News Corporation Shareholders Back Murdoch’s Takeover Defense
Date: 21 October 2006
By Richard Siklos
Richard Siklos
Rupert Murdoch wins crucial round in his continuing joust with John C Malone when News Corp shareholders approve poison pill takeover defense that will help Murdoch keep Malone at bay; vote could also improve Murdoch's leverage in talks over sending News Corp's controlling stake in DirecTV to Malone's Liberty Media Corp in exchange for Liberty's 19 percent holding of News Corp's voting share; photo (M)
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NBC Says Viewers Won’t Notice Cuts in News Staff
Date: 20 October 2006
By Jacques Steinberg
Jacques Steinberg
NBC Universal news executives predict budget cuts across its newsgathering operations will barely be noticed by viewers, though effect off camera is expected to be substantial; unit plans staff reduction of about 5 percent of 6,000 employees, or 300 individuals, and perhaps much more; photo (M)
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News Corporation Shareholders Back Murdoch’s Takeover Defense
Date: 21 October 2006
By Richard Siklos
Richard Siklos
The vote by shareholders could also improve Rupert Murdoch’s leverage in his DirecTV talks with Liberty Media.
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NBC Says Viewers Won’t Notice Cuts in News Staff
Date: 20 October 2006
By Jacques Steinberg
Jacques Steinberg
NBC Universal intends to reduce its newsgathering staff by an estimated 5 percent, or 300 individuals.
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Pentagon Audit Clears Propaganda Effort
Date: 20 October 2006
By Mark Mazzetti
Mark Mazzetti
Audit by Pentagon Inspector General says that American military propaganda campaign that planted favorable news articles in Iraqi news media did not violate laws or Pentagon regulations, but was not properly supervised by military officials in Baghdad; military run propoganda, in conjunction with Lincoln Group, says that military officials in Baghdad violated federal contracting guidelines by failing to keep adequate records about Lincoln Group's first propaganda contract for $10.4 million, signed in September 2004; report concludes that inspector general could not determine whether contract was properly awarded; under terms of contract members of task force will write summaries of news events and editorials, called storyboards, which Lincoln Group employees will translate into Arabic and pay Iraqi newspapers to publish (M)
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Pentagon Audit Clears Propaganda Effort
Date: 20 October 2006
By Mark Mazzetti
Mark Mazzetti
The audit found that while the Lincoln Group’s contract to plant favorable news in the Iraqi press did not violate laws, it was not properly supervised.
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3 Former Knight Ridder Newspapers Plan Layoffs and Other Staff Reductions
Date: 21 October 2006
By Katharine Q. Seelye
Katharine Seelye
New owners of former Knight Ridder newspapers San Jose Mercury News, Philadelphia Inquirer and sister paper Daily News announce layoffs, expected layoffs and abrupt changes in management as they paint bleak outlook for newspaper industry; San Jose Mercury, owned by MediaNews Group, plans to lay off 101 people from its work force of 1,260 employees; cuts are to include 40 workers from 280-member newsroom; Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News say 'some layoffs are unavoidable' (M)
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New Rules Prompt Upheaval in Australia’s Media Market
Date: 21 October 2006
By Tim Johnston
Tim Johnston
News Corp's decision to acquire 7.5 percent of newspaper operator John Fairfax Holdings caps tumultuous week in Australia's media market, indication of changes to come as country eases ownership restrictions next year; Australia's largest media empire, Packer family's Publishing and Broadcasting, announced on Oct 18 it would spin off its media assets into venture with private equity firm CVC Asia Pacific in deal worth 4.5 billion Australian dollars, or $3.4 billion, in cash and 900 million dollars in stock; Kerry Stokes owner of television company Seven Networks, acquired 14.9 percent of West Australian Newspapers Holdings (M)
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New Rules Prompt Upheaval in Australia’s Media Market
Date: 21 October 2006
By Tim Johnston
Tim Johnston
News Corporation’s decision to buy a stake in John Fairfax Holdings may indicate new changes in Australia’s ownership restrictions.
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Putin’s Flippant Comments on Israeli Scandal Are Heard
Date: 20 October 2006
By Steven Lee Myers
Steven Myers
Pres Vladimir V Putin of Russia is inadvertently heard on microphone speaking his views about sex scandal involving Israeli Pres Moshe Katsav during brief appearance with Prime Min Ehud Olmert; Katsav could face criminal charges that he raped and assaulted two former employees; accounts of scene suggest that Putin's remarks prompted laughter from Russian and Israeli diplomats inside Kremlin, where meeting was continued (M)
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