Editorial independence the issue for Dow Jones

Cory Bergman June 3rd, 2007

With Rupert Murdoch meeting with the Bancroft family today, the issue that’s most likely to dominate the discussion is editorial independence. Some family members are concerned with Murdoch’s conservative bent and reputation of meddling with newsrooms. While Murdoch says he’s willing to accede some editorial controls, he’s against any efforts by the family to control an editorial oversight board. Reports the WSJ today:

Such a board should comprise “people with absolutely no business connections to me nor the family,” Mr. Murdoch said, adding that the family “can’t sell [Dow Jones] and keep it” by joining a newly created board. “I can’t put down $5 billion of my shareholders’ money and not be able to run the business,” Mr. Murdoch said.

He stressed that he has “no plans to change anything” on the editorial or news sides of the paper.

The meeting is at noon ET. (WSJ sub. required.)