Whaddyathink? National Geographic > Rupert Murdoch
The venerated National Geographic magazine sells itself to a Rupert Murdoch entity. Good fit for either/both?
Did you see this news item? Another traditional print media source going down or a still-coveted brand now at risk?
Washington Post writer Paul Farhi said of the sale: “Ever since it was launched from the temple-like headquarters of the National Geographic Society in Washington in 1888, National Geographic magazine has illuminated the world’s hidden places and revealed its natural wonders.” (See the article here.)
In the lower right-hand corner of Toles’s cartoon is his bottom line on Murdoch’s interests. Judging from Fox News Channel’s coverage of the issue in the recent several years with its gallery of pundits/guests opining beyond their expertise–or grilling the occasional guest advocating political/policy changes due to global warming–I’d wonder if the editors of the magazine will resign in the near term or knuckle under to protect their salaries?
Perhaps some “firewall” between the two companies has been arranged but not publicly disclosed?
The purchasing entity is a partnership headed by 21st Century Fox, owner of 20th Century Fox movie studio, the Fox television network and Fox News Channel.
Fahri goes on to disclose that the magazine’s peak domestic circulation was about 12 M in the late 1980s. Now there are less than a third of that number of U.S. subscribers and about 25% of that number in non-English circulation. Advertising decline has followed the circulation numbers.
There was much gnashing of teeth over Jeff Bezos (amazon.com) taking over The Washington Post, but I, as a daily reader, haven’t noticed changes in news coverage or op-ed content. (Thankfully.) Of course there’s the occasional disclaimer that the Post is owned by Bezos when there’s any kind of article in the paper about amazon or any other of his other interests.
Could the National Geographic sale to Murdoch go so far as these cartoons suggest? Brings to mind larger-than-life media baron Wm. Randolph Hearst. But, I’ll continue to seek out the National Geographic so will see.
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