Murdoch’s hands-on style

Today’s Journal has an interesting article, apparently available to all, examining Rupert Murdoch’s history as a newspaper editor:

Andrew Neil, a former editor of the Sunday Times, says Mr. Murdoch would likely make changes to the Journal if his bid was successful. “I think he would want the news to be informed by the editorial agenda,” he says.

“He is quite interventionist but he gives more latitude to his quality newspapers than his tabloids. He realizes for quality newspapers you can’t just hire people you boss around,” he adds. “To survive, you have to be on the same planet as Rupert but you don’t have to be on the same continent.”

Update: In another dispatch sure to rile the Rupert-haters among you, my former Fortune colleague David Kirkpatrick weighs in:

I think the trophy is the online business. Of course, Murdoch knows how to run papers as well as anybody. And he will take control of the Journal with gusto I’m sure (and I suspect, contrary to what many say, with respect for its editorial independence and traditions). But this is also the man, more than others in his generation who run big media companies, who has shown he understands how deeply the media world is changing as the Internet’s grip grows stronger. And Murdoch’s big-picture view is the key to his success and greatness.

Spain’s Prime Minister Warns Country Is in Danger of Being Shut Out of Markets

MADRID — Spain‘s prime minister warned Wednesday that the country faced the danger of being locked out of international markets as investors continued to fret about the future of the euro and Greece’s place in the 17-country eurozone.

“Right now there is a serious risk that (investors) will not lend us money or they will do so at an astronomical rate,” Mariano Rajoy told Spanish lawmakers.

YMM

You know as I was reading through the comments on the previous Murdoch post, I was begin to wonder Justin is what is your actual opinion. If Murdoch came along and bought up Time how would you react? There’s always the business perspective, we know you have a great deal to say about that. But as a writer, how does it make you feel if someone who clearly intervenes in the content and editorial tone of his publications, came and bought the publication you worked for?
Justin Fox

Umm, yeah. I wouldn’t be thrilled. But I’d still prefer it to seeing my employer bought by some purely financial type interested only in getting costs down.
paul_lukasiak

“Umm, yeah. I wouldn’t be thrilled. But I’d still prefer it to seeing my employer bought by some purely financial type interested only in getting costs down.”

lets not forget that Murdoch screwed the union employees of The Times of London in order to reduce his costs….

Sure, Murdoch is willing to lose money on some of his properties — as long as they are towing the ideological line. (Of course, hacks like Stengal wouldn’t have to worry about their jobs, and you wouldn’t either — as long as you molded your opinions to Murdochs)
Chuck

“Umm, yeah. I wouldn’t be thrilled. But I’d still prefer it to seeing my employer bought by some purely financial type interested only in getting costs down.”

To me, this sounds like you are saying, “I’d rather have a job writing half-truths than not have a job writing.”

I don’t think it is what you meant.

On the one hand, I could see why someone at a movie or music company would be happy to accept some input from the new boss in exchange for healthy production budgets. Even with bad suggestions, the bigger budgets could make a better product than a “pure” product on a small budget.

On the other hand, in a news org, what kind of input might be given. If I may wag my tongue a bit, I’d rather be on Earth with the rest of us than some other planet with Murdoch, even if I get my own separate continent.
James, Los Angeles

Well, let me tell you about how Rupert Murdoch singlehandedly destroyed one of life’s greatest pleasures: ribald, passionate, full-bodied Dodger-hating.

Yeah old Rupert forayed into baseball-owning back in the late 90′s when there were still Dodger-lovers and Dodger-haters. We were Dodger-haters, despite all else which divided the fam-ileeee we always had that to bind us together… So Rupert set about firing all the competence, destroying the farm system, firing farm managers left and right (Including Mike Scioscia, who finally, FINALLY after 40 miserable years led the Angels to their only WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP) signing mediocrities to huge contracts and the optioning of some of the beloveds, Piazza et al. Hmmmmp.

Anyway, all that firing and meddling in baseball (hey! you can’t meddle with BASEBALL!) the Dodgers became sooooo pathetic that it was impossible to hate them any longer. You had to feel bad for the sorry state of the organization, kind of like a long-running train wreck, one pathetic mediocrity stepping up to the plate and onto the mound while Rupert kinda lost interest. Hell, they even alienated Sandy Koufax fer crissake! NOT a better pitcher than Nolan Ryan, sorry! Let me take you to the record books to disabuse you of that idea. But, you kind of had to feel sorry for the losers.

So Justin, what makes you think you’d be spared under the management of a Rupert Murdoch?