What’s the WSJ’s “Special Project”? Some guesses here

Staci Kramer of PaidContent.org has some educated guesses as to the “Special Project” being worked on at The Wall Street Journal that was announced to the staff by managing editor Robert Thomson late Tuesday.

Kramer writes, “One idea suggested by the choices: a project integrating the two into one news organization. But the way their titles are set up sounds more like a new product. My first two thoughts: a new edition picking up on the Journal’s previously strong business filter/focus or a new multi-platform, more general publication aimed at new readers just below the current subscribers—and designed to be national in the U.S. first, then global.

“It could be a new digital product, perhaps something aligned with News Corp’s own stealth project. But that’s just a little white boarding on my part.”

Meanwhile, Joshua Brown of Benzinga.com has some less-serious ideas about the project’s goal.

Brown writes, “Some guesses below:

“1.  Project Rupert Shield

“Jim and Gabriella will be designing a protocol for detecting the presence of Rupert Murdoch in the Dow Jones offices and keeping him from getting anywhere near the bullpen or newsrooms.  Mr. Murdoch is said to be surprisingly spry for his age and so great pains must be taken to contain him and eliminate his reach into the editorial sphere.

“2.  Hedcut Hall of Fame

“The project involves the building of an exhibition hall to house all of the best portrait illustrations from Journal history.  Kevin Sprouls, original creator of the stipple drawings back in 1979, serves as ticket taker for the exhibit.  Kids line up to have their hedcuts drawn by Journal artists or to have their faces painted with dots and dashes, just like the pictures in their favorite newspaper!”