WSJ ME Brauchli recuses himself from Murdoch coverage

Richard Perez-Pena writes for Wednesday’s New York Times that Wall Street Journal managing editor Marcus Brauchli, on the job for less than a month, has recused himself from any editing of the paper’s coverage of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch‘s bid to purchase Dow Jones & Co., the paper’s parent.

In an update to what happeend at Monday’s meeting between Murdoch and Bancroft family members, Perez-Pena wrote, “Christopher Bancroft, a Dow Jones board member and one of three family members to take part, was delayed and missed most of the session, according to family advisors.

“Yesterday, people in both camps said that no follow-up meeting between Mr. Murdoch and the Bancrofts had been scheduled, but that it might not be necessary because negotiations could continue through intermediaries.

“The Bancrofts want to create a board, over which Mr. Murdoch would have no control, with the sole power to hire and fire the Journal’s top editors. Several top officials of the newspaper, including Gordon Crovitz, the publisher; Marcus Brauchli, the managing editor; and Paul Gigot, the editorial page editor, have been asked to draft a proposal for such a structure. For that reason, Mr. Brauchli, the top newsroom official, has been recused from overseeing the Journal’s coverage of the Murdoch bid.”

Read more here.