The PR strategies behind the Dow Jones saga

Marc Longpre of PRWeek writes about the varying public relations strategies being used by the players in the bidding for Dow Jones & Co., the parent of The Wall Street Journal, that has erupted.

Longpre wrote, “Sources confirmed to PRWeek that Kekst & Co., the crisis and financial powerhouse, has been brought on by the Bancroft family to give strategic communications assistance, including media relations, while media attention focuses on the Murdoch bid. Senior partners Jim Fingeroth and Roy Winnick are leading the work, according to the source.

“Representatives from Kekst said it was against company policy to comment on ongoing work. The Bancroft family released a statement on May 31 that attempted to reassure those concerned about the bid while leaving all possibilities open.

“Meanwhile, the Independent Association of Publishers Employees (IAPE) has gone on the offensive, bringing in Boston-based Ownership Associates to assist the union both in reaching out to alternative potential buyers and in handling media outreach and communications work, said Steve Yount, president of the IAPE Local 1096.

“‘We’ve been very open from the very beginning in our opposition to News Corp.,’ Yount said. ‘Our efforts are important for a lot of reasons. For billionaires who are sitting out there, we can say there is someone who is trying to put together another way to do this. I think we will get some people to come on by to sit around and talk about it.'”

Read more here.