New York Times reporter Saul Hansell wrote Tuesday that Wall Street Journal publisher Gordon Crovitz sounded as if he was warming to the idea of making the newspaper’s web site free to all readers — a move that new owner News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch has championed. Crovitz has previously been a proponent of a pay site.
Hansell, who attended the Future of Business Media conference, wrote, “When asked about the Journal’s online plans, Mr. Crovitz answered, in essence, that the company was busy rethinking.
“‘The Wall Street Journal already has the best business Web site,’ Mr. Crovitz said. ‘The issue now is can we also have the biggest business Web site.’
“He added that ‘there may be ways to continue down the path we are on and make more of our journalism freely available,’ adding, ‘There is more to come on that analysis as we conclude it.’
“Mr. Crovitz was equally agile in talking about the Journal’s longstanding relationship with CNBC and its fast friendship with the Fox Business Channel.”
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