Boston Herald publisher to fight deal (oh, the irony)

[joeunderdog]

BOSTON -- The publisher of the Boston Herald said he will try to block an agreement by the New York Times Co., owner of The Boston Globe, to buy a 49 percent stake in the free daily Metro Boston, saying the deal undermines competition with his paper.

"We are intrigued that The Boston Globe has finally recognized the merits of tabloid newspapers, but the fact is this deal is aimed directly at the Herald," Patrick J. Purcell said in a statement Tuesday. "It is clearly anticompetitive and not in the best interests of the general public or advertisers.

"We intend to contest this on grounds that the largest newspaper in Eastern Massachusetts is making an in-market acquisition that does not meet Justice Department standards," he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/01/05/boston_herald_publisher_to_fight_deal/

Can't someone call Michael Powell?

[wicket]

1. If the Herald cannot compete with a FREE daily newspaper..

...then they are in serious trouble. Plus, the Herald sucks! Aren't right-wingers the ones who always crow about letting the market sort everything out? I guess they don't want to leave it to the market to decide, oh the irony! :evilgrin:

[Warpy]

4. Not only that

but the Herald is a cobbled together result of more than one merger. I remember when the Herald Traveler, a stodgy rag for GOP businessmen, merged with the Record American, a tabloid style rag for socially regressive and racist hard hat types, to become the Herald American. Both papers were themselves the result of mergers.

Don't you love to see these boys waling and gnashing their teeth when somebody else tries their thing?

[wicket]

5. whoa, I never knew that

That explains a lot. Their paper is full of bitter, hateful right-wing nuts, I cannot stand them!

[TayTay]

7. Mr. 5 By 5

Back when Murdoch owned the Herald he got completely pissed because Ted Kennedy blocked him from multiple media ownership in Boston. That began his vendetta against Teddy K. (Continues even though Murdoch no longer owns the Herals.)

And yes, it is a Howie Carr, neaderthal pandering, rag of a paper.

[Cobalt Violet]

6. The Herald does suck.

And yes the right wing only wants the market to sort things out when they are the ones who will benefit. When the other guy stands to benefit then they want the goberment to do something about it.

[ET Awful]

2. Screw the Herald, those reich-wing bastards deserve to be the victim

of the policies they support.

[Demit]

3. I'm not sure which I like best in terms of irony:

The concept of a newspaper citing the "best interests of the general public", or the concept of "Justice Department standards". Feh!

[Massachusetts]

8. Gee I hope so

The boston herald is good for one thing, picking up dog S%#@it.
The papers name doesn't deserve capitol letters.

[edbermac]

10. I wouldn't even use it to pick up dogshit!

I'd rather pick up dogshit with my bare hands than come in any type of physical contact with the Herald...or the Little Picture Paper as it is known as...

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. Maybe we can have a left wing tabloid now?!?

[ooglymoogly]

11. ooooooh goody the mere thought of getting rid of the herald is like the

hope of getting rid of a malignant tumor. if it happens it will make ma. a better place