|
Newspapers
The Times to Murdoch-bashers: We're doing finePosted by Jeremy Goldkorn, May 15, 2007 3:42 PM
Below is the text of a letter from Robert Thomson, editor of The Times of London, to Jim Ottaway, whose family founded Ottaway Newspapers, now owned by Dow Jones. This letter is in connection with various complaints about Rupert Murdoch's News Corp's $5 billion bid for the The Wall Street Journal. For other commentary on this matter, see this Danwei story: Wall Street Journal China bureau to Murdoch: stay away! 11 May 2007 Jim Ottaway Jr Dear Mr Ottaway I was somewhat disconcerted to read your thoughts about News Corp's coverage of China and the world in general, which were clearly a challenge to the integrity of the journalists at The Times and to me personally. As a Beijing correspondent, I was in Tiananmen Square on the night of the massacre in 1989 and was thrown out of Tibet by heavy-handed Chinese officials, so the explicit allegation that we are pandering to the Communist Party came as rather a surprise. There is no doubt some difficulty in obtaining print copies of The Times in the US but reasonably regular scrutiny of our web site would make clear that all of our reporting has the objective of being factually objective and our comment pages provide a genuine contest of ideas. We are the only British newspaper to maintain a permanent bureau in Baghdad and have, by far, the most extensive coverage of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, where our reporters and photographers are often in harm's way because of their professional commitment. Two areas of coverage, in particular, have been developed since I arrived at The Times after establishing The Financial Times in North America: international reporting and business news. We now have the largest business audience in Britain and have partnered with The Wall Street Journal commercially in the UK. Such a partnership, proposed by the Journal's team here, would have been unthinkable had they regarded our coverage as somehow second-rate or tainted. I have attached a small selection of our leaders on the subject of China so that you can assess whether we are in thrall to the Government or to commercial interests. (See articles below.) I also suggest that you follow the coverage by our Beijing correspondent, Jane Macartney, a former bureau chief for Reuters, who recently broke the news about a purge of the Shanghai leadership and whose journalistic integrity can be verified by senior members of the Journal's editorial staff. Do feel free to contact me to discuss any aspect of coverage of any issue by The Times. If you pass through London, please do visit our offices and feel at liberty to talk to our senior editors and specialists about their particular areas of expertise and about journalism in general. All the best. Robert Thomson The Times
There are currently 4 Comments for The Times to Murdoch-bashers: We're doing fine.
Comments on The Times to Murdoch-bashers: We're doing fineI've realized that some people (unfortunately more than a few) just cannot hear anything different than what has been programmed in their heads. They are of the same school of religious extremists. There's not much you can do about them. Let's not mention Jonathan Mirsky (China correspondent sacked by Murdoch), Chris Patten's bio [dropped by Murdoch] or the Times coverage of Wendi Deng's China business activities [non-existent under Murdoch]. Or Murdoch's kow towing in his remarks about the Dala1 Lama. WSJ, beware. "Or Murdoch's kow towing in his remarks about the Dala1 Lama. WSJ, beware." What are you doing in China Michael? Bruce, If you checked my website you'd see I am not in China. Robert Thomson takes umbrage at those who say News Corps China coverage is influenced by Murdoch's business interests. Of course it is, and you only have to read Murdoch's own New York Post this week (link) to have this confirmed: editor Col Allen was told to make sure a story about Chinese diplomats going to strip joints was spiked. He did. The WSJ can expect the same if it becomes part of News Corp. |
Jobs in China
Recent Comments
Anon on
The Grabbing Class
Yan Xishan on
How to be cool in Beijing
Ma Bole on
"I just went to take a bath"
kangnick on
A handbook for staying healthy and regular
Mike on
National Geographic Goes Chinese
Joel Marti on
Rock attitude
Danwei.TV
Danwei Model Workers
![]() Recommended blogs and new media
China Media Timeline
Major media events over the last three decades
Books on China
In Wang Shuo's No Man's Land: Geremie Barme addresses Wang Shuo's 千万别把我当人.
Swimming with Mao, a memoir essay: This memoir piece is by Xujun Eberlein, author of the new short story book Apologies Forthcoming'.
Long Hair Drama, by Zhang Lijia: An except from Zhang Lijia's book 'Socialism is Great!: A Worker's Memoir of the New China'.
Front Page of the Day
A different newspaper every weekday
From the Vault
Classic Danwei posts
+ Men behind the Nanny (2005.04): The Publicity Department (formerly known as the Propaganda Department) has held a "forum" in Beijing to promote what it calls "news editorial staff management regulations (in testing phase)". These regulations appear to be same the set of rules earlier reported on Danwei of which the stated intent is to clear up corrupt journalistic practices. + What's wrong with Thirteen Princess Trees? (2007.03): The movie Thirteen Princess Trees (十三棵泡桐) directed by Lu Yue (吕乐) is delayed for a second round of review by the China Film Bureau. + Learning about America from prison flicks (2006.12): What Hollywood is teaching the world through prison films and TV shows like Prison Break and The Shawshank Redemption
Danwei Archives
Danwei Feeds
Via Feedsky
or Feedburner |

