In one of the notes in Editors Weblog today there was a note about how Rupert Murdoch has quote "increased its staff and the number of pages it prints each day".
Not a bad effort in a down market. From a guy who, in the recent series of Boyer Lectures in Australia, stated that "he newspaper, or a very close electronic cousin, will always be around". He who sees the internet as an amazing opportunity and thinks newspapers will reach new heights as a trusted news source.
He is a convincing man.
It is an understatement to say the Bancroft's distrusted Murdoch. In fact, the truly disliked him.
Yet, due to the coincidence of a number of issues, over time they came to trust him. They trusted that this was probably the best shareholder value option that they had. That Dow Jones would continue to exist and even grow within News Corp, and that Murdoch would honor his word about editorial independence.
Fortunately they were able to get over their distrust of Murdoch and News Corp, or this story could have had a vastly different ending.
They don't have to like you to trust you. It is easier, but not essential.
And if you can get past issues of distrust, through data, analysis and objectivity, then the payoff can be a lever big enough to change the world.
