I read yesterday’s coverage of the Murdoch bid in The Wall Street Journal.
First-class reporting.
Now this memo from Paul to The Wall Street Journal’s Newsroom:
To the staff,
It is never easy to cover one’s own organization, but I know you are up to the task. A few reminders:
— It is always crucial to be accurate and fair. It is intensely crucial when we are the subject of the story.
— That an offer for the company would come at a price so far above the recent market, particularly at a time when newspaper stocks have been depressed, is a testament to the high quality and integrity of your work and the huge respect it carries.
— The best thing for all of us to do is to continue that high-quality work, and to avoid getting caught up in what-ifs. That is particularly true when you get calls from the media, which many of you will. My strong recommendation is that you refer all such calls to [WSJ spokesman] Bob Christie.
Best regards,
Paul Steiger