There are few news articles that make me gag anymore. Sad, I know, but I think I’m jaded.

Most news, however scandalous the ’story of the day is’ might be, is monotonous and predictible. The latest corporate scandal or political gaff barely elicits a raised eyebrow these days, so I was quite surprised to have almost thrown up to the news that Rupert Murdoch (of FauX News fame), via his company News Corps., has put out an astronomical bid to buy the Dow Jones company, the overlord of the Wall Street Journal, at approximately 60% over the company’s worth. The WSJ made a point of saying that the bid was ‘unsolicited’, but the fact that they’re actually considering taking the offer surprises me. But it shouldn’t. It’s an offer they can’t refuse.

The Offender

This very much speaks to a larger issue, one that has made me even more adamant not to ever participate in the corporate business of mainstream newspapers.

What disgusts me is the major newspaper conglomerate’s self-appointed birthright to massive corporate profits. We hear a lot of whining in the news lately about the falling profits of newspapers and how the poor papers are struggling to survive and laying off reporters and other staff. But underneath the whining about falling profits is the unmistakable stamp of corporate greed. When profits fall from astronomical heights, there’s a long way to go before you hit bottom. I’m not saying that newspapers should forgo their for-profit status and become a public service, (well, maybe they should) but for the sake of rationality, if you’re whining about your annual income being ONLY $29 million, I don’t think you have much room for complaint. Back in the heyday of newspaper companies, before cable and Internet provided alternatives to the holy printed page, papers were practically guaranteed monstrous profits because they were monopolies. It’s like the major oil companies today. You can bet that they’re enjoying their overstuffed pockets today, and as soon as oil is no longer the black lifeblood of society (and that day will come – soon) and their profits fall – we’ll hear our fair share of whining. What, I only made $9 billion? What a rip off!

That’s what happens when major industries fall out of fashion or are replaced by technology. The newspaper industry is just going to have to figure out how to stay in the game – or accept that they are no longer going to have a guaranteed profit windfall.

Sorry for the tangent, but this really relates to why we shouldn’t be surprised by the WSJ’s consideration of the offer. At a time when they’re whining about not earning as much as they rightful feel they should – why not take the money and run?

I’m sure this was just an attempt not to scare off any potential or current readers that haven’t picked up on the WSJ’s, um, ‘preference’, but their article about the proposed acquisition made only the tiniest reference to the blatant conservative bias that FOX calls news. “And Mr. Murdoch has hankered after the Journal for many years. The conservative slant of the editorial page reflects closely his own political views.” (From online.wsj.com). If the WSJ succumbs to avarice and becomes the next cog in the wheel of the Murdoch enterprise, should we be surprised?

I’m not particularly scared that the WSJ will turn into another megaphone for the Right, (heck, News Corp. own the Village Voice), but it’s just another sad realization of what the newspaper giants are willing to do for a profit they feel they are entitled to. They’re not the first to sell their souls and they won’t be the last. It’s just funny how frequently the devil ends up being Rupert Murdoch.