Murdoch keeps the media busy
The sale of Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, continues to be a topic of discussion in the media. Concerns are being raised that the newspaper will become more heavily influenced by commercial interests. For the Sunday newspaper, however, fears of political conformity among all Murdoch newspapers are largely unfounded.
The sale of Dow Jones, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, continues to occupy the media around the globe. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is buying the publishing house for 5.6 billion dollars. This was preceded by a long tug-of-war, but the Bancroft family finally agreed to the sale. The English Sunday Times, which itself belongs to Murdoch's empire, traces the negotiations and shows the tactics Murdoch has been using for around ten years to take over Dow Jones. The deal is also still a topic of discussion in the Swiss media: NZZ am Sonntag, for example, concludes that a financially strong and determined investor can buy a newspaper if he really wants it - the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in Germany makes a similar point with its final claim: "Unsaleability is obviously relative".
Many media outlets are concerned about what will happen to the Wall Street Journal, a quality newspaper. Criticism is being voiced that the paper will have to follow commercial interests more closely. For the Sonntagszeitung, however, the fears that Murdoch will change the newspaper's political orientation are difficult to understand: "Why would a man with such a keen sense for making the right business decisions jeopardize the reputation of a newspaper?". The fear of all Murdoch newspapers being brought into line is also unfounded: The English Times, the Sun and the Sunday Times, for example, follow different lines. However, it remains to be seen whether Murdoch really does not interfere with editorial freedoms.
Many media outlets are concerned about what will happen to the Wall Street Journal, a quality newspaper. Criticism is being voiced that the paper will have to follow commercial interests more closely. For the Sonntagszeitung, however, the fears that Murdoch will change the newspaper's political orientation are difficult to understand: "Why would a man with such a keen sense for making the right business decisions jeopardize the reputation of a newspaper?". The fear of all Murdoch newspapers being brought into line is also unfounded: The English Times, the Sun and the Sunday Times, for example, follow different lines. However, it remains to be seen whether Murdoch really does not interfere with editorial freedoms.
