The New York Observer has another piece on Rupert Murdoch. It quotes heavily from former employees of the London paper The Times who were at the daily when Murdoch bought it in 1981. The intent of the piece, of course, is to suggest that if Murdoch picks up The Wall Street Journal, he won’t let it have editorial independence. But the piece comes up short, as demonstrated by this bit from Michael Leapman, author of a book on Murdoch:

Mr. Murdoch’s control is not so much in donning shirtsleeves and overseeing every editorial, Mr. Leapman remembered finding, but in appointing the right people. “He appoints editors who share his worldview and then gets on with it,” said Mr. Leapman.

So, he hires people who share his goals and values to work for him. Not exactly pernicious influence now, is it?