealth punditbut if the NYT is the leading newspaper and is so vital to our country why is it having so much difficulty and in danger of being taken over. The answer, obviously, is that it is neither and Raines, like so many others in the media, have a hugely distorted sense of their own self worth. They seem to think that they are on a mission (but not from God - that would be too religious) and not running a business.
Create a product that customers want and are willing to pay for and you shouldn't have any problems. Unless, of course, your owners are evil capitalists and want to sell the company because it is worth a fortune and they want to retire to Boca and fish all day (sarc off).
sp, You are correct. In fact
March 27, 2008 - 10:36 ET by pocomocosp,
You are correct. In fact what is happening at the Times, and at much of the liberal MSM, is a microcosm of what will happen if liberalism gains a foothold in this country.
I can even envision it becoming so bad, that we would long for the good ole days of Jimmy Carter.
I love Rupert's Methods...
March 27, 2008 - 10:44 ET by aeroveloHe tells the competition how to beat him....and in his confidence he knows they wont take his advice. The Times could give a rip about business news, after all business is evil. They want ideology...too bad it alienates 85% of the population.
---
Ask yourself: Do I want a good paying job, or do I want a government hand out. Its that simple!
Big Rupe is only interested
March 27, 2008 - 10:56 ET by Jack BauerBig Rupe is only interested in one thing. Increasing the profits of NewsCorp of whom he is a MINORITY stockholder.
If he thought a television news channel staffed by former BBC personnel, with a fairly liberal to left appraoch to the news would make his company money... HE WOULD BUY AND RUN IT.
Oh wait.. he did just that. It's called SKY NEWS.
Wait, did he just say
March 27, 2008 - 11:06 ET by RickTaLifeWait, did he just say "America's leading special interest paper?"
:-P
The biggest fear Libs have
March 27, 2008 - 11:46 ET by mattmThe biggest fear Libs have is losing their monopolistic stranglehold on the flow of information in the newsmedia, the entertainment media and in the education system. They can only maintain the superiority of their world-view if they dominate the marketplace of ideas. Competition scares the hell out of them.
Go Rupert Go! Heh Heh
March 27, 2008 - 13:13 ET by bigtimerGo Rupert Go!
Heh Heh Heh....get that treasonous piece of tripe called the NYTs.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill