Murdoch and Purcell, Together Again: Why?
The pairing of Rupert Murdoch and Pat Purcell is so obviously intriguing, and so completely unclear, that it has led to all kinds of rumors and head scratching. Dan Kennedy, as he so often does, said it best: “And no, I have no idea what it means.”
Quick review: Purcell, who once served as Herald Publisher under Murdoch, and who bought the paper from Rupert, was named executive chairman of Ottaway Newspapers, which owns a handful of papers, including the Cape Cod Times and the New Bedford Standard-Times.
Let’s examine the theories:
1. It means nothing: Murdoch acquired the Ottaway chain as a part of his Wall Street Journal acquisition, which doesn’t exactly fit with his global media vision. Murdoch needs someone to run the papers, he and Purcell have an existing relationship, and that’s all there is to it. Boring, maybe, but probably apt.
2. This is Purcell’s exit strategy: The corollary to which is, and stop us if you’ve heard this one before, the Herald is dying.
Yesterday, I had weei.com’s site editor Rob Bradford talk to my sports journalism class at Boston University. Bradford relayed a story to my students that when he decided to join the Herald, people tried to talk him out of it on the grounds that the paper wouldn’t survive. (Standard disclosure: I write about the Celtics for eei and Bradford is my boss over there).
I’ll believe the tab is dead when Al, my friendly newspaper vendor in Porter Square, tells me he didn’t get any papers that morning.
3. Think hyperlocal: Amy Derjue wondered if the move was a precursor to the Herald setting up its own hyperlocal network to compete with boston.com’s venture. Purcell mentioned the possibility of a working relationship between the two entities, which would make some sense.
The Herald could, in theory, operate as a quasi news service which would give their statehouse and sports coverage, especially, more visibility. As someone who has worked for papers with copy-sharing agreements, the danger comes if the cost is local news space, which is the reason people still buy those papers.
4. It’s all about The New York Times: Ok, so here’s my somewhat crazy theory. Let’s say that the renewed Purcell-Murdoch relationship is actually more than it seems. Let’s further say that Murdoch wants back in at the Herald. Why? He smells blood in the water.
The Boston Business Journal’s scoop that the Globe was losing a cool million dollars a week came on the heels of reports that The Times is on the hook for a substantial debt payment in May of 2009. What better way to stick a thumb in the eye of The Times than by attacking its weakened flank, and what better attack dog than the Herald?
Anyone else have a theory? Let us know…
January 20th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
With the Boston Herald being printed at the Chicopee plant in Mass, Purcell now saves millions of dollars by doing this and can now focus on the Ottaway papers.