WSJ As A Tabloid
I am not sure whether it has to do with News Corp's acquisition of the Wall Street Journal, but the new layout for the Wall Street Journal Online looks and feels like a tabloid with its sensational headlines. I don't care that the Bancroft family sold the Journal, they appeared (except for a few) to be either uninterested or slackers looking to cash in, but I always liked and appreciated the Journal's understatement and serious approach to news. If a news item needed hyperbole it was important. Now every title has a snappy heading "Economy Conspires to Dog Cerberus," and "Home Woes Hit Lowe's Again," as examples. I guess I will have to read it closer to determine news and noise. The Journal needs to be careful, because its readers know BS and will look other places for reliable news if its journalistic standards slip. It is still the business paper of record and a great national paper, but this is not assured going forward. I have already started to view the Financial Times as a backup.