Comments on: Murdoch’s Dow Jones Bid, sign of a content bull market

By: RandomThoughts

RandomThoughts — Wed, 02 May 2007 13:35:06 +0000

Jim Cramer said this morning that he advised Rupert about 10 years ago on a Dow Jones buyout and he thought Rupert would go as high as $100. Cramer also said that he was sure that Rupert would get Dow Jones because what Rupert wants, he gets.

Course, he didn't get Dow Jones 10 years ago, so who knows.

By: Steve Morsa

Steve Morsa — Wed, 02 May 2007 13:08:21 +0000

Om...yep; should he be able to pull this off, he'll gain prime content AND a great business/news gathering machine to feed his new financial channel.

Rupert knows exactly what's he doing; and why he's doing it.

Just goes to show that--in the right hands--content really is (still) king.

WSJ TV? Talk about instant biz-cred.

By: Stuart Gannes

Stuart Gannes — Wed, 02 May 2007 07:14:57 +0000

I'm sure Murdoch has a business agenda. The WSJ is also one heckuva political platform,

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:12:59 +0000

Moshe

I am not sure if it is the ego factor with Murdoch. He can already elect presidents and he can do whatever he feels like. This is a plain old business decision - buy an asset that he perceives a cheap. Imagine, FOX buiness channel renamed: WSJ TV. More appeal than CNBC!

By: Moshe Maeir

Moshe Maeir — Wed, 02 May 2007 04:46:21 +0000

Om, I think you are forgetting the "ego factor" in buying a newspaper, TV station. Yes, they are hard nosed businessman, but they are also willing to pay a premium to be able to say - I own the WSJ, or I own Time magazine.

Owning a major media company also gives these businessman the political clout that they love. This is less of a factor in the states, but very big in the rest of the world.

By: RandomThoughts

RandomThoughts — Wed, 02 May 2007 03:37:25 +0000

Well, News Corp is missing the print side of their media empire.

By: KR

KR — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:35:03 +0000

i was reading in the san jose merc yesterday http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_5790894?nclick_check=1 that subscriptions of print news properties in general are declining. the wall street journal was up .6%. i am curious why murdoch would be so aggressive on going after dow jones. although, at the same time, many analysts do believe that the family-owned wsj is underperforming. i guess when you want to rule the world, owning an important news source like the wsj is part of the master plan. add evil laughter here.

By: kamla bhatt

kamla bhatt — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:20:18 +0000

Apparently the family that owns a good portion of the WSJ has declined the initial unsolicited bid from Mr. Murdoch.

Kamla

By: RandomThoughts

RandomThoughts — Tue, 01 May 2007 22:05:38 +0000

$60 was bold, but the family still has to agree to sell. Wish I had bought some options on Dow Jones yesterday.