Wall Street Journal at Brave New Films

RNC Resorts to Petty Name-Calling Over "The Real McCain"

2008-07-18T09:30:07Z

Calls for the REAL McCain to step forward are growing louder by the minute. Yesterday, a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed highlighted John McCain's YouTube problem, as a remarkable 1.4 million people have already seen The REAL McCain 2 since we launched it just one week ago. The fact that activists spread this video virally through YouTube made it such an instant sensation, simultaneously suggesting that the general public hungers for the truth about McCain, and that this appetite is something the mainstream media cannot satisfy with its ineffectual, inaccurate reporting about the so-called Maverick.

Republicans desperately hope that the mainstream media won't end its love affair with McCain any time soon. According to WSJ writer Laura Meckler, "the McCain campaign has decided that responding to various and sundry hits like [The REAL McCain 2] would only dignify them." And Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant called us an "anonymous smear job," even though both Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films are mentioned at the beginning of the film. Notice that the RNC had no facts to back up their claim, but instead resorted to petty name-calling.

While we expected nothing less from the RNC, they're going to have to try a lot harder to prevent the 1.4 million who have seen our film from spreading the truth about McCain. And hopefully, the WSJ piece will signal other corporate media outlets to break ranks and follow this lead.

Citizen Murdoch Lusts for Newsday

2008-07-24T14:08:28Z

Here’s a question: Exactly how much power over the media should one person be allowed to have? Because Rupert Murdoch is going to put that to the test.

On Tuesday, Marcus Brauchli, the managing editor of the now Murdoch-owned and formerly reputable Wall Street Journal, suddenly resigned. From Editor & Publisher:

Newsroom union members at The Wall Street Journal are looking at the resignation of Managing Editor Marcus Brauchli as the loss of "a buffer who would maintain editorial independence," according to the union's top leader.

Steve Yount, president of the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, said word that Brauchli is planning to step down after less than a year in the top editing post has drawn concern among members who believed he helped keep some newsroom independence under the new News Corp. ownership.

"It was reassuring that he was there because he was not a News Corp. guy," Yount said Tuesday. "They had hopes he was maintaining the editorial independence."

Murdoch Makes First Visit to WSJ D.C. Bureau, Tells Giant Lie

2008-07-09T17:45:23Z

Rupert Murdoch made an unannounced visit to the Wall Street Journal DC bureau last Friday to see what his $5 billion bought him. And to reassure staffers that WSJ would not become a crappy, salacious rag like Murdoch’s New York Post or a republican propaganda machine like FOX, Murdoch attempted to soothe their nerves with a gigantic, laughable lie. From Politico:

In his first visit to the Wall Street Journal’s D.C. bureau, Rupert Murdoch told staffers Friday that he would put more resources into Washington coverage and take on the New York Times, while reassuring them that he is not a "conservative” pushing an agenda in the news pages. –snip-

Doesn’t everyone feel better? After all, Murdoch had also stated that FOX News would be “Fair and Balanced” and would be, in fact, the ONLY non-biased news channel in America. And that turned out to be TOTALLY true. But what I found more frightening is this:

Regardless of Murdoch’s reputation, he made clear that more money would be allocated for Washington and political coverage, a stark contrast from his billionaire competitor Zell, who wants to slash the LA Times staff in D.C. –snip-

So at a precarious moment in the industry, when the NY Times is talking about layoffs and buyouts—and facing a challenging shareholder revolt in April—Murdoch could be in the ideal position to beef the D.C. bureau if he’s willing to open his wallet.

Rove Just Can't Help Himself

2008-07-24T08:40:25Z

Last Thursday, Karl Rove went after Barack Obama in a malicious Wall Street Journal op-ed. Like the good little architect he is, Rove tried to fan the flame of Clinton's anti-Obama rhetoric from last Tuesday's debate. Then Rove presented McCain with all the openings for criticizing Obama, whom he dubbed "one of the most dependably partisan votes in the Senate." And that, from Rove, is a serious insult.

This seems to be the tip of the iceberg of what we can expect from Rove, now that he's mugging for Fox News and the Murdoch-owned Journal.

Liberal Oasis has more commentary.

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Headzup: Murdoch Buys The Wall Street Journal

2008-03-22T21:54:48Z

It seems about right to me...

So Long, Respectable Wall Street Journal

2008-07-09T19:56:38Z

This from the NYTimes, which hopefully has enough room for quitting WSJ reporters who don’t want to be there when the WSJ becomes a crappy joke of its former self:

Richard F. Zannino, Dow Jones’s chief executive, will leave the company after staying for a time to help with the transition, Dow Jones announced yesterday.

People briefed on the matter said that both Mr. Zannino and L. Gordon Crovitz, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, would be succeeded by trusted lieutenants of Rupert Murdoch soon after the takeover was complete.

Mr. Zannino said the choice to leave was his; others at Dow Jones were divided as to whether that was so, while some said the decision was mutual. Mr. Murdoch has a history of putting his loyalists atop newly acquired operations.

(for a closer look at the comic, go here)

Buh-bye, Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch! John Harwood's going to the NY Times

2008-01-12T20:37:45Z

John Harwood is a Washington correspondent and a regular talking head on shows like Meet the Press.

John Harwood is leaving his position at the Wall Street Journal to join the New York Times (effective Christmas Eve). "Mr. Harwood will contribute political stories and analysis to various sections of the newspaper and NYTimes.com," reads the announcement. "The part-time role is similar to work he has done for The Wall Street Journal for the past two years while leading CNBC's Washington coverage." Harwood will remain as chief Washington correspondent for CNBC.

I wonder how many others might leave.

Rupert Murdoch's Inevitable Rape Of The Wall Street Journal

2008-03-22T21:54:30Z

Yup, the deal's done. The emperor got his way. And our democracy will once again be the worse for it.

Headzup: Murdoch Buys The Wall Street Journal

2008-07-09T17:07:05Z

Billionare tyrant Rupert Murdoch discusses his purchase of the Wall Street Journal. Download daily Catch and Release Comedy™ political cartoons to your mobile phone or iPod at www.headzup.tv

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AP: News Corp. “Highly Unlikely” to Proceed With Dow Jones Buy(!!!)

2008-05-09T10:59:34Z

Associated Press reported this potentially good news today:

As of late Sunday, some 28 percent of the Bancrofts supported the deal, the Journal reported on Monday, but a News Corp. spokesman told the paper that the company was "highly unlikely" to proceed with the deal at that level of support. A News Corp. spokesman confirmed the remarks.
The Bancroft family, which has controlled Dow Jones for more than a century, has been deeply divided over whether to sell to Murdoch, largely over concerns that his hands-on management style could affect the papers' coverage.

I’ll believe it when the deal is finally dead, but keep your fingers crossed anyway. I really can’t think of any good reason why Murdoch’s empire needs to get any bigger and more powerful. Not one.

Help Outfox Murdoch on WSJ Sale

2008-04-24T08:31:33Z

Mediachannel.org picked up a story from the Wall Street Journal saying that Christopher Bancroft, a key member of the Bancroft family that owns the WSJ, is trying desperately to block its sale to media planet devourer, Rupert Murdoch.

He [Bancroft] has expressed to others his belief the family’s responsibility as stewards of Dow Jones should trump any monetary gain the family could reap from Mr. Murdoch’s rich offer. He has met with Dow Jones employees who have opposed the deal. In his only public comment about the deal, he said selling to Mr. Murdoch would endanger The Wall Street Journal’s independence and journalistic integrity. “Why would I risk that?” he said.

Bancroft will be facing an uphill battle to buy up enough shares to have 51% of the total votes, but there’s something you can do to help. If you happen to rub elbows with any of the Bancrofts as you mingle with the liberal power elite, try to get a copy of Outfoxed into their hands or tell them about our work at foxattacks.com or our canine sisters over at newshounds.us. Even if Murdoch’s politics and tactics weren’t as stinky as they are, media consolidation is a threat to free speech and democracy. Murdoch’s empire is bigger than Disney. It doesn’t need to get any bigger.

Bill Moyers Destroys Rupert Murdoch

2008-07-10T16:04:29Z

Just watch, and feel the euphoria kick in.

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WSJ Reporters Walk Out Over Murdoch Bid

2008-01-12T20:02:15Z

Not worried about Murdoch’s bid to buy the WSJ and screw up one of the world’s best newspapers? Its reporters sure are, which is why they all stayed home from work today to protest it, as well as a threat to their union to reduce pay and benefits. This from the reporters' statement:

The Wall Street Journal's long tradition of independence, which has been the hallmark of our news coverage for decades, is threatened today. We, along with hundreds of other Dow Jones employees represented by the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, want to demonstrate our conviction that the Journal’s editorial integrity depends on an owner committed to journalistic independence.

Read the WSJ reporters' statement here and some analysis here.

Lewis Black skewers right-wing "media"

2008-07-09T15:33:21Z

Lewis Black reports that the conservative alternative to YouTube is actually YouTube.

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An Open Letter to Dow Jones Shareholders

2008-01-12T19:58:00Z

Matt Pottinger left his job as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal to join the Marines, where he is currently stationed in Anbar province (yikes!). While working in China, Pottinger got a first-hand look at how Murdoch’s News Corp. affiliate in China happily obeyed the wishes of the ruling Communist Party, even if it meant censoring writers, the BBC and news about the SARS outbreak. Despite what one might think about WSJ’s editorial page, the rest of the paper does some terrific reporting, and losing it to Murdoch’s propaganda/titillation machine would be a terrible blow to journalism. As Pottinger puts it in an open letter to Dow Jones shareholders:

Reporting the news in a foreign country whose government has little respect for the truth taught me many things, among them the doggedness and skepticism that are helpful in my current job. But mostly it taught me that the Journal isn't a commodity -- it's a vital national resource.

Read the whole letter here.

Robert Greenwald on Murdoch's Page Six Scandal

2008-03-22T21:54:28Z

Filmmaker Robert Greenwald discusses Rupert Murdoch, the Page Six Scandal and what the future of the Wall Street Journal could look like if Murdoch has his way.