ALEXANDRIA, VA How dare a successful conservative businessman actually try to buy a major newspaper? That's the attitude many journalists have taken about Rupert Murdoch's bid to buy the Wall Street Journal. The media, including the union representing many reporters and editors at the Journal, have openly opposed Murdoch, calling him a meddler and questioning his editorial integrity.
The Journal's union, IAPE Local 1096 of the Newspaper Guild
Communications Workers of America, even recruited left-wing
billionaires to come up with other bids for the paper. Clinton ally
Ron Burkle is one of what the union calls "billionaires with
integrity." and is working directly with them on a bid. Berkshire
Hathaway Chief Executive Warren E. Buffett is another of the elitist
left the union would consider acceptable.
Concerning the mainstream medias open opposition to conservatives
owning a major newspaper, MRC President Brent Bozell issued the
following statement:
"The left-wing biases of the media are never as obvious as when
they think conservatives might invade their exclusive club. By
rejecting the bid from one of the most successful media businessmen
in the world, journalists are showing they have no tolerance for
diversity of opinion. This is just another example of the media's
outlandish double standard when it comes to political beliefs that
differ from their own left-wing views.
"The real story here is one of a declining industry fighting
desperately to salvage the failed liberal mindset that runs much of
American journalism. The media dare to criticize Murdoch and Fox
News when they have long forgotten how to present the news in a fair
and balanced way."
"What journalists have been reluctant to report is how selfish they
are being by jeopardizing more than $1 billion in profits for
investors who have stood by the Journal despite its poor stock
performance," added Dan Gainor, the director of the MRCs Business &
Media Institute.