Bancroft family news stories on Newser

Family Regrets Selling Wall Street Journal to Murdoch

Tim Karan — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:31:12 CDT

Members of the family that sold the Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch have a whole new kind of seller's remorse. Some in the Bancroft family tell Pro Publica they never would have agreed to sell the newspaper to Murdoch in 2007 if they knew the scope of News International's...

Cut the Charade: Let Rupert Have His Way With Journal

Jonas Oransky — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:32:42 CDT

Let’s stop kidding ourselves, Jack Shafer writes in Slate: Rupert Murdoch is seizing control of the Wall Street Journal , and we might as well be done with the “Special Committee” that was supposed to protect editorial independence. The Bancroft family insisted on the creation of the board, which then proved...

WSJ Oversight Panel Slams Editor's Ouster

Nick McMaster — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:53:37 CDT

A committee formed to protect the editorial independence of the Wall Street Journal from Rupert Murdoch’s influence said today the solicited resignation of managing editor Macrus Brauchli violated an agreement with Murdoch's News Corporation, Reuters reports. The committee is supposed to review all high-level hirings and firings, but, as Brauchli...

DJ Formally Approves Sale to News Corp.

Jonas Oransky — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:58:18 CST

Dow Jones shareholders formally approved the company’s $5.6 billion sale to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation; the closing is expected later today. The outcome was clear before today’s meeting, but the vote’s margin had been uncertain, as many Bancroft shareholders—whose voting stake was 64.2%—have been cold towards...

Murdoch Surveys New Empire

Peter Fearon — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:29:24 CDT

As Rupert Murdoch celebrates his acquisition of Dow Jones, articles in the new jewel in his crown, the Wall Street Journal , and one of its biggest rivals, the New York Times , speculate about the future. They agree Murdoch will direct a titanic battle for ads and readers against both the...

Bancrofts Agree to Sale

Greg Atwan — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:22:52 CDT

Enough members of the Bancroft family are supporting Rupert Murdoch's $5B bid for Dow Jones to seal the deal. The Wall Street Journal reports that 32% of the votes in its parent company are virtually guaranteed to Murdoch's News Corp.; the tycoon will likely be able to pick up the...

Murdoch Is 1 Bancroft Away from a Deal

Heather McPherson — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:38:09 CDT

Rupert Murdoch is within a Bancroft's breadth of owning Dow Jones, the company's flagship Wall Street Journal reports. A 5pm deadline came and went yesterday without a deal, but the bid has the support of Bancroft family members holding 29% of voting power. If either of two key holdout shareholders...

Murdoch May Cancel Deal Without Votes

Greg Atwan — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:14:38 CDT

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. may balk at a proposed $5B buyout of Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones unless more support emerges from the controlling Bancroft family, a spokesman said today. So far the family has promised about 28% of total Dow Jones votes to Murdoch's proposal, but News Corp....

Battling Bancrofts Take Journal Deal Down to Wire

Peter Fearon — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:36:01 CDT

The Bancroft family, which controls the majority of shares in Dow Jones, is so deeply divided over the proposed sale of the Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch that the deal is still too close to call, the Journal reports. A decision on the $5 billion bid is set for...